India v England, 3rd ODI, Kanpur

Ishant cleared to play

Nagraj Gollapudi

November 18, 2008

	Ishant Sharma has recovered from his ankle injury © AFP

Ishant Sharma, who missed the first two ODIs against England due to an ankle injury, has been declared match-fit but the team management is yet to take a call on whether he will play the third game on Thursday in Kanpur.

If Ishant returns, either Munaf Patel or RP Singh will have to sit out in Kanpur. RP looked scratchy in the two games played with just one wicket. The team is looking to rotate the fast bowlers during the seven-match ODI series as a precautionary measure keeping in mind the subsequent two-Test series. "We would like to play both of them [Zaheer and Ishant] till we are in complete control of the series," sources said.

Ishant flew to Mumbai immediately after the Nagpur Test against Australia to have his ankle checked by Dr Anant Joshi, BCCI's medical consultant. The MRI scan did not reveal anything and Joshi suggested the bowler be given a some rest. "It was just minor sprain which happens due to the workload," Joshi told Cricinfo. "I sent the report to the physio recommending rest."

Ishant was rested for India's victories in Rajkot and Indore after the team management decided to give him a five-day break.

Nagraj Gollapudi is an assistant editor at Cricinfo

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