Ganguly to miss second one-dayer

Sourav Ganguly, who pulled his right hamstring while fielding in the first one-dayer against Australia in Bangalore, has been rested for the second game in Kochi as a precautionary measure. The team management has informed that the injury is not serious, and that Ganguly should be available for the remainder of the series.

"An MRI scan was performed on Sourav's right hamstring this morning and it has determined no injury to the region," Niranjan Shah, the secretary of the BCCI, said in a statement. "Based on the findings, a vigorous rehab approach will be commencing immediately. On the report of team physio John Gloster and other analysis, the team management feels that Sourav will progress quickly and hence it was decided to rest him for a game."

The second one-dayer gets underway on October 2 while the third, at Hyderabad, is scheduled for October 5.

American Gandhi

Another Gandhi Jayanti will go by in a couple of days. More pious song and sentiment will be sung and wrung from it even as the world indulges in violence and bloodshed. Poor Mahatma will be turning in his grave when the UN celebrates his birthday as the "International Day of Peace and Non-violence" with a speech by Sonia Gandhi — "no relation to M.K.Gandhi," as the western media will note.

Americans love Gandhi, probably more than Brits, who lost the jewel in their crown to him and, therefore, had less reason to. President Roosevelt nagged Churchill into granting independence to India. Martin Luther King was profoundly influenced by Gandhi during the civil rights movement.