Kirsten unavailable for third Test

Gary Kirsten, India's coach, will not be available for the third Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo after he was granted leave by the BCCI to travel to South Africa to be with his mother, who is critically ill. A press release issued by the board said an interim replacement has not been sought.

His temporary departure means that India will be without a full-time coach during a series for the fourth time in over a year. The team, though, managed to maintain their performances in all series - starting with their triumph in England last summer, their first in 21 years. India then beat Pakistan 1-0 in the three-Test home series. Their toughest assignment was the tour to Australia, where they lost the Tests 2-1 but won in Perth for the first time.

Last December, Kirsten signed a two-year deal to coach India effective March 2008. While he was with the team as a consultant for the last two Tests in Australia, his first assignment as coach was the three-Test series against South Africa, which was drawn 1-1.