Nehra claims he's fully fit

Medium pacer Ashish Nehra on Thursday asserted that he has recovered from his groin injury and is fully fit even as the selection committee is in the process of finding a replacement for him in the squad for the triangular one-day series in South Africa.

Nehra, who was declared unfit by sports medicine expert Dr Anant Joshi, said he is not experiencing any pain and expressed confidence of clearing the fitness test, arranged for the entire South Africa-bound team in Bombay, on Saturday and Sunday.

"I am fully fit. I am experiencing no pain whatsoever and I am sure of clearing the fitness test in Bombay," Nehra said in Delhi.

After watching the bowler in the nets on Monday and Tuesday, Dr Joshi had called Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Jaywant Lele and informed him that Nehra is not totally fit and was unable to give his hundred per cent.

However, Nehra said it takes about a week to ten days for one to bowl at full throttle after returning from injury.

"It was just three days since I resumed bowling, then [on Tuesday in Madras]. I am practising hard and I will prove my fitness in Bombay," he said.

Meanwhile, captain Sourav Ganguly rallied behind Nehra, saying it is premature to discuss fitness issues as the entire squad will undergo fitness tests in Bombay before the team departs for South Africa on September 24.

"Let the experts give their ruling on the subject. Let's not preempt things", Ganguly told reporters after a strenuous practice session in Calcutta.

Ganguly said Nehra had spoken to him over phone a few days ago to report that he is all right.

"So far as I am concerned, Nehra is fit and going to South Africa. He spoke to me only a few days back and said he is quite all right," Ganguly said.

"I am not aware of any later development that might have forced him to think otherwise," the captain added.

On the spate of injuries which have ruled out a few of his South Africa-bound teammates, the elegant left-hander said, "Let's not worry too much about who's in and who's out. We'll have to try and make the most of the available resources."

Ganguly will join the team in Bombay on September 23 while wicketkeeper-batsman Deep Dasgupta, the lone new face in the team, will leave Calcutta a day earlier.

Dasgupta, who also practised with Ganguly at the Pankaj Gupta Indoor stadium, inside the Eden Gardens complex, expressed satisfaction with his preparation for his first tour.

"Ganguly has been chipping in with his bit of suggestions, though we did not have any formal discussions as of now. Maybe, in a few days' time, we will get to work out a few things," the 24-year-old said.

Meanwhile, BCCI sources maintain that Nehra failed the fitness test and the selectors are looking for a replacement.

Ajit Agarkar and Debasish Mohanty are the front runners to take Nehra's place, though Rakesh Patel, who along with Agarkar is in Nairobi participating in a triangular limited-overs tournament, has also been summoned for the fitness tests.

The sources expressed concern over players concealing their injuries. "If Nehra takes painkillers and injections before taking the test in Bombay, only God can help the team," they said.

Mail Cricket Editor