India retain confidence as Zaheer faces race to recover

Zaheer undertook only a light jog around Trent Bridge yesterday morning, while his team-mates held a full practice session, as he tries to recover from the hamstring strain which stopped him bowling in the second innings of the tourists’ opening defeat at Lord’s.

A team spokesman conveyed that Zaheer’s condition is “improving considerably” and a decision on his fitness for tomorrow will be made this evening. But young opening batsman Abhinav Mukund is confident in any case that India have the resources to cover if Zaheer is absent.

“He’s been our strike bowler for a long time,” said Mukund.

“But Ishant (Sharma) has been doing really well – he was the man of the series in the West Indies – and Praveen Kumar has taken five wickets (at Lord’s).

“(Shantha) Sreesanth is waiting in the wings as well, so it’s not that we have a depleted attack.

“It’s just that when you lose a fast bowler during a game it’s a completely different scenario.”

Mukund himself has been asked to open in place of Virender Sehwag, while India’s master blaster continues his recovery from shoulder surgery, and the 21-year-old left-hander responded at Lord’s with scores of 49 and 12 in only his fourth Test.

“If you’re looking at me to replace a person like Virender Sehwag, he’s one of the greatest ever India openers – so they are going to be big boots to fill,” he said.

“What I want to do is play my own game. I don’t want to replace Sehwag or play like he does, because it’s not possible.

“I just want to go out and play how I know. If it comes off it will help the team.”

Mukund impressed some sound judges at HQ, but knows more is required – of him and his team-mates.

“I was very disappointed I couldn’t carry on and make a big score,” he said.

“But I was batting well, and am looking to take that confidence into this next Test.

“We were all disappointed but there are a lot of good things we can take from that match, and move on. Being the world No 1, the India team has conquered a lot of challenges on the way here.

“We’ve come here to take up this challenge, and will definitely give it a good fight.”

While India remain confident they can level the series in Nottingham, England’s James Anderson fully expects a backlash from the tourists after the hosts’ convincing victory at Lord’s.

Whether it is Sachin Tendulkar or another member of India’s stellar cast who makes life difficult for England in Nottingham, Anderson expects a collective and significant reaction to their Lord’s defeat – irrespective of what his old coach Duncan Fletcher says to try to motivate his new world-beating charges.

“I don’t think he needs to do anything,” he said.

“When we lose a Test match, as a professional sportsman there’s fight inside you that you don’t want it to happen again.

“We expect exactly the same thing from any team we play against. If we beat them we expect them to come back harder the next game.”