Munaf a doubtful starter for tour match

Munaf Patel could well be pitchforked into the opening Test match at the Wanderers without having had any match practice for nearly a month. Despite the fact that his ankle is healing slowly, he's rated doubtful for the tour game at Potchefstroom which starts on December 7.

If the team management feel that he's not yet ready for the rigours of a four-day game, they will restrict him to net sessions in the hope that he's ready to go for the Johannesburg Test. John Gloster, the physio, and a consultant physician are constantly monitoring his progress, but he's definitely a few days away from being able to put enough weight on the foot to have a bowl.

The news on the Rahul Dravid front is much more encouraging. The protective cast - more of a net-like contraption than a huge chunk of plaster - will come off on Monday, and he'll then embark on strengthening exercises. "I've been told that I shouldn't field in the slips," Dravid told Cricinfo. "There's a fair bit of time between the first Test and the second, so till then, we can certainly manage with [VVS] Laxman and Sachin [Tendulkar] in the slip cordon."

Taping up the finger and using gloves that provide extra protection should allow him to bat, but on surfaces where the bottom hand comes into play so much - the cut and pull are big scoring options here - it remains to be seen how well he will adjust to that. "We'll play it by the ear," he said. "It should be fine."

Ajit Agarkar, who tore a groin muscle yesterday, isn't quite as fortunate. He'll have to sit on the sidelines for atleast a month, leaving him with precious little time to get match-fit before India start a punishing schedule of eight one-day games at home.