Backroom engineers working on starting problem

With Gambhir waiting in the wings, the out-of-form openers Sehwag, Jaffer are under pressure

On a bright, pleasant afternoon here, Virender Sehwag was knocking hard at the nets outside, while Wasim Jaffer was padded up in the corridor next to the indoor facility, facing a barrage of practice balls from up close.

With the first Test against South Africa starting in five days, the two are already first on the list of Team India8217;s backroom engineers. While the world focuses on the crumbling top-order wall, the thinktank has zeroed in on the first brick, for a start 8212; the openers.

Chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar is reaching here tomorrow, and there8217;s already talk of one of the openers being replaced for the first Test at the Wanderers. But, as of now, chances are they may get that one game to save their slots.

Veterans VVS Laxman, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, and even South African captain Graeme Smith have spoken about how a good start is so crucial to India8217;s chances on this tour. But then, all you need to do is look at how the same pair set up the historic series win for India in the West Indies.

Four months ago, Sehwag and Jaffer put up 413 runs in seven innings with the reserved Mumbai batsman coming up with a double century to save the first Test in Antigua, and then logging two more half-centuries. Sehwag, of course, smashed a brilliant 180 in the second Test in St Lucia and fired in another half-century.

However, that opening average of 59 in those four Tests now looks like a cruel joke. Especially, when you add up the two8217;s runs for the one-day tour game at Benoni, the ODI series that followed, and the four-day Test warm-up here. The total? 54, five less than that Caribbean average.

Jaffer has been embarrassed by three ducks, including two here, and Sehwag has come up with two of his own. Jaffer has touched 10 only once in the last three weeks, Sehwag8217;s top score is 18. And both have battled injuries 8211; Sehwag has come through the gash on his finger, Jaffer has just about gotten over the trauma of his left toe being crushed by a Nantie Hayward yorker here.

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No wonder then, that the team thinktank feels this is the one 8220;critical8221; area of concern that needs to be addressed first before moving down the order.

Is the answer Delhi8217;s Gautam Gambhir? But that8217;s where you will have to ask another question: the young left-handed strokeplayer may have done well for Junior India here, but how will he face up to Shaun Pollock, Makhaya Ntini, Andre Nel and the fiery Dale Steyn who rattled India in Benoni?

Maybe, Vengsarkar will come with an answer; maybe, the thinktank has it all worked out. At least, that8217;s what Indian fans will pray for. Because, they know there are other questions waiting for answers 8212; down the order.