As Agarkar, recovering from a hamstring injury, trooped out with the Indians for net practice, speculation followed in his wake that he was probably here to demonstrate his fitness ahead of the selection for the Australian tour. The team for the three-Test tour and a triangular involving Pakistan besides India and Australia is to be selected during the course of this Test to be played from Oct 29-Nov 2.

The medium-pacer looked fit as a fiddle as he bowled in the nets, but when asked whether he was here to prove his fitness, Agarkar was non-commital and said to ask the manager.

Indian team coach Kapil Dev said Agarkar was called to bowl in the nets as they were ``short onbowlers''. Unconfirmed reports said that even Harvinder Singh Sodhi was expected on Thursday.

And the pitch, which bore a green look on Tuesday, looked brown on Wednesday with all the grass sheared off. However, curator Dhiraj Parsana continued to maintain that it was a ``sporting'' wicket and would last for five days without breaking.

He said at a press briefing in the afternoon, ``It's a sporting wicket. The bounce will be even throughout the five days. Though it will seam for an hour every morning, it is likely to start turning after tea on the second day''. He added that because of its hardness the ball would come on to the bat which the batsmen would enjoy.