choice captain Suresh Raina believes India can beat West Indies in the Caribbean even without seven top players, including Sachin Tendulkar and fast bowler Zaheer Khan. The World Cup champion will open its nine-match tour Saturday in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, with a one-off Twenty20. Even without a host of great players, Raina said he liked the look of his squad for the Twenty20 and five One-Day Internationals. “It is a great honor to lead a young side,” he said on the eve of the team's departure Tuesday. “I am happy that most members have done well in first-class cricket and the IPL. We hope to live up to expectations and to execute our plans. It is very important that we stay focused and disciplined. “We have always excelled under pressure and it is a very good opportunity for youngsters. Players like Rohit (Sharma) and Virat (Kohli) are capable of doing well.” Tendulkar was granted a rest from the entire trip to recharge for the following tour of England. Khan will miss the limited-overs matches to rest for the three Tests. Raina, who led a second-string India during limited-overs matches in Zimbabwe last year, was handed the captaincy again when regular skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was rested and his deputy, Gautam Gambhir, the original choice for captain, was ruled out due to an injury. Gambhir and other top-order batsman Virender Sehwag have suffered shoulder injuries, pace bowler Ashish Nehra was nursing a finger injury sustained during the World Cup, while all-rounder Yuvraj Singh was out with a lung infection. Tendulkar, Khan, Dhoni, Gambhir, Sehwag, Nehra and Yuvraj will miss the limited-overs games. Dhoni will return to lead the side for the Test series, but India will remain without Tendulkar, Gambhir and Yuvraj. England calls up Dernbach England has called up uncapped Jade Dernbach to replace injured fast bowler James Anderson for the second Test against Sri Lanka. Surrey bowler Dernbach was the only change in the 12-man squad after Monday's remarkable first-Test victory where England beat Sri Lanka by an innings and 14 runs. Anderson suffered a side strain during the first innings of the first Test and continues to receive treatment as selectors decide whether he is fit for the third and final Test of the series. “It's obviously disappointing to lose Jimmy Anderson for the next Test as he is world class and the leader of our attack but we're fortunate to have a healthy stock of pace bowlers at present,” national selector Geoff Miller said in a statement Tuesday. “We're hopeful Jimmy will be available for the third ... Test but in the meantime we're excited by Jade Dernbach's inclusion.” The second Test at Lord's starts Friday. Test squad: Andrew Strauss, Ian Bell, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Eoin Morgan, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior, Graeme Swann, Chris Tremlett, Jonathan Trott.
