POTCHEFSTROOM, Dec 6: The embattled Indian cricket team was offered a ray of hope on Wednesday with batting mainstay Rahul Dravid saying he should be fit for the first Test against South Africa beginning next Friday.

Dravid, laid low by a freak finger injury since Cape Town one-dayer on November 26, said he had started batting practice to be able to take field in opening Test at Wanderers in Johannesburg.

“I am hopeful of playing in first Test as I have started batting a little. I would look to have at least two good batting sessions in lead up to the Test,” he said on eve of four-day warm-up game against Rest of South Africa here.

The news was, however, not that great on the front of Munaf Patel who was sent to Johannesburg today for further medical opinion on his sore ankle. “Patel hasn't improved as much as we thought but there are still eight days to first Test and we are hoping he would be alright,” Dravid said.

Looking back at India's failure in ODI series, he felt their cause was not helped by a few batsmen who came to South Africa struggling for form which only got worse by conditions and some hostile fast bowling.

“I can't fault our batsmen for effort but we were not in best of forms coming to South Africa and it has only been accentuated by conditions and bowling as they have faced on this tour.”—Agencies