Potchefstroom: The embattled Indian cricket team was offered a ray of hope on Wednesday with batting mainstay Rahul Dravid stating that he should be fit for the first Test beginning next Friday.

Team India captain Rahul Dravid chats with Sourav Ganguly during practice at Sedgars Park in Potchefstroom on Wednesday, the eve of India’s warm-up against the Rest of South Africa. (AP)

The Indian captain, laid low by a freak finger injury since the Cape Town ODI on November 26, said he started batting practice and would be able to take the field in the opening Test at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.

“I am hopeful of playing in the first Test as I have started batting a little. I would look to have at least two good batting sessions in the lead up to the Test,” he said, on the eve of the four-day warm-up game against Rest of South Africa here.

However, the news on Munaf Patel’s front was not that good. The speedster was sent to Johannesburg on Wednesday for further medical opinion on his sore ankle. “Patel hasn’t improved as much as we thought but there are still eight days to the first Test and we are hoping he would be alright,” Dravid said.

Looking back at India’s failure in the ODI series, Dravid felt their cause was not helped by a few batsmen who came to South Africa struggling for form which only got worse by conditions and some hostile fast bowling.

“I can’t blame our batsmen for effort but we were not in the best of forms coming to South Africa and it has only been accentuated by conditions and bowling on this tour.”

On Sourav Ganguly, he said: “Sourav is an experienced player and I’m hopeful the experience will help both him and the team.”

Nevertheless, Dravid hoped the team would draw confidence from their good Test showing in recent past. The visitors never thought about having a bowling consultant for the present tour because, as Dravid put it, there was enough experience in the ranks.

The warm-up will give the likes of Virender Sehwag and Sourav the only chance to find their groove before the tougher battle ahead. It will also be an opportunity for VVS Laxman, who will lead.

Sehwag averaged just 9.66 in the three matches of the ODI series, raising questions one more time on his temperament and commitment. As for Sourav, it would provide him an opportunity to come to terms with the conditions and impress the team management ahead of the first Test, as only one warm-up game has been scheduled.

The ideal scenario for the Indians would be to win the toss and bat big at the Sedgars Park to ensure they go into the Tests with some of their confidence restored. The batsmen would have to occupy the crease where hours logged in the middle would stand them in good stead.

It is learnt Zaheer Khan may be rested.

TEAMS

India (from): Sachin Tendulkar, Wasim Jaffer, VVS Laxman, Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Dinesh Karthik, Harbhajan Singh, VRV Singh, Sreesanth, Zaheer Khan, Irfan Pathan, Anil Kumble, munaf patel.

Rest of South Africa (from): Jacques Rudolph (captain), Alviro Peterson, Morne Van Wyk, Jean Paul Duminy, Vaughn Van Jaarsveld, Justin Kemp, Vernon Philander, Paul Adams, Morne Morkel, Garnett Kruger, Mornantau Hayward.