Napier: Determined to get into the groove ahead of the Test series, India's preparations have been hit by fitness worries to two of its key players Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan who may be rested for the warm-up match against Central Districts beginning on Friday.

Paceman Zaheer Khan is nursing a knee injury, which he suffered during Wednesday's Super Max International match and has been advised two days rest, while off spinner Harbhajan Singh is yet to recover from viral fever.

"Harbhajan is recovering. But Zaheer will need treatment for the next two days," Indian team manager N R Choudhary said, as the visitors arrived here on Thursday afternoon for the three-day match.

Even though the Indian think tank wants to field its best team for the game, the only one before the start of the first Test at Wellington next Thursday, it seems unlikely that it would rush its two spearheads into the match considering that they have to play two Tests and seven One-dayers on the tour.

Harbhajan (139 wickets from 31 Tests) and Zaheer (62 from 22) will have to shoulder the bowling responsibility, which lacks experience in the absence of veterans Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath. While Kumble opted out of the Test series due to personal reasons, selectors had decided to rest Srinath.

Meanwhile, the Indian team had to put on hold its practice session since their kit could not reach in time. The baggage of the players is to arrive by road from Wellington, a five hours drive from here.

The Indians, who have not won a Test series in New Zealand for over three decades, are determined to reverse the trend this time around, having been quite consistent in alien conditions this year.

In the absence of Zaheer and Harbhajan, the Indian bowling attack for the warm-up game is likely to comprise three medium pacers, Ashish Nehra, Tinu Yohannan and Ajit Agarkar, and Murali Karthik as the lone spinner.

The Indian batsmen may find the going much easier against Central Districts this time with their opponents not really having a menacing bowling line-up. Captain Jacob Oram is the only bowler to have played for the national side in One-dayers.

But the 6'6'' paceman, who is known for accuracy rather than penetration, is yet to play a Test for the Kiwis. The Central Districts team, which won the domestic Shell Cup two seasons ago, has had a torrid time since then.

The team had to face a humiliating 10-wicket defeat against Wellington in its only match this season after the pay dispute was solved. Opening batsman Matthew Sinclair, off spinner Glen Sulzberger and Oram are among the 20 cricketers contracted by the New Zealand Cricket Board (NZC).

But none of three seems to be in contention for the Test spot. Sinclair, who has scored 1079 runs from 18 Tests with a healthy average of 43.80, has been out of form for the last two seasons, while Sulzberger has only three wickets in his kitty from the three One-day Internationals he had played.

The teams (from): Central Districts: Jacob Oram (captain), Bevan Griggs, Lance Hamilton, Brent Hefford, Jamie How, Peter Ingram, Michael Mason, Andrew Schwass, Martyn Singley, Matthew Sinclair, Craig Spearman and Glen Sulzberger.

India: Saurav Ganguly (captain), Sanjay Bangar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Parthiv Patel, Ajit Agarkar, Tinu Yohannan, Murali Kartik, Ashish Nehra and Ajay Ratra.

Extras:
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