1st Test Match Ind Vs SA Preview

Coach Mickey Arthur rubbished suggestions South Africa would be ill-prepared for the first test after cancelling a scheduled warmup game against India A. "There've been a lot of noises about not playing a warm-up match, but we've been in the subcontinent a huge amount lately and the guys are so sound in terms of the different techniques required," he said.

"Coming home has allowed the team to be refreshed and re-energised and we thought it was the best way to refocus on getting back into the swing of things. We know it will be hard work, but it's a mental shift more than anything else. "Warmup games tend to be good for the first day and a half, and then the intensity wanes. We believe we can replicate a warmup game quite easily with some intensive centre practices."

South Africa will have two of their compatriots planning their defeat. Former opening batsman Gary Kirsten will start his two year spell as India's coach against the Proteas. India's support staff also has another South African, Paddy Upton, who worked as physical trainer and mental conditioning expert with the South African team till 1998 before being coaxed by Kirsten to join him in India.

South Africa has played 7 tests in India before, with both teams winning three each. The last two tests at Chennai were washed out due to rain and with thunderstorms forecast for the length of this test match as well, one can only hope that a full game is played.

Teams:
India (From): Anil Kumble(c), Wasim Jaffer, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni(w), Irfan Pathan, S Sreesanth, Rudra Pratap Singh, Piyush Chawla, Harbhajan Singh

South Africa (From): Graeme Smith(c), Neil McKenzie, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, Ashwell Prince, Jean-Paul Duminy, Mark Boucher(w), Paul Harris, Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini, Monde Zondeki, Morne Morkel, Robin Peterson