In perfect harmony with the happenings of the last month or so, the Indian team has reported two injuries after a festival game against the Nicky Oppenheimer XI on Monday. Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly have both pulled out of today's match against South Africa A, a team that includes five current or former international players. Ganguly and Tendulkar have both said that they would be available for the first match of the triangular series on Friday, but Tendulkar's injury could be a matter for concern. The "hint of discomfort" in his right foot that prompted him to visit Dr Mark Fergusson yesterday, was glaringly obvious even in the fitness test before the squad left India.

If Tendulkar's injury is cause for worry, Ganguly's is a sign of things to come. He was hit on the index finger of his right hand by a lifting delivery in Monday's match. Rest assured the short-ball treatment will not let up over the next five weeks.

In the absence of Ganguly and Tendulkar, the Indians are likely to open with Virender Sehwag and Shiv Sunder Das, both of whom have a chance of opening the innings at some point in the triangular tournament. Das had made 59 batting at No.3, and Sehwag 44 at No. 5, in Monday's match. Yuvraj Singh and Javagal Srinath are certain to play after warming the bench in the first warm-up match.

The South Africa A pace attack has lost some sting after the withdrawal of Mfuneko Ngam, the fastest bowler in the country. But Roger Telemachus will play, and in Jon Kent, Gerald Dros, Justin Kemp and left-arm spinner Claude Henderson, he has fair backup. Their batting includes captain Hylton Ackerman, who has played four Test matches, young talent Justin Ontong and Jacques Rudolph who struck a century against the Indians on Monday.

Teams:
India (from): Shiv Sunder Das, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid (capt), Yuvraj Singh, Jacob Martin, Reetinder Singh Sodhi, Deep Dasgupta (wk), Ajit Agarkar, Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath, Harbhajan Singh, Venkatesh Prasad, Harvinder Singh

South Africa A (from): Jacques Rudolph, Hylton Ackerman (capt), Martin van Jaarsveld, Justin Ontong, Gerald Dros, Justin Kemp, Tham Tsolekile (wk), Jon Kent, Char Langevedt, Claude Henderson, Roger Telemachus

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