Zaheer a doubtful starter for 1st test?

[saneindian]

Doubts remain over Zaheer Khan's fitness http://www.espncricinfo.com/south-africa-v-india-2010/content/current/story/491972.html India looked a side at comfort with itself during their first full practice session with the whole squad for the Tests, but there was cause for concern with Zaheer Khan choosing to go through just fitness drills due to what seems like a hamstring injury. ESPNcricinfo understands that the scans have failed to pick anything, but neither Zaheer nor the team wants to risk aggravating the injury. "As of now he is not [fit]," a team source told ESPNcricinfo. "There are still three days to go to the Test, so we didn't want to take any risks." So, even as the rest of the team had a good workout in the nets at the Supersport Park in Centurion, Zaheer spent time with Paul Chapman, the team physio. He went through the light fitness drill gingerly, often holding on to the groin area. It could be an injury picked up during the fourth ODI against New Zealand, in Bangalore. As he finished the 49th over of the New Zealand innings - only his eighth in the match - Zaheer went back holding on to the groin area. Then Zaheer was making a comeback from a groin injury that had him miss the third Test and the first two ODIs against New Zealand. He also didn't feature in the fifth and final ODI in Chennai. This hasn't been a good year for Zaheer's body. He missed the whole of the tour of Sri Lanka with an injury to the same shoulder that was operated on two years ago. He started his comeback through the Champions League Twenty20 in South Africa and did well in the home Tests against Australia before getting injured again. The team is hopeful Zaheer will make it to the first Test starting Thursday, but, should he be ruled out, India have Umesh Yadav and Jaydev Unadkat to choose from - unless they want to go with two spinners, in which case Pragyan Ojha will come in. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We need Zaheer to get fit before the first test.

[King Tendulkar]

He will be fine

[wanted_desi]

I didn't see the point of him playing in the 4th ODI

[jf1gp_1]

i still dont get it what the hell is munaf doing in India

[saneindian]

He will be fine

Hope so. But the injury looked serious. Has had a impact on his movements. In the video some news channels showed today of our practice, Zak was moving with a prominent limp.

[King Tendulkar]

i still dont get it what the hell is munaf doing in India

True. Would have been ideal steady replacement. Now we will be going in to deep unkown with 2 rookies

[King Tendulkar]

Hope so. But the injury looked serious. Has had a impact on his movements. In the video some news channels showed today of our practice' date=' Zak was moving with a prominent limp.[/quote'] I feel like crying

[jf1gp_1]

True. Would have been ideal steady replacement. Now we will be going in to deep unkown with 2 rookies

or worst playing two spinners

[singhprakash72]

I think India lacks in Bowling dept specially the Fast ...if Zaheer doesn't play then we have Sreesanth and Ishant ...but even these two may not be good enough to get 20 wkts in match with the kind of Spin strength we have.on fast pitches we will be then probing into getting third seamer which will be out of the inexperienced duo of Umesh Yadav and Jaidev Unadkat. Munaf and R.P/Irfan Pathan should have been tried for such an important tour were experience will definitely count.

[Holysmoke]

Zaheer might be a doubtful "starter" BUT BE REST ASSURED, HE IS THE MAIN COURSE!!

[pensionplan]

i still dont get it what the hell is munaf doing in India

Yes he should have been in the Test squad in place of ZK to begin with given ZK was injured in the NZ test series and went to SA anyway after not being able to hold up even in the couple of ODI's he played as a means of testing his fitness. I see no point in ZK going to SA with the cloud of uncertainty. The team needs to be with a clear state of mind with its players and these sort of things even before the series began does not help. Now that he is there the best bet would be to let him take his time and get ready for the 2nd Test giving him more time to recover than rushing him for the 1st Test. I would not play him in the 1st Test no matter what going by this report. It does not look good.

[Holysmoke]

yo this umesh yadav dude is quite nippy..

[coffee_rules]

I had Parnell in my SS. He was released by CSA. Now I have to take Zaheer out too. C'mon :wall:

[Ram]

No please.. not now, not this..:((

[Sachin=GOD]

:((

[jibranpatel15]

India have quite good bowlers but Selectors are making INDIA suffer, in south african conditions Munaf/RPSingh or even PK. But selectors keep giving chances to players who don't realy deserve to be even in 30 members squad such players like Unadkat and yadav is hopeless yes i m South african Fan but frankly it is so.

[Clarke]

It's not the worst of circumstances, if the rest of the seamers can shoulder the responsibility. A young RP & a newbie Ishant did jolly well in their first tour of Australia. Sree atleast has some experience in SA, can he be a spearhead of sorts ?

[fineleg]

It's not the worst of circumstances' date= if the rest of the seamers can shoulder the responsibility. A young RP & a newbie Ishant did jolly well in their first tour of Australia. Sree atleast has some experience in SA, can he be a spearhead of sorts ?

It is the worst of circumstances. Without ZK, India are severely disadvantaged, and the stupid selectors did not give the team alternatives other than green horns UY and JU who will be killed by the SAffers. Sree - you never know which Sree turns up on any given session/day. The good bowler or the donkey. I hope Ishant can generate some good bounce, but without ZK this is all getting complicated. In anycase - unless ZK can be 100% fit - I hope they rest him and play either JU/UY or Ojha. At least we can get a bowler who can bowl for the 2 innings. Picking ZK and losing him by lunch or tea on 1st day will cut us short by a bowler for the whole match :mad: I hope MSD and GKirsten dont make that mistake. If ZK is not fit, move him out of the 11, and hope selectors can call Munaf Patel or Praveen Kumar as a standby for Test#2 at Durban.

[Deleted_User_1]

Without Zak, the anal pounding just got a bit harder.....

[cowboysfan]

i knew we shouldnt have played him in the odis,i am terrified of the possibility of umesh yadv playing in the first test.