India likely to exercise bench strength

With a place in the final already assured, India will probably test their bench strength in their last league match of the Videocon Cup tri-series against Zimbabwe. Rudra Pratap Singh, Murali Kartik, Suresh Raina and Venugopala Rao can all expect a game on Sunday. That might mean some of the regulars, including Mohammad Kaif, the hero of the previous match against New Zealand, could be rested.

"Obviously that's an option for us to consider. Though Kaif, having got a hundred, would like to carry on," Chappell was quoted as saying to Press Trust of India.

Rao played the first two matches, but got ducks in both games, while Kartik was named supersub in the last game against New Zealand but didn't bat or bowl.

Meanwhile, Heath Streak has pulled out of the match due to an injury. Streak was hit on his left knee during the Test against New Zealand at Bulawayo and played in the earlier one-dayers despite that niggle. With nothing at stake in Sunday's match, Streak decided to pull and rest the injury so that he could be fit for the two-Test series against India. The first of those matches start on September 13.