Too many injury concerns : Team India mulls over its options

[umpire]

for me is not our batting, but Anil Kumble's bowling. He has not look penetrative. If bhajji can take wickets, he surely could run through them. What is bothering him? Is he 100% fit? If Kumble does not return to his best, we will struggle in Kanpur as well

[Sachinism]

Not only kumble, what about rp and pathan

[cochise]

What is bothering him? Is he 100% fit?

I don't think so. Groin problem I believe from the last test. Might just not be 100% I reckon.

[umpire]

yes they are struggling too. but even without our seam attack Kumble alone was force to reckon with. He does not look like the bowler we know. No penetration at all. You know whenever he is bowlin wicket is round the corner. He will always be asking questions.

[f.b.m]

Yeah, there was something distinctly harmless about the stuff that he bowled.

[Zakhmi]

everyday can't be a jumbo day, we need some aggression in our speedsters.

[cochise]

everyday can't be a jumbo day, we need some aggression in our speedsters.

No doubt our speedsters need a real rocket up their behind. But Kumble did not look his normal self. And this is a worry. He is a potent weapon when bowling well.

[WKmaster89]

I feel Kumble could do better but the pacers, RP singh and Pathan really need to step it up.. There has to be aggression when ur opening and they lack this especially RP singh.. Sreesanth was unlucky at times. But we need better bowlers.. Bowlers who can bowl 86-90 mph consistently. Notice that the 3 pacers for SA were all tall and going high 80's and Morkel going into 90s. India need to produce better bowlers..

[Laaloo]

india has better bowlers but they need to man up they need to stop being sissies

[umpire]

ok he is def. not 100% fit,. You can also see he did not bat well too.

[BeArSfaN150]

our bowling compared to our series aganist the aussies is horrible, we need to get our head in the game and forget everything else and focus on cricket only!!

[HouMac]

Kumble's nearing the end of his career. While prior to this series he was still taking 2-3 wickets in every inning, he was rarely ever picking 5-fors. He's no longer a bowler who runs throug batting sides at home. More of a run restricter and someone who'll pick up a few valuable wickets. Not someone who's going to win you games w/o vital contributions from all the other bowlers. The last time Kumble looked VERY threatening was on Day 1 of the first Test against Australia.

[cochise]

Ishant fit and Munaf recalled for third Test -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ishant fit and Munaf recalled for third Test Cricinfo staff April 6, 2008 Ishant Sharma and Munaf Patel have been added to the squad for the third Test against South Africa in Kanpur. Offspinner Ramesh Powar has also been recalled as Anil Kumble is not 100% fit. RP Singh has been dropped after his lacklustre performance in the first two Tests. Ishant missed the first two Tests as he was struggling with a finger injury besides a toe inflammation. Squad Wasim Jaffer, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk), Irfan Pathan, Anil Kumble (capt), Harbhajan Singh, Piyush Chawla, Ramesh Powar, Ishant Sharma, Sreesanth, Munaf Patel.

As suspected, he is not 100%.

[Chandan]

A long haul awaits India Ravi Shastri Former captain On the Kanpur Test IT'S AN unusually big squad for the final Test and betrays fitness issues. The selectors have also tried to cover all flanks and jig the eleven at the last minute, if required. Bowling, batting or fielding, India have issues all around. They are up against a side who are hurting them from all corners. It just highlights how important Anil Kumble has been to India's plans all these years. More so at home where a win without a Kumble special has been unthinkable. Keen stats enthusiasts might point out at the epic 2001 series against Australia where Kumble was missing in all three Tests, but it was an exception. Now Kumble facing another fitness test within a week is making the worst fears come true. Harbhajan Singh isn't enough on pitches that aren't yielding spin to any great degree. The pacers have flunked the test and that has made the selectors knock at every inviting door. The dilemma doesn't get any easier on the choice of bowlers. Logic would suggest that India pack their eleven with five bowlers. After all, you need 20 wickets to win and square the series. A big total alone is unlikely to put pressure on the Proteas. Piyush Chawla or Ramesh Powar, or perhaps both in case Kumble pulls out, would be the way forward. Munaf Patel is good but you need bowlers who can take more than two or three wickets. Ishant Sharma is one but again he has been in the parking lot for a while. Attempts would be on to make the Green Park a turner but it's been unseasonably cold in northern India for the last few days. It would hurt the dry conditions, which clearly is the need of the hour for India. Still, with a prayer on the lips, India need to strengthen their spin quotient. It could mean a shortened batting line-up but that's the risk India need to swallow. This South African attack is one of the most potent ones to have visited India in a long, long time but the hosts have got to bite the bullet. It wouldn't matter if you have lost the series by a Test or a 2-0 margin. A lengthy session in Motera on Monday shows a good intent of purpose. It must be backed with aggressive yet patient execution. India needs to hang in there ball after ball, hour after hour, session after session. There is far too much of class in this South African eleven to stay stuck in mud for long. They would only yield ground inch by inch and India must be prepared for a long haul. ---------------------------------------------- Shastri is out of his mind, it seems. Yes, India does need penetrative bowling and they need to claim the 20 wickets and that too cheaply in a must win match here. But that doesn't mean only increasing the quantity of bowling would suffice. We were lacking in all the three areas and more so batting, where it was impossible for us to come back, after getting bundled for just 76 inside 20 overs. We need a good batting line up first. We need to raise our game and need to have a definite strategy.

[umpire]

the tension reminds me of the times when we lost our first test in mumbai 2001 against Aussies. we were no hopers. Kumble missing, pacers struggling. But we came back and we will come back.

[silv3rado]

I thought the biggest worry was that Harbajen picked up 12 wickets in 2 games

[Zakhmi]

the tension reminds me of the times when we lost our first test in mumbai 2001 against Aussies. we were no hopers. Kumble missing, pacers struggling. But we came back and we will come back.

:dance: lets hope for the best!

[Guest whineleg]

Guyz, this is all becuaze of that snake DHONI. He haz divided the team and itz clear that the seniorz dont like him cuz he made statements in the media about them. kumble is uncomfortable with Dhoni around and thatz why he iznt performing well. There iz a rift in the team

[diegovegaz]

he isn't fit, but it is very surprising that he is not able 2 take enough wickets if bhajji even takes 3, it seems to be too good, as it is said that he has lost d ability 2 take wickets but he ends up with 4 and kumble just one he needs rest, chawla should take his place kumble needs 2 b match fit n free from injury

[Feed]

Too many injury concerns : Team India mulls over its options Injury concerns mount as Sreesanth joins Kumble as a doubtful starter More... Team India mulls over its options Nandita Sridhar Injury concerns mount as Sreesanth joins Kumble as a doubtful starter — Photo: S. Subramanium WHO WILL PLAY? Mohammad Kaif, Harbhajan Singh, Piyush Chawla and Ishant Sharma focus on the fielding drills, even as there is uncertainty over team composition owing to injuries, two days ahead of the match. Kanpur: The Green Park has witnessed — and often lent itself to — sterile encounters. The wicket, the heat and the pollution have prevented this ground, one of the oldest in India, from being favoured by teams. The nature of the soil in Kanpur has made it difficult for the track to offer bounce. Dull draws in the past have left it relying on individual glory. The venue is now called upon for India to prevent its first series loss at home since Australia triumphed in 2004. For a variety of reasons, the series has built itself around the pitch. The wicket here has plenty of cracks, with the thinnest cover of dry grass barely noticeable. It was open for observation once Anil Kumble led his side for a practice session. The South Africans had a practice session in the morning, with coach Mickey Arthur closely examining the wicket. “We expected such a wicket for this match after what happened in Ahmedabad. The wicket will go through the top very early but we are prepared for it. We are quite confident of doing well in this match also. They (Indians) might go in with three spinners,” said Arthur. Toss crucial Such a surface gives undue advantage to the side that wins the toss. “The toss will be very crucial here. It’s just sad that it will be playing such an important role in this match. No matter what India’s options are, we are well prepared. We’re not worried about what combination India will choose to play,” said Arthur. India hasn’t lost a match in Kanpur since 1983. The period since then has seen two wins — both convincing ones — and three draws. The venue has seen 12 draws in all, with seven in a row in the 1960s and 70s, reflecting a reluctance to allow combat. South Africa hasn’t had it easy here. The encounter in 1996 saw it beaten by 280 runs, with Mohammad Azharuddin’s 163 fresh in memory. Their more recent memory of the ground would be a high-scoring meaningless draw. India’s concerns with injuries have been a ritual so far in this series. Sreesanth’s shoulder has announced itself in trouble, further flattening India’s bowling attack. A decision on Ishant Sharma and Anil Kumble will be taken on Thursday. India’s decision to go in with three spinners will depend on the availability of the two. Playing Harbhajan Singh, Piyush Chawla and Ramesh Powar in Kumble’s absence will demand a lot out of the inexperience of Chawla and Powar. Harbhajan has been the best bowler in the series so far but whether he can lead a spin attack remains to be seen. With Sreesanth injured as well, India can ill afford another listless spell of pace bowling. Arthur also revealed that South Africa had the option of going in with Robin Peterson. Peterson’s inclusion would mean an undeserved rest for one of South Africa’s fast bowlers. “We are keeping our options open. We have two spinners, which gives us choice depending on the wicket,” said Arthur. Dropping a batsman would be a better option. The Indians had a full-length practice session on Wednesday evening. Powar and Sharma, who joined the squad on Tuesday, featured as well. Fielding drills The ground fielding in both Tests has been blameworthy. Coach Gary Kirsten spent considerable time with drills specifically aimed at improving medium distance throwing and accuracy. The heat has been sweltering, which makes it harder to preserve the wicket. Thorough watering has helped in its limited capacity. “Dealing with the heat isn’t too much of a problem for us. We’ve played in Pakistan and Bangladesh, where’s it’s been pretty much the same. Once you walk in, there’s little time to think of the heat,” said fast bowler Morne Morkel. South Africa’s captain Graeme Smith equalled Hansie Cronje’s record for the most Test wins as captain, with 27. A chance awaits Smith to better it. India, meanwhile, will hope its captain is fit.