Indians have a gruelling net session

Eyeing his 100th international century, Sachin Tendulkar opted for light practice from throw-ins, while the focus was on opening duo of Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag as skipper Dhoni doubled up as a bowler in absence of offspinner R Ashwin.

Leading 1-0 in the three-match Test series after their five-wicket win in Delhi, the 14-member Indian squad sans Ashwin hit the nets at the Eden Gardens around 1.30pm. Man of the match in the first Test win, Ashwin will join the squad tomorrow after taking wedding vows in Chennai.

The day started with the bowlers Pragyan Ojha and Ishant Sharma warming up with the bat, followed by Yuvraj Singh and Dhoni in the two nets erected for seamers and spinners.

But then on, the entire focus of the Indian batting was on Gambhir and Sehwag who batted long under the watchful eyes of coach Duncan Fletcher. The duo first faced the local seamers as well as the pace trio of Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron before taking on the spin duo of Pragyan Ojha and Rahul Sharma.

Aaron, who made his India debut in the one-dayers in the just-concluded home series against England, sweated it out for long with the Indian openers facing him in turns. With the duo batting in tandem in both the nets, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman had to wait with their pads on.

Meanwhile, Tendulkar took throw-ins from India fielding coach Trevor Penney near the boundary rope as the Mumbai maestro who is in line of a 100th international century became the cynosure of all eyes with lensmen focussing on him. Later, Yuvraj Singh also took some throw-ins, before the stand-bye duo of Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane. Earlier, in the morning the West Indies had a rigorous training for about four hours with their bowlers and batsmen sweating it out under the sun.

The second Test begins on Monday.