Gambhir doubtful for 4th Ind-Aus ODI

Indian opening batsman Gautam Gambhir is a doubt for Monday's fourth one-dayer against Australia due to a groin injury.

Gambhir, who slipped while batting in the nets on Sunday and was helped off the pitch in pain, would undergo an MRI scan to assess the extent of the injury, batsman Robin Uthappa told reporters. The game starts at 0330 GMT.

The Delhi left-hander hit three fifties in India's surprise Twenty20 World Cup win last month, but has not reached double figures so far in the seven-match series, which Australia lead 2-0. The opening game was abandoned due to rain.

The experienced Saurav Ganguly looks set to return at the top of the batting if Gambhir is ruled out, having missed the last two games due to a hamstring injury.

Uthappa said the batsmen were to blame for the defeats.

"We let the team down," he said.

"The batters have put their hands up and said 'we will make amends'. It's not pressure, but taking more responsibility."

The Karnataka batsman said the home players had struggled to switch back quickly from Twenty20 to one-day cricket but were now ready to fight back.

India could play two regular spinners by including left-arm Murali Kartik alongside off spinner Harbhajan Singh, he said.

Uthappa denied there was a rift between senior and junior players after chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar warned on Saturday that newcomers could replace experienced batsmen Sachin Tendulkar, Ganguly and Rahul Dravid unless they quickly regained form.

"It is probably in the media," he said. "There is nothing like that, no one feels a thing."