Azharuddin said: ``the middle order badly failed in our previous match against Pakistan and I hope it does not happen again.''

Saying Javagal Srinath requiresd rest and ``we have secured him from getting injured,'' Azharuddin expressed confidence that Ashish Nehra might not be equal to Srinath but Nehra would be quick enough to put India on top. On his own poor form, Azharuddin said, ``yes, I am conscious of it.'' Earlier, the Indian team, which was to have left for Colombo last night, could not make it due to some `visa' problem for two members of the contingent. Tamilingam, visa officer of the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission here said travel agents Trade Wings had applied for visa for inductee Asish Nehra and Brijesh Patel only this morning. However, he said,there was no problem in issuing the visa. The match, beginning on February 24, would be Sri Lanka's first in the tri-nation programme.

Indian team: Mohammad Azharuddin (capt), Anil Kumble (vice-capt), Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Sadagoppan Ramesh, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Nayan Mongia, Venkatesh Prasad, Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Harbhajan Singh, Sunil Joshi, Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Ashish Nehra. Coach: Anshuman Gaekwad, Manager: Brijesh Patel, Trainer: Andrew Kokinos.