Dhawan battles sore left thumb injury, not ruled out of third ODI

Out-of-form India opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan is battling a left thumb injury which he picked up during New Zealand's cricket tour of India last October at the Eden Gardens here. But according to sources, the Delhi southpaw will be ready before the third ODI match against England at the same venue on Sunday.

Dhawan on Friday checked into a private hospital after landing in the city for the third and final One-Day International (ODI) which is also India's final 50-over engagement before the ICC Champions Trophy in June this year.

"He went to have a look at his sore thumb but should be fine for Sunday's game," a team source said here.

Dhawan, who scored 1 and 11 in the two ODIs in Pune and Cuttack respectively, is going through a lean patch with the bat. He headed to Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals after reaching the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport.

When Dhawan picked up the injury which kept him out of the New Zealand ODI series, it opened up a place for Ajinkya Rahane to open the batting with Rohit Sharma, who is himself not playing against England due to injury.

While Rahane managed only 143 runs in five innings, the graceful right-hander made a crisp 91 in the second warm-up match against England.

--IANS

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