Dhoni in danger of one-match ban for Slow over-rate

Indian skipper MS Dhoni is facing the danger of a one test-match ban unless his side manage to increase their over-rate following slow bowling during England's 1st innings in the opening Test.

India recorded an over-rate of 13 overs per hour instead of the required 15, according to a report in the tabloid 'Daily Express'.

The ICC code of conduct states that the skipper of any team which is found responsible of bowling slow over-rates on three occasions in a 12-month period will face a one-match suspension.

India had failed to maintain the required over-rate during January's 3rd Test against South Africa and the recent match against the West Indies in Barbados.

Even if MS Dhoni escapes punishment at Lord's here, the threat will remain throughout the England Test series, the report said.

Not to use the DRS for LBW

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have agreed the protocols for the use of the Decision Review System (DRS), in consultation with the ICC, for the forthcoming Test series which begins at Lord's Cricket Ground on Thursday, 21 July 2011.

In accordance with the recent ICC Board decision, the minimum standards of infra-red technology and stump microphones will be employed during the four Test Series and five One Day Internationals between England and India .

The agreement of both Boards is required to extend the DRS technology beyond these minimum standards. While ECB were in favour of full usage of DRS, which would have included ball tracking technology, the BCCI indicated their desire for the system to be limited to the agreed minimum standards in this series. Accordingly, to achieve practical application, it has been agreed by all parties that players shall not be able to review leg-before-wicket (LBW) decisions during the Test and ODI series.

ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat, said: 'While we are disappointed that the full DRS will not be used to support the umpires, we are pleased that the ECB and BCCI have worked hard to ensure the minimum DRS is used in this much anticipated series.

'It is common knowledge that the ICC and ECB would have liked ball tracking to have been included so that LBW decisions could have also been reviewed, but the last Chief Executives Committee and Board meeting in Hong Kong had agreed to independently confirm the accuracy of ball-tracking technology. This will now take place as a matter of urgency.'

The ICC Board had agreed a CEC recommendation that ball tracking technology be used only if both participating teams agree.

India won the three-Test series 1-0

India settled for a draw in the 3rd and final Test against the West Indies after rock-solid century-maker Shivnarine Chanderpaul and the home bowlers gave them a fight on Sunday. Chasing 180 for victory, India finished on 94 for three, deciding to bring the match to a close with the statutory final 15 overs remaining on the last day of the inaugural Test at Windsor Park.

The result meant that the visitors won the three-Test series 1-0, following a 63-run victory inside four days in Jamaica and a draw in the 2nd Test at Barbados. The visitors also wrapped up their second straight Test series victory over West Indies in the Caribbean and they also became the first Indian side to win a Test and one-day series here.

Harbhajan Singh take 400 Test wickets

Harbhajan Singh became the 11th bowler in history to capture 400 Test wickets while Ishant Sharma again bowled impressively in the rain-lashed third Test between India and West Indies on Thursday.

India were 8/0, replying to West Indies' first innings total of 204/10, when a combination of rain and bad light stopped play early on the second day at Windsor Park, where only 49.2 over were possible.

Ishant Sharma, the most successful of all the bowlers in the series, upstaged Harbhajan, taking 5-77 from 21.3 overs.

His success, followed up his 6-55 in the first innings of the drawn 2nd Test at Bridgetown, taking his tally in the three-Test series to 21 wickets at 14.04 apiece. Harbhajan, playing his 96th Test for the Indians, bowled Carlton Baugh for the West Indies top score of 60 about an hour and 20 minutes after lunch to achieve the milestone.

Only former skipper Anil Kumble (619) and Kapil Dev (434) have taken more wickets for the visitors than Harbhajan.

He is also the 4th spin bowler to take 400 wickets in Test Cricket, following in the footsteps of fellow off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka, whose 800 scalps are the most, Australia's Shane Warne (708), and Kumble.

17-member Test squad for India's upcoming tour of England

Star players Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir and Zaheer Khan likely returned to the team as the national selectors on Saturday announced a full-strength of 17-member Test team for India's upcoming tour of England starting mid July.

Yuvraj Singh, who missed the tour of West Indies because of a chest infection, also made a comeback to the Test squad along with Kerala speed star S Sreesanth.

Wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha got the nod ahead of Parthiv Patel as the 2nd wicketkeeper, while Virat Kohli and opener Murali Vijay were dropped from the squad announced by BCCI secretary N Srinivasan after a meeting of the selection committee here.

Tamil Nadu opener Abhinav Mukund was retained in the squad but pacer Abhimanyu Mithun couldn't find a spot in the team.

Dashing opener Virender Sehwag, who was also forced to skip the Caribbean tour because of a shoulder surgery, will miss the first test but will join the team after a fortnight.

The team, to be captained by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, will have Gambhir as the vice-captain.

The squad has as many as five pace bowlers considering the seaming conditions in England. It has two spinners in Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra.

Test Team Squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (C), Gautam Gambhir (vc), Virender Sehwag, Abhinav Mukund, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Wriddhiman Saha, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, S Sreesanth, Praveen Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Amit Mishra, Munaf Patel.