 Three Asian-origin players to play against India
Published on July 13, 2007 by IANSViewed 716 times
Three Asian-origin players are expected to be in the England Lions line up that plays the Indians, led by stand-in captain Sachin Tendulkar, in a three-day game starting here Friday.
While Ravi Bopara of Essex has Indian roots, Adil Rashid of Yorkshire and Owais Shah of Middlesex trace their family to
Pakistan. Bopara and Shah have played for England but Rashid will try to stake his claim for a place in the national team.
This match is the last chance for the Indians to find their form before the first Test against England at Lord's, London, starting July 19.
Rashid, who was born in Bradford to Pakistani parents, will be up against some top class Indian batsmen, though captain Rahul Dravid has preferred to rest for this match.
"I'm not daunted. It will be quite a good challenge for me, bowling against the likes of Sachin Tendulkar. It's always been my dream to bowl to Tendulkar, and I hope to get him out," BBC quoted Rashid as saying on its website.
"The teenage leg-spinner, who has made a huge impression at Yorkshire, is full of confidence after a five-wicket haul in his last match against Lancashire," Rashid said.
The 19-year-old spinner's five for 114 in the Roses match at Old Trafford, Manchester, ended a barren run of 80 overs and almost two months without a County Championship wicket.
Rashid has already toured Bangladesh with the England 'A' team under the tutelage of new England coach Peter Moores but has not yet completed a full county season.
The Lions side is led by Andrew Strauss while the hometown star Bopara will bat in the top order.
IANS
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