Sydney: The Indian team management is hopeful in-form Sourav Ganguly, who is down with fever, will recover in time to play the second Test against Australia starting in Sydney on Wednesday.

Ganguly was one of the few batsmen to make decent contributions in both innings of the first Test, which the Aussies won by the huge margin of 337 runs.

The left-hander made 43 and 40 in the Boxing Day Test and provided some resistance to the rampaging Australian attack.

However, during the second innings, the sweltering heat of Melbourne took its toll on Ganguly, who was attended to by team physio John Gloster.

More than his scores, Ganguly's form must have encouraged the Indian think-tank which would be looking to bounce back after the debacle in Melbourne.

The visiting team is hopeful Ganguly would recover from his illness in time.

"He should be fit in time for the second Test," M V Sridhar, the assistant manager of the touring party, said. Ganguly has been in good nick since his return to Test cricket a year ago. His form peaked during the home series against Pakistan when the Bengal batsman scored two centuries in the last two matches, including his maiden double hundred in Bangalore.

Source : PTI