This is one place where wishing the Indian team by saying "Break a leg" is strictly forbidden. "Health Check" takes you into the hitherto-unexplored realms of Andrew Leipus and Adrian Le Roux. Keeping weekly tabs on the aches and pains, or hopefully lack thereof, of the Indian team, "Health Check" gives you the complete low-down on the fitness levels of the touring side.

Not yet a perfect fit, but getting there

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Adrian Le Roux is a good influence. It is not easy to persuade any bunch of cricketers, and particularly the Indian ones, to wear their soles out in fitness training after a particularly crushing defeat, but the South African not only undertook the arduous task willingly but accomplished it too.

Accordingly then, the Indians, soon after their arrival at Antigua, followed up a demanding net session with a gym workout and then another fitness session in the swimming pool. Le Roux, appointed as fitness trainer before the start of this tour, joined in actively during the various workouts, preferring a hands-on approach to merely sitting back and watching the proceedings with a benign eye.

"I've noticed a remarkable change in their attitude," said Le Roux of the Indian cricketers. One of the most notable must be the manner in which players are giving up their favourite foods to remain calorie- conscious. Most Indians are good trenchermen, but Le Roux's instructions have persuaded the cricketers out of sneaking food on the sly.

Le Roux is inspirational, no doubt, as Kolkata 2001 heroes VVS Laxman and Harbhajan Singh willingly testify. "We can feel the changes within us," says Laxman. "He makes you enjoy the exercises," adds Harbhajan.

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It is too early yet for India to start effecting catches like the South Africans, but the improvements are noticeable. The bowling and batting fronts may have let India down at Bridgetown, but the fielding certainly was not a problem. Matters were helped, of course, by the presence of the athletic Ajay Ratra behind the stumps; Deep Dasgupta, whatever his other sterling qualities may be, is, for a former gymnastics champion, remarkable un-agile and rusty.

Fitness problems of a more serious kind struck down Mahendra Nagamootoo. Scheduled to play in the Barbados Test, Nagamootoo suffered multiple head and body injuries when he was involved in a minivan crash in Berbice. He was flown to Trinidad for extended treatment, but sports specialist Terry Ali stressed that the situation was not as serious as it sounded.

"He has improved tremendously over the last couple of days after suffering multiple head and body bruises," said Ali. "I am recommending that he take a complete rest from all physical activity for the next three weeks to a month before attempting to come back and play." Nagamootoo, therefore, will only make it back into the Caribbean team for the one-day series.

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