Team practises while Dalmiya disposes

Against the backdrop of intense back-room negotiations involving the Board of Control for Cricket in India, the United Cricket Board of South Africa and the International Cricket Council, the Indian squad landed up this morning at SuperSport Park, Centurion, for a full-fledged practise session.

No member of the team, including skipper Sourav Ganguly, is disposed to comment on the unsavoury incidents of Port Elizabeth. Besides, they all indicate that they have absolutely no idea what the Indian board is likely to do now.

As far as the team is concerned, thus, they will continue to prepare as though the third and final Test of the Summer Spice series will begin on schedule tomorrow (Friday, November 23).

The one good thing that has come out of the Mike Denness imbroglio is a very visible determination, and a hard-edged focus, to the practice session. For once, the Indian players give the appearance that they mean business -- none more so than the man at the centre of the ball-tampering row, Sachin Tendulkar, who started the day with a long bat at the nets.

The concensus among the players -- and indeed, among many former players now in South Africa doing duty for various sections of the media -- is that if the Test does go through, the players should take the field registering their protest in some noticeable form. What form that protest will take has not yet been decided upon, however.

Not decided, too, is the final team composition. There is the thought that Connor Williams, an untried commodity without even the benefit of a tour game behind him, could replace the suspended Virendra Sehwag and bat in the opening slot while Deep Dasgupta, the wicket-keeper who did a brilliant job as stand-in opener, will revert to number seven.

The bowling line-up is also coming in for a bit of debate -- with the likelihood growing that India could go in with three seam bowlers and just one spinner in Harbhajan Singh.

The team management, however, will keep the lid on its thinking for now, and reveal the line-up shortly before play starts on Friday morning -- if it starts, that is.

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