So crowded is the international calendar these days that it offers almost no rest between international assignments, forcing cricketers to relegate fitness worries to the background.
Just two days back, India had to face South Africa in the first of three one-dayers in adverse weather conditions, with most of the team down with a bout of the ‘flu. Skipper Rahul Dravid had admitted that thoughts of requesting for a postponement of the match had flashed through the team management's mind, but they had to keep in mind issues such as TV coverage and spectator interests.

Fighting effort
To their credit, the Indians came up with a fighting effort, almost spoiling the Proteas' party. With many of the players still on the recovery path, the Men in Blue will take on South Africa in the second one-dayer here on Friday.
India will have to conjure every ounce of strength -- mental as well as physical -- to put it across a professional unit from which they can expect no favours.
That will not be easy as two of their premier pacers, Ajit Agarkar and S Sreesanth, are still recuperating and unlikely to figure in the playing eleven. That means India will have to play either Ranadeb Bose or Ishant Sharma, who arrived here on Wednesday as reinforcements, on the morrow.

Zaheer doubtful
Zaheer Khan too had appeared far from hundred percent in game one, and that will add to the think-tank's worries. If Zaheer's fitness is not satisfactory, both Bose and Sharma may make their one-day debuts. That could be inviting trouble against a set of aggressive and in-form batsmen, but the management will perforce have to walk that path if the left-arm paceman does not show sufficient levels of recovery.
In that scenario, young Piyush Chawla and off-spinner Ramesh Powar will have to shoulder the burden of leading the Indian attack. Chawla had shown that he is ruffled neither by reputation nor by the opposition. The team management cannot be blamed for hoping the Uttar Pradesh leg-spinner comes up with a repeat of his performance in the first game, where he picked up three wickets.
Powar too had a good game on Tuesday, procuring considerable turn despite the fact that conditions made it difficult for him to grip the ball.
The Indians had something to cheer about as wicket-keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has recovered well, and is almost certain to figure in the final eleven. Dhoni's power hitting was missed in the first match when India struggled to force the pace in the slog overs, the decisive difference in the outcome of the match. He can come into the team in place of either Gautam Gambhir, who has picked up a viral fever, or Dinesh Kaarthick.

Onus on seniors
Senior pros Sachin Tendulkar and Dravid were among runs in the first match, and the veterans will have to lead from the front once again.
If Sourav Ganguly and Yuvraj Singh too find their rhythm, India can hope for a total good enough for their bowlers, notwithstanding their potential inexperience, to defend.
South Africa will be eager to seal the series with a far more convincing win than on Tuesday. Their only cause for concern is the indifferent form of Herschelle Gibbs, who has failed in the last two matches. However, Gibbs can explode any time, and South Africa will most certainly welcome that.
It will not only give Gibbs confidence ahead of packed season, but will also reduce the burden on stand-in captain Jacques Kallis and youngsters AB de Villiers and Morne van Wyk.
The performance of the Indian spinners in the last match might prompt South Africa to recall young off-spinner Thandi Tshabalala.
Heavy rains have been lashing Belfast since Thursday afternoon. The elements will again dictate to quite an extent what course Friday’s game takes.

Teams (from):
India: Rahul Dravid (capt), Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Gautam Gambhir, Dinesh Kaarthick, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Piyush Chawla, Zaheer Khan, RP Singh, Ramesh Powar, S Sreesanth, Robin Uthappa, Ajit Agarkar, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma.
South Africa: Jacques Kallis (capt), Mark Boucher, AB De Villiers, Jean-Paul Duminy, Herschelle Gibbs, Andrew Hall, Justin Kemp, Charl Langeveldt, Andre Nel, Makhaya Ntini, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Thandi Tshabalala, Morne van Wyk.
Umpires: Mark Benson (England) and Billy Bowden (New Zealand). Third umpire: Aleem Dar (Pakistan). Match referee: Alan Hurst (Australia).