The Indian team's worries ahead of the second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch, beginning Saturday, increased after senior-most pacer Ishant Sharma skipped Friday's practice session due to pain in his right ankle, making him a doubtful starter for the game. Ishant Sharma came for practice but apparently felt discomfort after which he was taken for a precautionary scan of his right ankle. The reports are awaited and if Ishant Sharma is ruled unfit, then either Umesh Yadav or Navdeep Saini will take his place.
Umesh looks a more likely candidate at the moment because of his experience of 45 Tests.
Ishant, who was the best Indian bowler on view with figures of 5/68 in 22.2 overs against New Zealand in Wellington, joined the team before the series after recovering from a grade three tear on his right ankle sustained during a Ranji Trophy game against Vidarbha.
He was expected to be out for six weeks but apparently made a "miraculous recovery" at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) under physio Ashish Kaushik. Ishant looked in good rhythm despite battling fatigue and jet lag as he arrived in Wellington from Bengaluru barely 72 hours before the start of the first Test.
India will try to redeem themselves after a humiliating 10-wicket loss in Hamilton when they take on New Zealand in the second Test starting at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Saturday. However, head coach Ravi Shastri has insisted that there is no need to panic as the heavy loss in the first Test has helped India open a "closed mindset".
"A shake-up like that is good because it opens your mindset," Shastri said on Friday.
"When you're on the road winning all the time, you've not tasted defeat, you can have a closed mindset," he added.
"Once you've seen what has happened there are opportunities to learn. You know what strategies New Zealand mentally are employing and you are prepared.
"We've had a great run in the Test arena. We've played eight and won seven and so one loss there's absolutely no need to panic," Shastri said.