The team's poor show in Guwahati, where New Zealand won comfortably to square the series 2-2, has prompted the recall, after the selectors had decided to rest the Karnataka speedster for the last three one-dayers. That decision seems to have caught the team on the wrong foot.

Both team captains conceded that tomorrow's game would be a ``pressure'' one, more so for the home team which was expected to take the series comfortably. The decider at Delhi has assumed great significance, and the home side must be eager to leave for the tough tour of Australia next week on a winning note.

Another piece of bad news for the Indians on match eve was the non-availibility of Ajay Jadeja, who is having a ``bad shoulder''. Thedoctors have advised him complete rest for a week, coach Kapil Dev said. The dashing batsman will ``have to pass the fitness test'' before the tour to Australia, one of the selectors revealed.

Srinath was at the nets at the Air Force Station Palam grounds this morning while Jadeja was conspicuous by his absence. The Indians and the New Zealanders spent over three hours at the nets at two adjacent grounds.

The relaid wicket at the Kotla wore a bald look this afternoon, whatever grass that was left earlier having been mowed in the morning. ``It is a typical Kotla track, full of runs,'' said curator Radheysham. Members of both teams who visited the Kotla to have a look at the wicket, looked satisfied. ``People come to watch entertaining cricket. We have no complaints,'' was all Kiwi skipper Stephen Fleming had to say. As Fleming said, the pressure will be on India to perform and clinch the series. It is a must-win situation for the home team on the eve of their departure forAustralia.

TEAMS
India (from): Tendulkar (capt), Ganguly, Dravid, Bhardwaj, Robin Singh, Chopra, MSK Prasad, Joshi, Agarkar, Mohanty, Kumaran, Gandhi, Srinath, Pandey.
New Zealand (from): Fleming (capt), Astle, Spearman, Parore, Twose, Harris, Cairns, Styris, Vettori, Tait, Drum, O'Connor, Stead.
Umpires: Surender Sharma and Vinit Gupte (both Mumbai).
Third umpire: Umesh Kumar (Punjab).
Reserve umpire: Vijay Chopra (Delhi).
Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (Sri Lanka).