Kanpur, Apr 10: After a batting paradise in Chennai and a seamer friendly wicket at Ahmedabad, the pitch at Kanpur’s Green Park stadium will be closely watched when India challenge Proteas here on Friday. The pitch is expected to be a lot different, if Indian captain Anil Kumble has his way. Trailing 1-0 in the series India must beat Proteas in Kanpur to level the series. On the other hand just a draw would ensure that Proteas become the only team to beat India in two back to back tours.

Skipper Anil Kumble has not recovered from a groin injury and is doubtful for the third and final test against South Africa that begins on Friday.

Team India however are left with no option but to go for the jugular against a resurgent South Africa in the third and final Test, which means even a ninety percent fit Kumble will take the field.

India are 1-0 down in the series after losing the second test in Ahmedabad by an innings and 90 runs and the absence of India`s most successful bowler would be a massive blow to their hopes of squaring the series.

"Not yet fully (recovered)," a tense Kumble told reporters on Thursday. "I have to wait till tomorrow morning and make a call."

Kumble suffered the injury in the drawn first Test in Chennai and has missed just five Tests in India (in 2000-1) since he played his first Test at home in 1993.

The 37-year-old, who has taken 608 test wickets and is third behind fellow spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne on the all-time list, has just four wickets so far in the series.

He struggled while bowling in the nets on Thursday but said he would play on Friday if he could bowl.

If Kumble misses out, young leg spinner Piyush Chawla and off spinner Ramesh Powar are in the squad alongside Harbhajan Singh.

The India squad did receive some welcome news with teenage pace bowler Ishant Sharma declared fit following foot and finger injuries he suffered during the tour of Australia.

Kumble said he expected his side to bounce back following the loss in Ahmedabad.

"It is not the first time we`ve lost a test match and need to comeback, we`ve done that before," Kumble said. "Whenever we have been pushed to the wall, we`ve performed exceptionally well."

"In Ahmedabad, it was just one of those tests. It was one bad session we`ve had in the last six years. We`re very proud of our record in India, we`d like to keep it. "We`ve a few plans to go ahead and exploit them. "We are very confident we will be able to do that."

While the match in Ahmedabad aided the seamers, the Green Park ground pitch is bereft of any grass, already cracking up and could quickly deteriorate in the intense sun, which would play into Kumble`s, and India`s, hands.

Kumble, however, was irked by questions on the pitch, following media criticism the groundsman seemed to be under pressure to provide a pitch to help the Indian spinners. "There has been lot of talk on the pitch. It looks like a dry surface and it should assist spin as the game progresses

"Whatever the conditions we need to play good cricket. We`re capable of doing that in this Test match."

Smith, seeking to lead South Africa to a landmark Test series triumph on Indian soil, said his team was confident and prepared to face any challenge thrown at them.

"We are not worried about the pitch. We have to maintain our focus. For us, its just about executing our game plan well. I believe things have worked for us so far and it will work again," Smith said on the eve of the crucial game.

"We have a settled team now and we are more comfortable in handling everything thrown at us. The pressure will be more on India", he said.

After an innings victory in three days in Ahmedabad, the Proteas skipper knows the onus is on the hosts as the visitors are sitting pretty with a 1-0 lead in the series.

"Definitely, we are a more confident team now after winning in Ahmedabad. There will be less pressure on us. India has more question marks in terms of fitness and composition of the team," the South African opener said.

He said the pitch prepared for the match has opened up a lot of possibilities.

"With the pitch looking as it does, it has certainly opened up a lot of possibilities. We have got a lot of variety in our bowling. We also have spinners who can exploit the conditions."

Asked whether he expected the track to crack from the third day onwards, Smith quipped "not pretty sure. The pitch has already cracked though."

Smith said his team will adopt a game plan after observing how the Green Park pitch behaved.

"In such a situation, the plans keep changing according to the situation."

Teams:

South Africa : Graeme Smith(Capt), AB de Villiers, Ashwell Prince, Dale Steyn, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, Jean-Paul Duminy, Paul Harris, Neil McKenzie, Makhaya Ntini, Monde Zondeki, Mark Boucher(w), Morne Morkel, Robin Peterson

India : Anil Kumble(Capt), Wasim Jaffer, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Saurav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni(w), Irfan Pathan, S Sreesanth, Piyush Chawla, Harbhajan Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Ishant Sharma, Munaf Patel, Ramesh Powar

Dharamveer the cheerleader eggs on Team India

Faced with a do-or-die battle to level the series, Anil Kumble and his men don't need to look far for motivation.

As the players slugged it out in the nets, they were joined by Dharamveer Singh Pal, who cannot stand on his two legs but lives a charmed life mingling with Team India members wherever they go to play matches in the country.

The boy from Gwalior has not gained the status of Sri Lanka's Percy Abeshekhara or Pakistan's "Chacha Cricket" but Dharamveer has been almost a 12th member of the Indian contingent wherever the team goes.

A childhood polio attack does not allow him move on his legs but the boy with an indomitable spirit has not let it affect his morale.

"Call it addiction but I have to travel wherever the team goes," said the boy from Madhya Pradesh, who is here with the Indian team for the final Test against South Africa.

Looking tired after 'training' with Yuvraj Singh and Rahul Dravid, the 18-year-old said, "For the past three years, I am accompanying the team during its matches in various cities. Yuvraj Bhaiyya and other players bear my expenses. I practise with the team and watch the matches also."

Dharamveer, who captains the Madhya Pradesh Handicap Cricket Association team, in fact looked more enthusiastic than some of the Indian members in the nets, sweating in the batting and fielding practice.

He kept throwing the ball at the practising batsmen at the Green Park stadium. And when he got tired, an amused Gary Kirsten offered drinks to the boy, treating him like another player.

Dharamveer said it was his excitement and enthusiasm for the game that led to Indian players allowing him travel with them.

"They know me well and seeing my passion for the game, they allow me travel with the team. Not only that, they also allow me don the same colours," said the youngster, with a palpable sense of pride.

Dharamveer is naturally upset at India's humiliating defeat in Ahmedabad that has left the hosts facing a do-or-die battle to level the three-match series.

"Yes, that defeat hurts but I have full confidence in the players and I feel we are going to win this match to level the series," he said.