Onus is on India to perform

After 13 years, India are looking down the barrel of a Test series. Having lost the first Test of this two match series against South Africa in just three days, the Indians are under a lot of pressure. Add to this the situation of Sachin Tendulkar relinquishing the captaincy and you have the ideal recipe for a pressure cooker situation.

Mohammed Azharuddin has fought off selectoral indifference and injury to make it back to the side. Sadagoppan Ramesh has recovered from injury to reclaim his spot at the top of the order. India will also revert to their supposed strength - spinners. Having missed a spinner in the latter part of the first Test, the Indian think tank is likely to include Nikhil Chopra in its scheme of things. When asked about whether he wanted to play three spinners, Kapil Dev said "as a coach, I would like to have three spinners in the team." That said a lot, considering the Indian coach's customary reluctance to answer most questions relating to team strategy.

Tendulkar said that he was not under any extra pressure because of the fact that India were on the verge of spoiling their lengthy unbeaten record at home. The Indian captain said "our aim is to go out and win. Why talk about 13 years? Whether it's 13 years or three years or two years, we don't have to lose." When the same question was asked of Kapil Dev, he fended it away by saying "I don't consider playing one Test match and two Test matches as a series. You play three Test matches or five Test matches, that's a real series." When asked the potentially awkward question about the fitness of Azharuddin and Ramesh, Kapil Dev was quick to say "Is there any need to ask that question? They're here and they are one hundred percent fit."

When asked whether he expected more of the team because this was his last match as captain, Tendulkar said that he "always expected a lot from the team. I expect them to give that extra bit and they try their best."

The Test match in Mumbai showed just how much India depended on Tendulkar. His innings of 97 was the only innings of substance by an Indian in that match. Did he feel that his teammates should be doing more? "When one doesn't deliver, it doesn't mean he's not trying hard,'' said Tendulkar and ended all thoughts that he might feel any extra pressure because he is the sole performer in this Indian team.

When asked whether he wanted more batsmen to spend time at the wicket, Tendulkar's response was rather interesting. "It doesn't matter how much time they spend at the wicket. I want them to score runs." Given Rahul Dravid's slow innings in the first Test that proved to counterproductive to the Indian cause, Tendulkar might just be sending very strong signals out to his mates.

Understandably, Hansie Cronje was far more relaxed. In a brief encounter with the press, Cronje said that he would like to bat first on this track. He also said that team selection was a matter that would take place in the evening and did not want to speculate on the composition of the team.

Whatever happens, it is obvious that India will have to be aggressive from the word go to force a positive result in the match. From the process of team selection onwards, the Indians will have to press for a victory. Given the South Africans' propensity for choking against spin, the Indians will have to play three spinners. To do so, they will have to compromise on either the opening bowling or the opening batting. If they open the batting with Ramesh and Nayan Mongia then a free spot opens up for the spinner. On the other hand, they could open the bowling with Javagal Srinath and Sourav Ganguly and still fit Nikhil Chopra in.

For South Africa, the return of Daryll Cullinan is inevitable. In addition to that, Nantie Hayward may just find a place in the side at the expense of either Nicky Boje or Clive Eksteen. The South Africans have a bowling line up that can knock out the Indians on any sort of wicket.

India will have to move up a gear and snatch a victory away from the visitors. The composure of the Indians today belies a group that is plagued by tensions and anxieties. What they bring with them onto the field will determine how much success they have.