New Delhi, Mar 21: India’s Test team vice-captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and off spinner Harbhajan Singh have cleared the fitness test, paving way for their participation in the first Test against the visiting South Africans. The tests were conducted under the watchful eye of the Indian team’s new physio Paul Klose.

All eyes were on ODI skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh as the duo arrived at the Chinnaswamy stadium in the morning to undergo a fitness test at the NCA’s training on Friday afternoon.

Both the players along with Yuvraj Singh and Ishant Sharma had sustained injuries during the long Australian tour. While Ishant Sharma was ruled out of the first two Tests, Yuvraj Singh managed to clear the fitness test on the day of team selection, earlier this week. Harbhajan and Dhoni too were provisionally included in the Test squad, subject to their clearing the fitness test.

While Harbhajan had claimed 100% fitness, India`s former physio, John Gloster, in his detailed report on the fitness levels of the Indian cricketers to the BCCI, had raised concerns on the player’s fitness.

Dhoni was put through routine wicket-keeping drills indoors and an X-ray taken on the injured finger on his right hand.

Had either of the players failed the fitness test, the selectors had named Dinesh Karthik and leg spinner Piyush Chawla as the reserves for Dhoni and Bhajji respectively.

The first of the India-South Africa Test begins in Chennai on March 26.

Tendulkar recommended Dhoni: Pawar

It was Sachin Tendulkar's great idea to make Mahendra Singh Dhoni captain of India'a one-day cricket team, BCCI president Sharad Pawar disclosed on Friday.

Pawar recalled how the Indian team plunged into a crisis in England last year with the then captain Rahul Dravid dropping first hints of his reluctance to lead the team.

"By that time, Rahul had told me he could not concentrate on his game and requested me to find someone else. Some of the selectors wanted Sachin to lead and I conveyed it to him. But Sachin said, 'please don't do this.' I asked then who should lead the side and he said 'give it to someone like Dhoni'.

"He said 'give Dhoni the opportunity. He has excellent relation with the teammates'. I told him I would not interfere but would definitely convey it to the selectors," the BCCI chief told PTI here.

Pawar also hailed Tendulkar and fellow senior players Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and Anil Kumble for paving way for the youngsters in the Twenty20 team.

"I was in England when we were playing them. Sachin met me and suggested 'I know you don't interfere with the team selection but you please tell the selectors not to include players of my generation in the Twenty20 squad. He said 'my generation is not fit for Twenty20, so give opportunity to the youngsters."