Swing song gets louder

Pathan may pip Yuvraj as India toy with 5-bowler theory; Ishant8217;s fitness trouble continues

There were seven of them 8212; no, make that six because one of the players was Murali Kartik 8212; and, interestingly enough, there were eight support-staff members to monitor India8217;s afternoon practice at the Motera Stadium. The big-wigs slowly trickled into the Textile city 8212; Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag came in late in the evening, while VVS Laxman, RP Singh and Harbhajan Singh preferred some extra rest before the grind of the next six days.

But the half-dozen who did turn up for the session were players who will matter the most as India prepare to crack the Ahmedabad code. Some of them are eager for a recall, and some others need to prove their fitness.

Mohammad Kaif and Yuvraj Singh padded up simultaneously for what was expected to be a one-on-one for the number six slot, though it8217;s likely to be a no-contest with Kaif doubtful of figuring in the final equation.

Instead, an interesting battle was simmering on the bowling front.

As Ishant Sharma bowled seven deliveries at full pace, the new ball darting across left-hander Yuvraj and banging into a banner behind the nets, the verdict seemed firmly in his favour before a twist in the tale. Ishant felt some discomfort, mumbled a few words to bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad, who in turn walked up to coach Gary Kirsten to pass on the message. Paul Close, the physio, had a talk with the lanky seamer and, at the end of it all, Ishant picked up his cap and walked away.

Sources say Ishant has developed a lower back strain and seems to have flunked the fitness test again, though the team management is taking one more day to monitor his progress. The seamer had regained full fitness from the stress-fracture to the big toe and from the blood-vessel rupture in the index finger, but a new problem seems to have cropped up now.

Focus on Pathan

Ishant8217;s possible absence from the second Test against South Africa has shifted the focus firmly on Irfan Pathan. The think-tank has some serious permutations to work out to derive the final XI even though the wicket on Thursday morning is expected to be different from the grassy-cover-on-red-mud look of today. After the Chennai draw, the buzz is that Anil Kumble 038; Co are having a rethink about the overdose-of-spin philosophy and may revert back to their swing theory. And, as if to press home the point, Pathan got the ball to shape away from the left-hander and curl into the right-hander in the nets.

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The all-rounder is strongly in contention 8212; as an extra bowler replacing the injured Tendulkar 8212; with India looking to get some flexibility into the team. Pathan showed, once again, that he can bat well enough even though Yuvraj, the man he might pip to the post, was hitting the orange plastic balls with precise timing on the other side.

Ultimately though 8212; despite all these talks of seven specialist batsmen or six batsmen and an all-rounder 8212; experts still feel the key will be how skipper Anil Kumble and his spin partner Harbhajan Singh do in this game.

Kumble reiterated that he8217;s fit again and evoked enough confidence despite the ice-pack on the thighs.