On today’s evidence all speculation about Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s fitness can be put to rest

Siddhartha Vaidyanathan in Delhi20-Nov-2007

India’s new Test captain Anil Kumble chats with Mahendra Singh Dhoni during a practice session ahead of the first Test © AFP
If first impressions are any indication, things aren’t the same at theFeroz Shah Kotla these days. It’s refreshing to see the revamped stadium -old-style architecture blending with modern practice facilities – and evenmore heartening to note that you can actually obtain a media pass withoutrunning from pillar to post. Heck, the officials at the Delhi DistrictCricket Association even manage a smile or two these days.Some things, though, remain the same. Officious police officers stillthink the turf needs to be guarded with their life and the localassociation couldn’t call on a set of competent net bowlers for the Indianbatsmen, and this two days before an important series opener againstPakistan. A collection of schoolboys – all from local clubs – rolled theirarms over and left the Indian team management exasperated halfway through.The sight of Lalchand Rajput, the manager, and Greg King, the physio,trying to get their lines right was enough to suggest a paucity in bowlingoptions.Yuvraj Singh had a lengthy bowl and Sachin Tendulkar and VenkateshPrasad gave themselves a good work-over too. Zaheer Khan was the onlyIndian fast bowler who had a go in the nets with RP Singh and Sreesanthpreferring to take a break. Sreesanth, in fact, didn’t attend the sessionand was recovering from a slight twinge in the left shoulder.The Dhoni question
The big question last evening surrounded Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Will hisankle hold up for the game? Will Yuvraj get a chance? Will Dinesh Karthikhave to keep wicket? On today’s evidence all speculation can be put torest. He sprinted with an Olympian zeal, comfortably outdoing RahulDravid and Sourav Ganguly, threw slip catches with fervour, and movedathletically while keeping wicket. His batting was fluent, histattoo on his right arm resplendent and his superstardom highlyconspicuous. Basically it was Dhoni doing what Dhoni does best. Basking inthe attention and gearing up for a challenge.India might still have to answer the Yuvraj conundrum. Has he reached astage where he is demanding a Test spot? Laxman, who’s stiff back forcedhim to come in at No. 9 in Hyderabad’s second innings againstPunjab recently, has recovered and probably deserves a chance given hisscores in England. Sourav Ganguly, arguably India’s best batsman in theEngland Tests, should walk in too. It probably means anotherbench-warming exercise for Yuvraj, who, since his last Test in June 2006,hasn’t found a way to break through.Kumble checks in
Mid-way through the net session, in walked Anil Kumble. It was tough tomiss the symbolism – India’s most experienced bowler walking in when therest of the full-time and part-timers were panting away. It was alsodifficult to ignore the irony – India’s most unassuming of championsinstantly surrounded by television cameras and reporters.Ahead of him, batting at the nets, were India’s probable No. 3, 4, 5,and 6.Yuvraj, a one-day sensation, was hovering around. Behind him was India’slatest superstar Dhoni. Here he was, 37 years of age, surrounded by themen who dictate television TRPs, the cricketers who attract the mosteye-balls.He walked up towards the nets, placed his kit-bag, turned back towards theregion where Dhoni was practising his wicketkeeping, took afew catches, returned to the nets, picked up the ball, and plugged away.The first ball hurried VVS Laxman, rapped him on the pads and forced himto let out a smile. Many things change in Indian cricket but Kumble’sintensity, ever since his Old Trafford debut in 1990, has remained aconstant.