South Africa captain Graeme Smith is in doubt for the second Test against India starting on Sunday, with the visitors needing only a draw to clinch a series victory and reclaim top spot in the world
test rankings.
Smith injured the little finger on his left hand during catching practice on Friday. A scan showed ligament damage that could threaten his participation in the Eden Gardens Test.
“There has been considerable swelling,” media spokesperson Michael Owen-Smith said. “We have to wait for the next 24 hours to see how things are.”
Smith was expected to test out the injury at a net session on Saturday.
South Africa won the first Test at Nagpur by an innings and six runs, but India will be strengthened by the return of some players from injury for the upcoming Test.
VVS. Laxman, who was a late withdrawal from the series opener, will be back, while pace bowler S Sreesanth was included in the 15-man squad named on Saturday, along with Dinesh Karthik and Suresh Raina.
Those making way from the first Test’s 15-man squad were wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha and the pace duo of Sudip Tyagi and Abhimanyu Mithun.
South Africa thought the wicket at Eden Gardens would suit the Indian spinners while negating its own pacemen led by Dale Steyn, but ground curator Prabir Mukherjee said the “wicket will be
sporting one — it would last for five days”.
Mukherjee denied that he received any official instruction to make the pitch a turning one to help India’s chances of victory.
Jagmohan Dalmiya, president of Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) which oversees Calcutta matches, said “even if any instructions do come it is not possible to change the nature of the
pitch overnight”.
A draw will be of no benefit to India, whose current hold on the number one ICC ranking was under severe threat.
“We have got no choice but to go for a win,” India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said.
“Whatever be the condition here we will giving it our best shot. No matter how disappointing the loss at Nagpur was, it is time now to move ahead.” – AFP