Testing time for India at Johannesburg

By John Cheeran
No man can step into the same river twice, said Greek philosopher Heraclitus.
Indian skipper Rahul Dravid must be thinking along the same lines as he assembles his troop for the no-holds barred pace war against hostile South Africans in Johannesburg on Sunday.
India play South Africa in the first of their five one-day matches with abackdrop of angst and anxiety.
Benoni defeat must have been a jolt to the Indian team. More than just the defeat, the damage the speedster Dale Steyn did to the top order, including Sachin Tendulkar, must worry Dravid.
But then again every cricket match gives chances for a new beginning. No two matches are the same.
Dravid himself is sure-footed as a batsman, going by the meticulous innings he played in Benoni.
The Indian skipper has put on a brave front so far on the tour defending his mates and promising that his side has the potential to give it back to the South Africans.
Dravid will have to be on his toes throughout the series making the right kind of positive interventions to augment India's chances of defeating South Africa.
If anything should go in favour of Dravid on this tour it is the lack of expectations from fans at home. They are not going to win, it has been said and agreed in India.
Whispers from Johannesburg hint that Dravid plans to pick five bowlers for Sunday's game. And skipper has indicated that he will play both his spinners -- leg-spinner Anil Kumble and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh -- on a track that offers lots of bounce for bowlers.
In my view playing two spinners could turn out to be a bold idea. It is always a good strategy to play your best bowlers instead of packing the side with mediocre medium pacers. South African batsmen could be uncertain against India's slow ways.
Dravid expects that his batsmen will produce enough runs on the board so that India can have a game. "Six batsmen should be able to do the job," Dravid remarked in Johannesburg.
"We have proven players, all over the world, and a number of us have got runs here before, against South Africa and in the 2003 World Cup."
Fitness of opener Virender Sehwag is still subject to debate.
Sehwag had hurt his right finger on the right hand and if he is not fit, Dravid should grab that chance to do another of his experiments.
Let's wait and watch.