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Robin out of one-dayer

India will go into the first match against Australia in the triangular series without allrounder Robin Singh, captain Mohammad Azharuddin announced in Kochi on Tuesday.

Talking to newsmen after nets at the Nehru stadium, Azhar said the Tamil Nadu player had suffered a deep cut while stopping a ball hit by Navjot Singh Sidhu at the nets. He was taken to hospital for microsurgery on his left palm.

Azhar and manager Anshuman Gaekwad have sought a replacement for Robin Singh from selector Ajit Wadekar who is in this Kerala city. "He will speak to the other selectors who will be here for tomorrow's match," the skipper added.

Azhar and Gaekwad dismissed doubts over the fitness of pace bowler Javagal Srinath, who passed a fitness test at the nets on Monday evening, and that of Ajay Jadeja and Anil Kumble. Srinath missed the Bangalore Test because of a shoulder injury while Jadeja has undergone surgery recently.

The captain was confident that India would do well in the one-dayers, boosted by the Test series win against Australia. "In Bangalore, we did not bowl well in the first innings to defend a score of 420," he said. Azhar felt the Indian batsmen's ability to score swiftly would give them an advantage in the ODI series.

He admitted that his side's fielding skills were suspect. "But we have never had a good fielding side barring the 1985 team," he added. He had a special word for the fresh talent in the Indian team. "I hope they will play for a long time. They are all good." What did he think of Bombay allrounder Ajit Agarkar, the debutant in the Indian squad? Azhar said he had always thought highly of Agarkar's talent.

Australian skipper Steve Waugh -- Test captain Mark Taylor has returned home -- too exuded confidence about his team's chances. "Our specialist one day team has beaten South Africa. We have also defeated New Zealand in New Zealand before coming into this series. We are confident we will rise to the occasion again although we know the Indians are high on confidence. They are a good one day side and will be difficult to beat."

Azhar, Gaekwad and Waugh said the onus will be on the batsmen to score runs and give the bowlers a chance. "We have to score more runs, that's our strategy against India," the Aussie allrounder said, denying rumours of a revolt in the team over the sacking of Taylor, star wicketkeeper Ian Healy, opener Michael Slater, Adam Dale, Stuart McGill, Paul Reiffel and Greg Blewett.

The Aussie selectors have called up Damien Fleming, Damien Martyn, wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist, Michael Bevan and Tom Moody. Waugh is confident that Bevan, all rounder Moody, pace bowlers Fleming and Martyn will maintain their "exciting" record in one day cricket. With Fleming and Michael Kasprowicz around, Waugh said he did not "agree that we are weak in bowling."

For the Indians, legspinner Kumble returns to the one-day side after 17 matches. Kumble replaces Bombay leggie Sairaj Bahutule who did not impress the pundits in the games against Sri Lanka at home or in the Dhaka outing last January. Vinod Kambli too returns to the side in place of Saurav Ganguly, who has been suspended for the Kochi match.

Although the selectors, who will be in full strength on Wednesday, have said the Indian team has been picked for all four matches, it is clear that changes will be made for the other games.

The wicket relaid on the strip prepared for the Deodhar Trophy limited overs match recently will be hard and full of runs, Parthasarathy, curator at the Chepauk stadium in Madras, said on Tuesday. "The cracks could not be removed due to the scorching heat," he said. "Let the batsmen who are capable of getting runs thrive on it."

This is the first time in ten years that Kerala will host an ODI tie; the last game was in 1987-1988 when the West Indies came a-visiting. The organising committee expects about 60,000 spectators will fill the Nehru stadium which has a capacity to seat 70,000 people. The sale of tickets is reported to be "very encouraging" even though autograph hunters were absent at the stadium when the teams had their work-out on Monday evening.

The teams:

Australia (from): Steve Waugh (captain), Shane Warne, (vice-captain), Michael Bevan, Damien Fleming, Adam Gilchrist, Michael Kasprowicz, Darren Lehman, Damien Martyn, Tom Moody, Ricky Ponting, Gavin Robertson and Mark Waugh.

India (from): Mohammad Azharuddin (captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Ajay Jadeja, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, Ajit Agarkar, Nayan Mongia, Javagal Srinath, Anil Kumble, Debashish Mohanty and Rahul Sanghvi.

Umpires: S K Bansal and A V Jayaprakash.

Observer: Satya Mohanty.

Third umpire: K N Raghavan.

UNI