Even though the date and venue of the two-Test series have not been finalised, Delhi has been a frontrunner to host one of the two matches when South Africa visit the country in February-March for a series that also features three ODIs.

“But after the pitch fiasco that led to the abandonment of the fifth and final India-Sri Lanka ODI yesterday, Feroz Shah Kotla is now out of the race,” a BCCI source said.

Under the ICC rules, Kotla may even be banned for a period of 12-18 months which would effectively mean that it will not be able to host the 2011 World Cup matches that are scheduled in Delhi. The ICC has already served a notice seeking explanation from BCCI which has asked DDCA for its version. It may take a month’s time for the ICC to complete the process and come out with “appropriate sanction” in the case of Kotla.

In the aftermath, former players blasted DDCA for the fiasco with ex-captain Bishan Singh Bedi wondering how the pitch which was not used even for Ranji Trophy matches was used for a one-day international.

DDCA vice president Chetan Chauhan, however, expressed hope that ICC would understand the issue and Kotla would remain an international venue. “I would be a liar if I say I am not worried. We are very, very sorry and upset but it was beyond our control. We want international cricket to continue in Kotla. We have taken it seriously and accept it was our mistake,” Chauhan said.

“But at the same time, I’m sure people will understand the issue and we would host Indian Premier League and international matches here,” Chauhan said.

The former player, however, insisted that the match could have continued in an adjacent pitch.

“We offered another centre pitch and asked just one hour’s time to get it ready. Of course it required approval of both the captains but that was an option. The match should have continued for the sake of 45,000-50,000 people who had come to the stadium,” Chauhan said.

Sri Lanka had, after much struggle, managed to put up 83 for 5 in foggy conditions before play was abandoned, making India the country to have two abandoned One-day Internationals because of bad playing conditions. The previous instance is of the second ODI of the series in Indore, scheduled on December 25, 1997, which was called off after just 19 minutes of play.

According to ICC’s latest code of conduct, such a breach calls for “a suspension of the venue’s international status for a period of between 12 and 24 months together with a directive for appropriate remedial action and the need for prior ICC re-accreditation as an international venue”.

The ICC today said it will take about a month’s time to decide an “appropriate sanction” on Feroze Shah Kotla as an international venue after yesterday’s incident.

“Well, it is a well documented and transparent process. We have sought BCCI’s comment and given them 14 days time to respond. Thereafter, Ranjan Madugalle (Chief Match Referee) and Dave Richardson (General Manager of cricket) will determine the issue to decide what is an appropriate sanction,” ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat told reporters.

Tendulkar, who was felicitated by Aryan Club for his 20 years in international cricket, recalled the time when he first played at Eden Gardens back in 1991 and said the crowd magic at the venue is always vibrant.

“It is said that if you are fielding, you just need to take the first two wickets, the crowd takes the remaining eight wickets, creating so much pressure and noise. When the stadium is filled to the brim with a crowd of 90,000 to one lakh, shouting, it’s really a treat for a cricketer to play,” said Tendulkar on the sidelines of the felicitation.

Tendulkar said he is very fond of Kolkata from where former India captain Sourav Ganguly hails. “I have known him closely since our young days, when we attended a camp during our Under-13. We have shared some tough moments together, opening the batting in ODIs,” Tendulkar said.

Tendulkar said he has seen Ganguly grow as a cricketer and his contribution to the growth of Indian cricket over the last decade is unmatched. “Everybody knows his immense contribution to Indian cricket and also Bengal cricket,” said Tendulkar.

The champion batsman also thanked Aryan Club for which he had played the P Sen Trophy back in the early 1990s. Earlier, film star Mithun Chakraborty felicitated Tendulkar, describing the Mumbai batsman as a ‘God’ of Indian cricket.

India will be entering the Eden Gardens, where the fourth ODI against Sri Lanka is to be played, without two key players in MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh. A win in this game would seal the series for the home team and Sehwag said that India will definitely miss the services of experienced campaigners like Dhoni and Yuvraj but at the same time this is very good opportunity for some younger players to prove their mettle.

“When the series is going on, the team has to play the matches, irrespective of who is in or out. Definitely, we will miss their services but we have to look at our other options. The youngsters are getting an opportunity to play for their country and if they do well and make a mark it’s good for the team as well. The bench strength will get stronger and stronger”, Sehwag said.

“With 2011 World Cup coming up, if players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma get opportunity to play and get runs, our bench strength improves,” he said, while especially pointing out Virat Kohli as a bright prospect. “He is truly a talented player. He had played very well in the Champions Trophy. Hopefully he will become a star of the future. We are all looking forward to him.”

India are leading the series 2-1 but they have a record of squandering advantageous positions. However, Sehwag said this time they are determined to not let the lead slip out of their hands. “We will try our best. It’s not always easy for bowlers to restrict a side under 240. But we will try to do that again,” Sehwag said, adding that they were yet to finalise the playing XI.

Meanwhile, the devastating form of Sri Lankan opener Tillakaratne Dilshan is still a cause of concern for Sehwag. “It’s difficult to stop him. If we get him out early, it will be an advantage, as their middle order has not fired yet.”

With Eden Gardens being the home ground of former Indian skipper, Sourav Ganguly, whom Sehwag always pays gratitude to for making him an opener, the Delhi dasher said, “I would like to win here to give a gift to Ganguly.”

“Due to the finger injury sustained earlier, Yuvraj Singh has been advised rest and therefore he will not play in the 4th and 5th ODI matches against Sri Lanka, to be played at Kolkata and Delhi on December 24 and 27,” a BCCI statement quoted secretary N Srinivasan as saying on Tuesday.

This is the second serious injury on his finger that Yuvraj has sustained this year. Earlier this year, in September, he had fractured his finger during a practice session in Johannesburg just before India’s Champions Trophy campaign got underway. However, he recovered ahead of the six-week rehabilitation period that doctors had estimated and played five of seven ODIs against Australia at home before Sri Lanka arrived.

Yuvraj is most likely to be replaced by right hand middle-order batsman, Rohit Sharma, who did his chances of a recall to the national squad a world of good last week when he scored a triple-century for Mumbai against Gujarat during the Ranji Trophy.

The Indian selectors are expected to make an announcement shortly. The fourth ODI is in Kolkata on December 24, followed by the final game in Delhi on December 27.

“Jadeja was very impressive, that was the reason we could restrict them under 250. I am very impressed with Jadeja who bowled his 10 overs conceding just 32 runs and claiming four wickets. It’s a dream thing for a captain. Sri Lanka got a good start but we came back taking seven wickets from the 20th to 35th overs which was crucial. All credit to Jadeja,” said Sehwag, adding he had to bowl in between as the home side were India running three overs slow.

Sehwag also said that one of the biggest turning points in the game was the wicket of in-form Sri Lankan opener, Tillakaratne Dilshan, who once again was in a destructive mood, scoring 41 off just 18 balls. “Dilshan is in form, it’s difficult for any bowlers to stop runs from him. When Dilshan was batting, the run-rate was well about 10-12 runs but Ashish Nehra gave the breakthrough. After his dismissal, the run rate dipped,” Sehwag said at the post-match press conference.

Sehwag was all praise for the Indian bowlers who managed to restrict the Sri Lankans for a modest total of 239 on a batting pitch even when they had got off to a flying start and looked all set to score more than 300.

“Nehra’s experience worked. He conceded just 32 runs from his six odd overs in the middle to ensure that we remained in the game, whereas at one stage I thought they would score 300-400. I think Jadeja and Harbhajan bowled really well and Ishant Sharma came up with a very good three overs taking two wickets in two balls,” Sehwag said.

The Delhi dasher also defended his opening bowlers, Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma, both of whom had a poor start to the game, being smashed around by Tharanga and Dilshan. “It’s very difficult for fast bowlers to contain the batsmen. We are batting well and so are they. I told them to bowl in good areas so we can restrict them under 300 and then Dilshan got out,” Sehwag said.

Asked about the masterful knock from Sachin Tendulkar who hit the winning runs remaining unbeaten on 96, Sehwag said, “He is playing for over 20 years, he knows how to get runs as per the situation. He is the best player and batted as the situation demanded… that’s how we won the game.”

On India’s fielding, which has been the biggest concern in the last few games, he said, “I think we did better in the field today. Even when Robin Singh was there we dropped catches and misfielded. But he was very good in practice and drills. But it’s not in our hands whom to retain or not.”

Asked whether Yuvraj Singh was yet to recover fully as he was fielding on the boundary instead of his normal place at point, Sehwag said, “Yuvraj himself is the best guy to answer this question.”

India’s little master, Sachin Tendulkar, scored a masterly 96 not out, making a mockery of the Sri Lankan bowlers as India chased down the target of 240 in just 42.3 overs, giving them a 2-1 lead in the five game series.

Stand-in skipper, Virender Sehwag, smashed a 28-ball 44, including 9 boundaries, while Gautam Gambhir (32) and Dinesh Karthik (32 not out) chipped in with useful contributions as Sachin exposed the mediocrity of the Sri Lankan bowling attack. In the end, it was all too easy with the Indian team achieving the target without breaking sweat.

Earlier, young left-arm spinner, Ravindra Jadeja, turned the game on its head with career-best bowling figures of 4 for 32 as India made a spirited comeback to dismiss Sri Lanka for 239 in 44.2 overs after the tourists had got off to a flying start and another total in excess of 300 was looking inevitable.

Sri Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakkara won the toss and opted to bat on what was another batsmen’s paradise. And Tillakaratne Dilshan once again blazed away to a 18-ball 41, including 10 boundaries, before he went for one shot too many holding out to wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik off the bowling of Nehra with the Sri Lankan score at 65-1 in the 7^th over.

Upul Tharanga (73) and Kumar Sangakkara (46) then carried the innings forward, not letting the run rate drop as they added 100 runs for the second wicket in just 97 balls. At 165-1 in the 23^rd over, the Lankans were well on their way for a score in excess of 300 before the Indian spinners brought India back into the game.

Sehwag himself started the collapse for the Lankans when he broke the 100 runs partnership between Tharanga and Sangakkara. The Indian stand-in captain defeated Sangakkara in the air and Karthik stumped the Lankan skipper on the second attempt. Sangakkara hit three boundaries and one six in his innings of 46.

Batsmen started falling like nine pins after Sangakkara’s dismissal. Two quick wickets followed with the addition of just eight runs as Opener Upul Thranga, looking good on 73, was brilliantly bowled by Ravindra Jadeja in his first over, while Mahela Jayawardene (2) was sent back by Harbhajan Singh caught at mid-wicket by Suresh Raina, Sri Lanka reduced to 173 for four.

Continuing his dream spell, Jadeja then castled Chamara Kapugedera (15) to pick up his second wicket. Having conceded 49 runs from his first four overs, pacer Ishant Sharma, picked in place of Praveen Kumar for this game, returned with a brilliant spell to dismiss Thilina Kandamby (22) and Suraj Randiv (0) in successive balls.

Jadeja and Nehra then cleaned up the tail to dismiss the Lankans for 239 in 44.2 overs. The visitors lost their last eight wickets for just 70 runs. Jadeja finished with figures of 4 for 32 off 10 overs while Nehra and Ishant Sharma picked up two wickets each.

Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar then ensured that the hard work of the bowlers didn’t go waste, as he played a classic ODI innings to take India home. He first played second fiddle to Virender Sehwag in their 55 runs opening stand and once Sehwag was dismissed, Tendulkar opened up, playing some majestic shots on way to his 104-balls 96 not out, his 93^rd half-century laced with 13 fours.

Sehwag gave India a flying start, with the Delhi dasher smashing 16 runs from Lasith Malinga’s first over. He hit nine boundaries, three each coming off Nuwan Kulasekara, Malinga and Chanaka Welegedara and all three of them in an over of each bowler. Welegedara broke the opening stand of 55 by dismissing Sehwag in the seventh over.

Unaffected by Sehwag’s dismissal, Tendulkar took the Indian chase forward playing sensibly as he added 72 runs for the second wicket with Gautam Gambhir (32) before the left-hander became the victim of rookie off-spinner Suraj Randiv who took a low catch off his own bowling.

Tendulkar, then reached his 93^rd ODI 50 off off 52 balls, and subsequently opened up to play some exquisite shots much to the delight of the packed Barabati crowd. One shot, which will remain etched in the memory of everyone present in the stadium would be the upper cut to a rising Kulasekara delivery that raced over the Sri Lankan wicketkeeper’s head for a boundary.

Yuvraj Singh (23 from 40 balls) did not last long as he became Welegedara’s second victim. Dinesh Karthik, who has been included in the team because of Dhoni’s two match suspension, then gave fine support to Tendulkar at the other end, remaining unbeaten on 36 from 32 balls with one big six and five fours.

The two teams now move to Kolkata for the fourth one-dayer to be played on Thursday.

Match Summary:

India 242 for 3 (Tendulkar 96*, Karthik 32*, Sehwag 44) beat Sri Lanka 239 (Tharanga 73, Jadeja 4-32) by seven wickets

Man of the Match: Ravindra Jadeja

India, who are already struggling on the field with pathetic fielding and bowling performances in the first two ODIs, received a huge setback when skipper MS Dhoni was banned for the next two ODIs. To make matters even worse, Yuvraj Singh, who has missed the first two one-dayers due to a finger injury and flu, is a doubtful starter for the third ODI too, although he has been retained in the 15-man squad.

Tamil Nadu wicket-keeper batsman, Dinesh Karthik, has been included in the team in place of Dhoni while S Sreesanth, who is still recovering from swine flu, has been replaced by Delhi pacer Ishant Sharma.

Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have also suffered a jolt, with all-rounder Angelo Mathews, who batted through pain to guide Sri Lanka to a victory in the second one-dayer after straining his right quadricep muscle, returning home. The visitors had earlier lost pacer Dilhara Fernando and ace off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan due to finger injuries.

With the series hanging in the balance at 1-1, the result of the day-night encounter at Cuttack will be crucial in the context of the five match series.

Squads:

India: Virender Sehwag (c), Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Dinesh Karthik, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Praveen Kumar, Ashish Nehra, Pragyan Ojha, Ishant Sharma, Sudeep Tyagi and Virat Kohli.

Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (c), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilina Kandamby, Chamara Kapugedera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Ajantha Mendis, Thilan Samaraweera, Upul Tharanga, Chanaka Welegedara, Muthumudalige Pushpakumara, Suraj Randiv and Thissara Perera.

Dilshan has so far scored back-to-back hundreds in the first two one-dayers and Sehwag, who is his teammate at Delhi Daredevils, felt that trying to contain the dangerous opener is useless and the bowlers would have to get his wicket if they want to stop his rampage.

“It’s very difficult to stop somebody who is in such a good form,” Sehwag said in the pre-match press conference. “We must think of how to get him out instead of thinking about stopping him. I am sure Zaheer (Khan), Ishant (Sharma), PK (Praveen Kumar) will work it out.”

The Delhi dasher has been named stand-in skipper for the next two ODIs after Mahendra Singh Dhoni was banned for India’s slow over rate in the second one-dayer at Nagpur.

Asked if it was a troublesome job for him, Sehwag said, “It’s not difficult. I am part of the team and I know who is playing, who is not playing. I know of our strategy and planning. I don’t think it’s any kind of a problem.”

But Sehwag did feel that the team would miss Dhoni on Monday. “Definitely we will miss him. He is our match-winner. If we look at the last game, he got us back to the game (with a century). Without him we would have got out in 40-45 overs. He is our best player in the middle order line-up and also a very good captain. But there is no extra pressure as a captain, with everybody contributing for the team,” Sehwag added.

Sehwag candidly admitted that India’s sloppy fielding is a matter of concern for the team. “It’s important to do well in all the three departments of the game, especially in fielding. It will be very important if you save 10-15 runs while fielding,” said Sehwag.

He, however, defended the pacers who fumbled while fielding. “It’s very difficult for pacers after bowling 7-8 overs to do well in the field. Fielding is a concern and we are working towards it,” he explained.

Sehwag, however, refused to blame the newly-recruited fielding consultant Mike Young, saying, “He just joined the team and he needs some time. He is a very good at it. He just taught us a few drills, some new fielding session…He is very keen on what he is doing. I’m sure it will help.”

It’s been a series of the batsmen so far with both the matches being high scoring affairs and Sehwag felt that batsmen these days are confident of chasing any total.

“Wickets have been very good this series. In the first match, Sri Lanka got very near chasing 414. I think the batsmen’s thinking is changing these days. They are confident of chasing any target. Whatever you score, be it 300 or 400, it’s still not safe. Bowlers will have to work it out how to curb a batsman and get him out,” Sehwag said.

The first ODI in Rajkot saw as many as 825 runs being scored in the match, with Sri Lanka almost chasing down a target of 415, while in Nagpur, Sri Lanka chased India’s 301 with three wickets in hand.

After the ban on Dhoni, Sehwag asserted that his team needed to quicken up its over-rate and bowl the 50 overs in the allotted three-and-half hours.

“We always try to finish off the 50 overs in three and half hours. But sometimes in crucial stages of the match, time gets wasted in field placing and all. We will have to make sure that we maintain the over rate,” he said.

Sehwag agreed that there are hardly any good bowling-friendly wickets these days and said, “BCCI is looking at this scenario. It’s difficult to get a good track for fast bowlers, though spinners are sometimes getting good turning wickets. But there are some associations who are preparing good fast bowling wickets.”

The second one-dayer, which went down to the wire, ended almost 45 minutes after the scheduled finish time because of frequent discussions between the Indian players during the closing stages of Sri Lanka’s chase, prompting the International Cricket Council to impose the ban on the Indian captain.

Dhoni has already been informed of the ban verbally, BCCI vice president Rajiv Shukla confirmed, while a formal announcement from the ICC is expected soon.

The ban comes as a huge setback for the Indians with the series evenly poised at 1-1, with the Sri Lankans coming back strongly to win the second ODI after India had won the first ODI at Rajkot by three runs.

The decision to ban Dhoni was taken by match referee Jeff Crowe of New Zealand. Earlier, Sri Lanka were also penalised for slow over rate after the second T20 game at Mohali, with skipper Kumar Sangakkara being fined 40% of his match fees while the rest of team was fined 20% of their match fees. Crowe had then said that Sangakkara has just escaped a bigger penalty.