Ishant, who was included in the game against Australia in the tri-series, didn't get to bowl because the encounter was washed out.
The fitness of four bowlers ahead of the World Cup starting on February 14 is giving the Indian team management headaches. While the pace bowling trio of Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami are not 100 percent fit, allrounder Ravindra Jadeja too looked flat in the game he played in the recently-concluded tri-series.
Team sources informed TOI that all four will be assessed in a fitness test on February 7, but their biggest test will be the practice game against Australia at the Adelaide Oval a day later.
"The players will be seen in a match situation and we will know whether they have completely recovered from their injuries," the source said. India play their first game in the World Cup on February 15 against Pakistan.
The team management is so worried about the availability of their bowlers for the World Cup that they have asked both Dhawal Kulkarni and Mohit Sharma to stay back with the team till the fitness issues of the four are not sorted out. Both Mohit and Dhawal were part of the tri-series squad, with the former playing one game against England in Perth.
Ishant, who was included in the game against Australia in the tri-series, didn't get to bowl because the encounter was washed out. In the next game against England, he was again deemed unfit, which didn't go down too well with the team management.
"Ishant is not being sent back right away. He, along with the other three, will be with the team in Adelaide and we will see how they shape up in match situation before taking a decision on their fitness. That is the purpose of playing the two practice matches (the second being on Feb 10 against Afghanistan)," a BCCI source said.
If Ishant's injury is the biggest worry, Bhuvi's lack of match fitness and Shami's niggle have only added to the crisis. Jadeja's bowling, too, lacked the usual fizz and the team management maintains he is in the process of recuperating from his shoulder injury.
"In the only match that he played in the tri-series, it was evident that he couldn't use his shoulder the way he does. The team management is hoping that he will be 100 perent fit by February 8," the source added.
Meanwhile, the team landed in Adelaide on Monday, but the players have been given off till February 5. While all the others checked in at the team hotel, Shikhar Dhawan and Stuart Binny went to Melbourne and Sydney respectively and will join the team on Thursday.
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