Ahmedabad, Apr 2: A final call on the availability of captain Anil Kumble and young speedster Ishant Sharma for the second cricket Test against South Africa will be taken on Thursday after a fitness assessment of both players.

Both Kumble and Ishant bowled decent spells at the optional nets at the Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium, Motera, and the Indian team management will be anxious to have them fit in the wake of Sachin Tendulkar`s unavailability due to a groin injury.

Only seven players, including Murali Kartik who is recovering from an ankle injury, came to the optional practice session today and the latter was put through his paces mildly by team physiotherapist Paul Close. Kumble, who has a groin niggle sustained in Chennai, and Ishant recovering from an injured finger and toe - bowled at the nets mostly against Yuvraj Singh and Mohammed Kaif who had lengthy stints with the bat.

Kumble later indicated that he was feeling better which should bring cheers to the Indian camp. If nets sessions are an indication, Yuvraj is almost a certainty to take Tendulkar`s place in the middle order after he had been asked to bat on three different net wickets by coach Gary Kirsten.

In that case Kaif, who last played a Test for India in June 2006 in Kingston, Jamaica, will have to wait to regain his spot. The other players who attended the nets today were all-rounder Irfan Pathan and leg-spinner Piyush Chawla, both of whom warmed the benches in the series opener.

``We've got some fitness concerns and will wait until Thursday morning to take a final call on who all are fit for the test match,'' Kumble said on Wednesday after training with the team at the Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium.

Kumble said his groin was improving, but would not confirm he would play.

``There's still some time left, so we'll decide tomorrow,'' he said.

India's highest wicket-taker with 607 dismissals in 126 tests, Kumble is a crucial cog in India's attack on the low-bouncing home pitches.

South Africa captain Graeme Smith said Kumble's absence would be a big blow for India.

``Kumble is a very experienced campaigner and a fierce competitor,'' Smith said.

``After the last game, India has a few more things to think about than us. Our lineup will remain pretty much the same as the last test.''

The absence of young paceman Sharma weakened India in the opening test when its pace bowlers failed to make an impression on the batsman-friendly wicket.

Sharma had been accompanying the squad and training with physiotherapist Paul Close.

Left out of the original 14-man squad for the test, Sharma had been brought in, along with middle-order batsman Mohammad Kaif, who last played a test on the 2006 tour of the West Indies.

Kaif's elevation came due to the absence of Tendulkar, who aggravated a groin injury during the opening test.

Kaif may not make the final 11, as it was expected that left-handed batsman Yuvraj Singh would come in to the lineup and V.V.S. Laxman would bat higher up the order.

``Laxman will come up the batting order in Tendulkar's absence,'' Kumble said.

The home team was frustrated by South Africa's robust batting during the first test, and Kumble said the India was ``aiming to put pressure on the South Africans'' in the second test.

``Our bowlers have the potential and quality to do the job on any surface,'' said Kumble.

The India skipper was unfazed by South Africa's plans to target opener Virender Sehwag, who made a record-breaking 319 in the first test, with short-pitched bowling.

South Africa coach Micky Arthur said Tuesday he had analyzed Sehwag's aggressive stroke play in his triple century, and was eager to test him with bouncers.

``Sehwag's a good enough batsman to handle that,'' Kumble said.

Lineups:

India (from): Anil Kumble (captain), Virender Sehwag, Wasim Jaffer, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, V.V.S. Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Mahendra Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, Rudra Pratap Singh, Shantakumaran Sreesanth, Irfan Pathan, Ishant Sharma and Piyush Chawla.

South Africa (from): Graeme Smith (captain), Neil McKenzie, A.B. de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, Hashim Amla, Jean-Paul Duminy, Ashwell Prince, Mark Boucher, Morne Morkel, Paul Harris, Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini, Robin Peterson and Monde Zondeki.