Yuvi, Murali doubtful for first ODI

The fingers of both Yuvraj Singh and Muttiah Muralitharan have been fractured and as a result the duo may be ruled out of the first of the five match series between India and Sri Lanka.

Yuvi suffered a hairline fracture while fielding in the last T20I match in Mohali. His 25-ball 60 was instrumental in scripting India's success in the second T20 match. In case you remember, Yuvraj blasted the English bowlers all over the park and smased a hundred in the first ODI of that series at the same venue. As a result Virat Kohli or Ravindra Jadeja would take his place.

India have already been deprived of Sreesanth's services after the comeback hero tested positive of swine flu. However, Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh and Pravin Kumar, who did not play in the T20 matches would be back for the ODI encounters. The last time India played a ODI series was against the injury-struck Australia, India had lost the series 2-4. But things are looking up as a rejuvenated Mahendra Singh Dhoni is just two victims short of 200 dismissals as a wicketkeeper in ODIs. He also is just 46 runs short of the 5,000 run mark.

On the other side, spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan may also be ruled out of the first game at Rajkot owing to a fractured finger. The bowler was rushed to a Rajkot hospital after he complained of severe pain in his finger on Monday. However, the Medical Director of the hospital Dr Kamal Parikh said that the injury is not very serious, though Murali deserves a rest. He had also missed out on the T20 matches due to an injury.