While the South Africans batted at Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium on the second day of their warm-up match against the Board President’s XI, a figure on the sidelines, behind the boundary rope caught everyone’s attention. It was R Ashwin, doing a few fitness drills under the watch of Team India physio, Patrick Farhart, and physical trainer, S Basu. He made a brief appearance at the boundary line, doing a few agility drills and throwing exercise under Farhat’s guidance, before having a chat with Basu as they walked off the field. Ashwin sustained a side strain during the first ODI against South Africa in Kanpur and missed the remaining matches of the series. He had recently said that he was now “Close to full fitness and confident of bowling well in the Test series”. This comes as excellent news for the team management as Ashwin has been India’s best bowler across all formats with his recent form. He was instrumental in India’s recent Test series win in Sri Lanka with 21 wickets in three matches.

Ashwin will be the key to India’s fate in the Tests against South Africa, who boast of the world-class batting line-up capable to succeed in the most foreign conditions.