Jacques Kallis' return to full fitness headlined South Africa's first day of World Cup training in the subcontinent.
Kallis "had a full net today and he started bowling again" but that doesn't mean he is guaranteed to feature in the starting XI come February 24, when South Africa's campaign gets underway against West Indies in Delhi.
"I don't see the need to expose him too early," Graeme Smith, the South Africa captain, said at the team's arrival press conference in Chennai.
This will be Kallis' fourth World Cup - he's the most experienced South African player in the squad and also their premier allrounder.
In the absence of a player in the mould of Shaun Pollock or Lance Klusener and with the selectors opting to leave out Albie Morkel, South Africa's only other genuine allrounder is Robin Peterson, with JP Duminy and Faf du Plessis fulfilling the role to a slightly lesser degree.
That means Kallis' value in this tournament is going to be massive and Smith wants him to be monitored carefully. "I don't feel the need to put him under pressure today to be ready tomorrow. Having him fit is a big asset so we will manage him well upfront."
The only man who might not be able to do that is Kallis, because his instincts call for him to play in any situation regardless of his own injuries. This time, he is going to be carefully handled so that when the team needs his natural game the most, he will be there.
