That lovely chest-on action, that slight jump near the crease and the delivery just as sharp — if not with good, old searing pace. Yes, it was Ian Bishop who, here as a commentator, turned up at nets to give the Pakistani batsmen some much-needed practice. And he still earned respect from Mohammad Yousuf. But the rest of the net ‘bowlers’ — team manager Talat Ali, trainer David Dwyer and software analyst Adil Hashmi — weren’t so lucky.

The support staff might have been bowling for fun, but the joke is on Pakistan now.

Injury and illness concerns have put the visitors on the backfoot ever since they have

landed in Kolkata — though they have a 1-1 win-loss record in the six Tests played at the Eden.

The 22-yard promises to be slow and low, with considerable turn expected from Day Two. Pakistan’s first XI, in such a scenario, will be rather interesting for the pace-spin combine. But for the moment, the focus is only on getting a fit XI before the toss.

Twenty-four hours before the second Test, the visitors have just about 11 and-a-half fit players — Misbah-ul-Haq is still struggling with a viral infection and looks a doubtful contender. Skipper Shoaib Malik didn’t practise today and enjoyed the attention his limp — courtesy an ankle injury — got. And Shoaib Akhtar has just come out of hospital, while Umar Gul, who attended training, has yet to be deemed 100 per cent fit.

On the right side of the Eden wicket — the reference being purely coincidental — stood the Indian team.

Many wearing the blue training gear have enjoyed great stints there. Sachin Tendulkar, after nets, preferred to have a knock at the ball in the outfield, making a special effort to get that front-foot out — a mandatory requirement to escape the wrath of the raised finger on wickets like these.

Rahul Dravid made similar efforts at nets, and tried to get the bat close to his body — especially after that Akhtar delivery that got him in Delhi. VVS Laxman, along with these two, rates among the top three run-getters at the so-called Mecca of Indian Cricket, while Anil Kumble has netted 35 wickets in seven matches, and his off-spin partner has four five-wicket hauls.

The only one to miss out here happens to be the local ‘prince’. Sourav Ganguly’s track record at the Eden has been limited to a best of 65, and an average of 24.33. His popularity graph has never fluctuated though, and there’s much to suggest that it might be — just like Tendulkar, Laxman, Kumble and Dravid — his last outing here wearing whites.

Ganguly has looked confident with the bat and rocked with the ball in the first Test at Ferozeshah Kotla, but for the sake of the very passionate fan, their Dada must, and surely deserve too, to score a century on his home turf.

Unlike the opposition camp, India have surplus personnel at their disposal, eager to get onto the signed sheet of paper. Ishant Sharma, the lanky Indian seamer, flew into the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport last evening to join the national team, and is likely to find himself there again tomorrow night or day after morning to be back with his Delhi mates.

Ishant will again be released if he doesn’t fit into the XI, and initial indications are that he has little role to play in this city. The team has little to necessitate a shuffle from the last game, but the slight thought of three spinners in tandem at the expense of Munaf Patel, is a worthy of consideration.

Both teams had extended practice sessions today, with security which has been tight to say the least. As the teams left the Eden Gardens towards evening, life on the busy road surrounding the stadium virtually came to a standstill. The few lucky ones managed to get a dekko, while the others waited in their vehicles without a murmur for the traffic restrictions to ease.

The excitement of catching a glimpse of the stars, including select Pakistan cricketers, has reached a frenzy even as the Indians looked good to seal the series here.