Dravid, Yuvi doubtful for 1st SA Test

Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh, both nursing injuries, are doubtful starters for the first Test against South Africa, coach Gary Kirsten said.

"Yuvi will be out for a while. He would be struggling for the first Test (against South Africa). And for Dravid, he is also not sure. It is a bit of concern because we want a full strength side against South Africa," Kirsten said.

Dravid had his cheek bone fractured by a Shahadat Hossain bouncer after which he retired hurt. Yuvraj too has a ligament tear in his left wrist, which ruled out his further participation in the ongoing second Test against Bangladesh.

India's first Test against South Africa begins on February 6 in Nagpur.

"It is a difficult situation we are in. But you cannot do anything about injuries. It's out of our control. We have to wait and watch and what stands for these players in the few days ahead," Kirsten said.

The South African, however, assured that Sachin Tendulkar was fine.

"Sachin is all right, he is fine," said Kirsten.

Tendulkar came tumbling down while trying to catch Tamim Iqbal off Virender Sehwag.

Kirsten said despite their injuries, Dravid and Yuvraj would not be sent home.

"It was quite a nasty hit on Rahul and we have to see if he needs to consult a specialist. He is not going back now.

"Yuvi had torn cartilages on his left wrist and but he will also stay back," Kirsten said.

Dwelling on the match, Kirsten conceded his bowlers were not too impressive.

"We did not bowl as good as we can though the wicket is not easy for the bowlers. After taking 300-plus lead, you want early breakthroughs and knock the opposition down as soon as possible. There might have been some impatience," he said.

Bangladesh rode on the record 200-run stand between Tamim Iqbal (151) and Jumnaid Siddique (55) to reach 228 for three, having lost two quick wickets in the final session.

"We are happy that we got two quick wickets towards the close. We did well towards the close of play. Zaheer Khan was getting reverse swing from his final overs. The wicket will deteriorate tomorrow and hopefully it will assist the spinners," Kirsten added.

"We are leading by 83 runs and we want to get early wickets tomorrow morning. There are two more days to go and we are backing ourselves to win the game," he said.

Asked about Tamim Iqbal's aggressive 151, Kirsten said, "He is an aggressive player. We have Virender Sehwag like him.

It is good for your team. An aggressive player at the top of order can damage the opposition but knocking off quick runs early on.

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Smith upbeat for India Test

South Africa captain Graeme Smith is hoping that his team will carry the winning momentum with them to India.

South Africa finished an epic four-Test series at home to England by retaining the Basil D'Oliveira Trophy.

An innings-and-74-run victory in a sometimes fractious final Test at The Wanderers was built on Smith's first-innings hundred and 14 wickets shared between Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn, in conditions that played to the two fast bowlers' strengths.

Smith is encouraged by Sunday's outcome and South Africa's domination of two of the other three Tests in the drawn series.

But he said: "It's a whole new world touring India. Not many teams go there and prove to be successful.

"Last time we were there, we drew the series 1-1, and we've got a few challenges going into those conditions to perform well."

South Africa faltered only in the second Test against England, losing by an innings at Kingsmead.

Smith believes a short recovery period after a tough series, and then a confident approach, will be major assets on the sub-continent.

"A good, aggressive mindset going into India is always crucial," he continued. "We'll prepare well. But it's been quite a heavy summer, so it's important that the guys recover - then we can switch on for India."

South Africa, second in the world rankings just behind India, are likely to once again be playing under the International Cricket Council's decision review system, which was responsible for its share of controversy against England.
But Smith appears to have warmed to DRS, despite his initial qualms.

"As I said before the series, it was something I was sceptical about," he said.

"But I think people are losing focus about what it is there for. Teams are certainly trying their luck a lot more but it really is there to take the shocking decision out of the game.

"Maybe if you only had one review, you wouldn't take so many chances, and possibly that needs to be tightened up.

"We need to keep trialling it and improving it but there were always going to be frustrations on either team. You have to view it in the right light and how it was meant to be used."

There was no doubt South Africa were the team who finished the strongest against England, and Smith admitted a fifth Test, as there used to be between these two countries, would probably have appealed to him.

"I wish there was a decider now," he said.

"But, again, like the review system, we knew what it was before the series so it's pointless crying over it. I'm just really proud of the way the guys played. We had two debutants (in the final Test) who put in solid performances and we certainly were the team who were hungrier going into this game, and we played that way.

"It shows this team wants to progress and, within the group, there is a real drive to be better."

Steyn, who had to sit out the first Test with a hamstring strain and perhaps returned to full fitness only in time for the third, finished with a telling 15 wickets in only five innings.

"England was the one side I hadn't really performed well against and I really wanted to put that right," he said.

"After not playing at Centurion, I knew I had to lift my game for the remaining three and make a massive contribution. But watching Morne bowl throughout the series has been the highlight for me.

"With Makhaya (Ntini) falling away, Morne has stepped up and he's bowled tremendously.

"I think he deserves all the credit and I have actually been bowling behind him. He's been the spearhead."

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India ask South Africa to play two Tests

Widespread fears over the future of Test cricket have been partly assuaged by the news that the BCCI has asked South Africa to play two Tests in India during their tour early next year, dropping two one-day internationals from the schedule to make space for the five-day matches.

India's change of mind - the tour was just going to comprise seven ODIs before being cut to five - came about after they ascended to the ICC's No. 1 ranking in Tests for the first time. Cricket South Africa chief executive Gerald Majola confirmed the request and said they were now trying to make space for the Tests, which would lengthen the tour by a week.

"They [India] have requested we play two Tests and three ODIs and we are still considering it," Majola said. "We still have to consult with the South African Cricketers' Association, the team management, our playing regulations and fixtures committees, as well as the board. It would extend the tour by another week, but we would like to accommodate them and I don't foresee a problem with it."

The dramatic about-turn came only four days after Majola was forced to issue a statement saying the Tests in India had merely been postponed, after a storm of criticism in South Africa that the No. 1 and 2 sides in the premier version of the game would not meet in that format.

It is believed CSA is calling on the sponsors of their Twenty20 domestic competition - the Standard Bank Pro20 - to agree to a postponement of their semi-finals and final by a week in order to accommodate the Tests in India and ensure the country's top players are back for the knockout stages of the Pro20.

The first round of Standard Bank Pro20 semi-finals are due to start on February 24, with the second round beginning on March 3 and the final on March 12. Those dates would all need to be shifted back by at least a week now, meaning the last two rounds of the four-day Supersport Series would have to be moved into April.

The two teams that advance to the Standard Bank Pro20 final land themselves a lucrative place in the Champions League Twenty20, so the franchises are understandably eager for their best players to be available.

India's newly-acquired position atop the Test rankings was under threat because they were only scheduled to play two Tests in the next 11 months, which explains its sudden interest in playing more Tests. Cricket South Africa has invariably tried to ensure they don't land on the wrong side of the BCCI, so it is likely India will get its wish and Test cricket will have a stellar showdown to look forward to.

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