India call for reinforcements

India have called up Rakesh Patel, Ishant Sharma and Ranadeb Bose after a flu-like virus hit the team just 24 hours before their match against South Africa in Ireland.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Shathakumaran Sreesanth, Agit Agarkar, Ramesh Powar, Rudra Pratap Singh, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan have all been struck down with the virus putting them in severe doubt for the first of three one-day internationals against South Africa in Ireland.

Dravid had the following to say in a statement released “Quite a few boys in our team are suffering from viral fever and ‘flu, and symptoms of that kind. Sreesanth, Agit Agarkar, Dhoni, RP Singh and Ramesh Powar have not come to practice today. There are other guys like Yuvraj Singh, myself, Zaheer Khan and Robin (Singh, the fielding coach) who are feeling a bit down.”

Dravid went onto say “In consultation with the board and the chairman of selectors we have called up Rakesh Patel from one of the leagues here as back-up for the fast bowlers because with Sreesanth and Agit unlikely to play tomorrow (Tuesday) and Zaheer a bit doubtful, we were a bit light in that department.”