Indian squad arrives for practise matches in Kuala Lumpur

Chennai, Sep 7 (UNI) On the last leg of their preparation for the tri-series against Australia and West Indies in Malaysia from September 12, the Indian team members arrived in batches for the two practise matches to be played tomorrow and the day after at the M A Chidambram stadium.

While wicket keeper and dashing batsman M S Dhoni landed first in the city from Mumbai. Pace bowlers Irfan Pathan and Munaf Patel followed suit. Another batch of 12 players, including master blaster Sachin Tendulkar and Coach Greg Chappel and the support staff arrived in the evening and checked into the Taj Connemara hotel where the team has been put up.

Ian Fraser, the biomechanics consultant for the team 'celebrated' his birthday cutting a cake at the hotel. Photographers had a newsy picture of off spinner Harbhajan Singh frolicking with him, smearing the cream on the cake on Fraser's face.

However, neither Chappel nor Sachin were in the mood to oblige waiting newspersons, including television channels with a chat.

''Take the mike away'', Chappel requested them adding there was little to talk about at that moment.

Captain Rahul Dravid arrived from his hometown Bangalore at 0830 hrs and joined his team mates in the hotel.

The two practise matches are to be played between Dravid XI and Sehwag XI. Apart from two Tamil Nadu cricketers S Badrinath and discarded stumper- batsman Dinesh Karthik, Robin Utappa, V R V Singh Tejinderpal Singh have been asked to join the squad for the two matches.

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