A day before their warm-up game, the Indians got a Shoaib Akhtar clone as a net bowler. He had more hair and less pace than the famous Pakistan speedster and all the Indians got from this body double was a few laughs. If the visitors had a choice, they would have preferred someone with even a passing resemblance to either Murali or Mendis bowl at them.

Ask Indian coach Gary Kirsten about the problems of preparing for a Test match against a rival team that is expected to have a couple of unique and unorthodox bowlers and it brings back memories from his playing days in the early ‘90s. “It isn’t easy,” he says as he speaks about his former team mate Paul Adams of the frog-in-the-blender fame. “He went through a similar process when he came to international cricket. People had a problem facing him initially but once they played him things became easier,” he adds.

Things lighten up when a suggestion is floated in half-jest about Kirsten attempting to imitate Murali or Mendis during his throw downs to the batsman. “I am a South African, I don’t have too much creativity in my wrists,” is the modest reply laced with humour from man with a brilliant record in the sub-continent, a batsman who had an unmistakable penchant to counter the turning ball with soft hands.

Discussions about Kirsten’s wrists can be postponed for now, India’s priority lying in getting prepared for the Tests ahead. Friday’s game against the Sri Lanka Board President XI is an outing for the visitors, many of whom haven’t played competitive cricket for a while, to get match practice.

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