Rediff

Nagpur, Nov 5: India's Test captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said on Wednesday that Tamil Nadu batsman Murali Vijay is a strong contender for opening the batting for India in the fourth and final Test against Australia in Nagpur on Thursday.

Vijay was picked for the India 'A' squad to face New Zealand 'A' in two Tests at the start of the 2008-09 season, and scored 200 runs in the four innings. He finished as the second-highest scorer in the Challenger Trophy, playing for the India Red team.

India's regular Test opener Gautam Gambhir's appeal against his one-match ban, which was imposed for elbowing Shane Watson in the drawn Test against Australia at Kotla, was rejected by Justice Albie Sachs, the lead Appeals Commissioner, on Tuesday.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India however refused to accept the decision and sent its objection to the same to the ICC.

Dhoni also said that Rahul Dravid was the other option they could try as an opener for the Nagpur Test.

India lead the Test series against Australia 1-0 by winning the second Test in Mohali.