The bad news is that just when the tourits need the services of their spearhead, Allan Donald, chances are 50-50 that he will be out of the side.
Donald had, during the first Test, been forced off the field during the Indian second innings with a heel injury. According to the South African physio, that injury has still not heeled sufficiently to make Donald's participation a certainigy.
That will be a big blow, as during the first Test, it was Donald who, with 4 for 37 in the Indian first innings and 3/32 in the second, spearheaded the South African attack and posed problems to all Indian batsmen who faced him.
Adding to South Africa's woes is the hamstring strain to Jonty Rhodes. ``It is 70:30 that Rhodes will not be able to play in the second Test,'' Woolmer told the media in Calcutta, after the tourists engaged in a strenuous practise session.
The South African management is looking at Herschelle Gibbs who, against the Board President's XI earlier this month, looked to be the best of the tourists' batsmen - filling the void left by Rhodes, and Lance Klusener coming in to share the new ball with Fanie De Villiers, in place of Donald.
But even as the South African camp suffered from injury woes, the Indian team found reason to celebrate. After a three-hour practise session at the Eden Gardens, coach Madan Lal announced that Bengal southpaw Saurav Ganguly, who had injured himself just before the final of the Titan Cup and who, in consequence, had not only missed the one day final but also the first Test versus South Africa, is now fully fit and will be back in the Indian team.
``Sourav is now 100 per cent fit,'' Lal announced in Calcutta.
The Bengal star batted, bowled, joined the team in fielding practise and generally showed no sign of the injury that had kept him away from the action for the last couple of weeks.
Asked if Saurav would play in the Test beginning Wednesday, Lal said, ``We will be discussing this and other matters at the team meeting later tonight and tomorrow, and will take a decision on Wednesday morning.''
Ganguly, for his part, said he was happy to learn he had passed the fitness test. ``I am looking forward to playing in front of my home crowd,'' the left-handed star said.
Ganguly's return to the ranks - and given that the game is being played on his home ground, it seems pretty inevitable that he will play - means that India could well leave out Sanjay Manjrekar from the playing side. The choice was between Manjrekar and V V S Laxman, and the debutant would seem to have cemented his place with a superb 51 in the second innings - an innings that not only saved India from total collapse, but also paved the way for the home side's eventual win.
Another change that could take place is Aashish Kapoor coming in for Narendra Hirwani, who strayed all over the place during the South African first innings, and didn't get to bowl at all in the second. It is however possible that given the hard, bouncy nature of the Eden Gardens track, the Indian think tank might even want to go in with a three pace, two spin attack - in which case D Ganesh could find himself making his debut.
South Africa, meanwhile, appears to have decided that its major problem is the inability of its batsmen to put enough runs on the board. ``Our batting is a problem area, but our boys have realised it and are working hard to rectify the mistakes they committed in the earlier match,'' skipper Hansie Cronje said.
``We were not able to put up tall scores,'' said Cronje, adding that after checking out the Eden Gardens wicket, he felt a score in excess of 350 would be a good total for the team batting first. ``Our players will just need to be more disciplined while batting,'' Cronje added.
Asked specifically to comment on the Eden Gardens wicket - Cronje had earlier said that the Ahmedabad track, on which his side lost inside four days, was the worst he had ever played on the South African captain was unequivocal. ``It is a hard, magnificent wicket. The last two times we played here we lost, but I am pretty sure this is going to be third time lucky!''
Interestingly, the injuries that have ruled out Rhodes and Donald just might have done the South African batting some good - Gibbs is a very good batsman, and Klusener is also a top ranked performer with the bat besides being a pacy bowler who, given an aggressive field, is capable of proving a handful for the Indian batsmen.