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Sehwag to lead India in 3rd Test

DEC 17: Virender Sehwag will lead India in the third and final cricket Test against Sri Lanka from Saturday after captain Rahul Dravid was ruled out with gastroenteritis.

The team management has also included Wasim Jaffer and Mohammad Kaif in the 12 for the match.

Dravid was admitted into a local hospital on night after he complained of nausea and weakness. He was said to have not fully recovered from the viral fever that threatened to keep him out of the second Test in Delhi.

The 12-member Indian team: Virender Sehwag (captain), Gautam Gambhir, Wasim Jaffer, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Irfan Pathan, Ajit Agarkar, Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh.

Big B discharged; advised rest

MUMBAI, DEC 17: Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, who underwent abdominal surgery at the Leelavati hospital, was discharged from the hospital this morning, following three weeks of post-operational treatment.

Dressed in a white 'kurta-pyjama', Bachchan stepped out of the hospital with his children Shweta and Abhishek and was also accompanied by his close friends- Samajwadi party leader Amar Singh and industrialists Anil Ambani and Subroto Roy, reports PTI.

The 63-year-old megastar looked weak, but was cheerful as he stepped out of the hospital.

He first greeted the waiting media persons with folded hands and then waved to them before getting into his car. He then headed straight to meet his mother Teji Bachchan, residing at 'Prateeksha' bungalow in Juhu.

This was the first time since Amitabh's near-fatal accident on the sets of hindi film 'Coolie' in 1982 that he has spent about three weeks in hospital.

However, even as his fans heaved a sigh of relief while catching a glimpse of their favorite actor looking in good health today, Leelavati Hospital vice president Dr Narendra Trivedi told UNI that the actor has been advised a week's bed rest and asked to resume his normal activities gradually.

Other media reports said he has been advised a month's rest. Bachchan was suffering from diverticular disease - a condition caused by inflammation of the colon.

On December 14, Dr Trivedi had said that Bachchan has ''recovered completely'' from a 'life-threatening' illness following the treatment he received since November 29.

However, sources said Bachchan, who starred in 2005's biggest hits like 'Black', 'Waqt', 'Bunty aur Babli' and 'Sarkar', as well as the popular gameshow 'KBC 2' is likely to be away from the studio arc lights for nearly a month.

The son of a Hindi poet, Bachchan quit his job as a freight broker in Calcutta and set off for Bombay in pursuit of a career in the movies.

Meanwhile, the actor's latest film 'Ek Ajnabee' was released last week while his home production 'Family', directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, will hit the screens on December 23.

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Chappell behind Ganguly ouster?

KOLKATA, DEC 16: The decision to drop Sourav Ganguly from the Test squad was reportedly taken after a meeting between Team India coach Greg Chappell and the selection committee chairman Kiran More during the second Test in Delhi where Chappell, among other things had observed Ganguly did not fit in team�s scheme of things in the long term.

The coach had also reportedly insisted on a regular place for Yuvraj Singh. However, according to sources, the elegant left hander from Bengal is all set board the flight to Pakistan.�Nobody has ruled him (Ganguly) out. Even More also said it is not the end of the road for him. He can always come back for the Pakistan tour. Then again it�s the selectors� prerogative and we don�t want to interfere,� Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary, Niranjan Shah told this newspaper on Friday.

Asked when the squad for Pakistan tour would be announced, he said: �Maybe it�s on the fourth or fifth day of the third Test in Ahmedabad. But we have not finalised that yet. We will have to talk to the selectors on this.�

Meanwhile, as Ganguly�s ouster gets political, BCCI mandarins are busy in a damage control exercise. Former Board president, I.S. Bindra has already taken up cudgels for Ganguly and with president Sharad Pawar saying he will talk with the selectors before the team for the Pakistan tour is picked, the grapevine is abuzz that a directive is likely to be issued. Mr Shah, however, rejected that possibility.

The southpaw himself has refused to comment. �I am not talking to anyone in the media. I have no comments to offer,� he said on the day. But his sacking has already created resentment within the board with two of its committee members threatening to quit. Chief of the East Zone wing of the National Cricket Academy, Gopal Bose has demanded the selectors �redress the wrong done� to Ganguly.

�It�s a grave issue. The entire country is angry. It�s murder in the cathedral,� Bose said. Raja Venkat, a member of BCCI�s media committee said: �Selectors have committed blasphemy by omitting Ganguly.� Stronger reactions came from West Bengal chief minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee who questioned the �intelligence� of those responsible for Ganguly�s ouster.

�This is unjust. An insult to both Sourav and to all of us. I have discussed the issue with Mr Sharad Pawar and told him nobody can accept such a decision. Let�s see what happens now,� Mr Bhattacharjee said. Union defence minister, Pranab Mukherjee too has termed the decision �unfortunate�.

As protests continue in Kolkata for the third day, Ganguly has opted to rest at home. The Cricket Association of Bengal had requested him to play the Ranji Trophy match against Karnataka. The player too gave it a thought but ultimately decided against it. �He needs a few days to regroup. We honour his sentiments,� CAB joint-secretary Sharadindu Paul said.

Cricket Association of Bengal president, Jagmohan Dalmiya has appealed to Mr Pawar to reinstate Ganguly in the squad for the third Test in Ahmedabad commencing on Sunday. �Last evening, I saw your reactions on television when you expressed your �shock� at Sourav�s omission. Since you have realized that Sourav should not have been dropped from the team I would earnestly appeal for your kind intervention in the matter and advise the honorary secretary to reinstate Sourav for the Ahmedabad Test,� Mr Dalmiya wrote. He also cited several examples when secretaries sought for the president�s approval before announcing the Indian team for the home series. (Source: Deccan Chronicle)

Creative Introduces Creative WebCam Live! Effects in India

DEC 16: Creative Technology Ltd. has introduced the new Creative WebCam Live! Effects in India, which will ship for an estimated street price of Rs. 4999.

The Webcam comes bundled with the Creative Advanced Video FX software for Video Instant Messaging (Video IM). The software lets users add fun mirrors, face morphs and special photographic effects during Video IM sessions. They can even hide their location with lively and intriguing backdrops.

Creative WebCam Live! Effects is a USB 2.0 Web camera, which can deliver video up to 30 frames per second at 640 x 480 pixel (VGA) resolutions. The USB interface enables users to capture fast, smooth, high-resolution video with more details.

The Webcam's VGA CMOS sensor also enables users to capture still photos at up to 1.3 MP with interpolation. The Creative Smart Face Tracking feature keeps the user's face in view and even tracks multiple users. It also features a four-way flexible base that allows the Webcam to be placed anywhere.

The Webcam is primarily targeted at high school students, college students and/or young adults who communicate frequently with family and friends via the Internet and would enjoy a Webcam that can liven up the Video IM experience. The secondary users include Internet beginners who want to experience Video IM and Web conferencing with a feature-rich and dependable Webcam.

The Creative WebCam Live! Effects is now available at a suggested retail price of Rs. 4,999. The standard package includes a WebCam Live! Effects with USB 2.0 cable attached, Creative lapel microphone for better voice clarity, Quick Start Booklet, Creative Stik-On for Webcams, as well as two CDs containing the following software bundle: Creative WebCam Center, ArcSoft PhotoImpression, ArcSoft VideoImpression, ArcSoft MultiMedia Email, ArcSoft Collage Creator and Yahoo! Messenger. (Source: IT News Online)

Dravid skips nets due to fever

DEC 16: Rahul Dravid, the India captain, did not attend the nets today in Ahmedabad ahead of the third and final Test against Sri Lanka on Sunday.

This was due to the after-effects of the antibiotics he took before the second Test in Delhi. The rest of the squad practiced today, including Punjab fast bowler VRV Singh who has been specifically asked to be with the team and bowl in the nets.

Both Virender Sehwag, the Indian vice-captain, and Dravid were hit by viral fever before the second Test. Whereas Sehwag was admitted to a local hospital on the eve of the match and subsequently couldn't play in it, Dravid, who had missed a net session then too, gamely shrugged off the nascent fever to open the innings.

India and Sri Lanka play their 3rd and final Test match on Sunday in Ahmedabad.

Air India tells Cabin crew to cut flab
DEC 15: Air India - India�s international carrier has threatened to ground overweight cabin staff unless they shed their excess pounds.

The airline�s 1,600 cabin crew workers have been given two months to shape up, or risk being assigned to ground duties.

The airline did not immediately say how overweight crew would have to be before being reassigned, and there was no word on whether any staff members had already been grounded.

Ganguly dropped from India test side
Dec 14 - Saurav Ganguly was dropped from India's test squad on Wednesday, all but ending the international career of the country's most successful captain.

The 33-year-old batsman was left out of the 15-man squad for the third test against Sri Lanka starting in Ahmedabad on Sunday after scoring 40 and 39 in the second test in New Delhi.