No rift in the team: Uthappa

CHANDIGARH: Batsman Robin Uthappa denied reports Sunday of a rift between veteran and junior members of India's cricket team after the chief selector made a pitch for the inclusion of more youngsters.   

Dilip Vengsarkar had put the senior players on notice Saturday, saying there were young players on the fringe who were raring to make it onto the team and make their places count.   

Uthappa, himself a talented 21-year-old, denied Vengsarkar's comments had caused any problems ahead of the fourth match of the one-day series with Australia, which the home team is trailing 2-0.   

"There is absolutely nothing like a senior versus junior thing in the team. It's all in the media. Everyone is enjoying themselves in the dressing room and it's amazing to be part of this team," he said.   

Uthappa also said Gautam Gambhir was doubtful for the fourth one-dayer here on Monday after he sustained a groin injury during practice.   

Gambhir slipped while batting in the nets and had to be rushed to the hospital for a scan.   

Gambhir's place in the squad could be taken by former skipper Sourav Ganguly, who was not part of the team that was drubbed at Kochi and Hyderabad.   

Ganguly is believed to have recovered from a hamstring injury that he picked up during fielding in the first one-dayer at Bangalore, which was abandoned due to rain.   

Uthappa also admitted that the team's intensity had dropped amidst the euphoria over the triumph in the inaugural Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa last month.   

"All of us were a bit knackered up after the Twenty20 victory. It was difficult to shift gears and our intensity level dropped," he said.