Potchefstroom (South Africa):  The embattled Indian cricket team was offered a ray of hope today with batting mainstay Rahul Dravid stating that he should be fit for the first Test beginning next Friday.

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

"I am hopeful of playing in the first Test as I have started batting a little. I would look to have at least two good batting sessions in the lead up to the Test," he said on the eve of the 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 the first Test and we are hoping he would be alright," Dravid said.

Looking back at India's failure in the one-day series, Dravid 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 the best of forms coming to South Africa and it has only been accentuated by conditions and bowling as they have faced on this tour," he said

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