Rahul Dravid and Piyush Chawla during practice in Ahmedabad on Monday. (AFP)

Ahmedabad: On what should have been the final day of the second Test here, the vanquished and struggling Indian players practised hard under the harsh sun for three and a half hours to try and recapture some form ahead of the series decider in Kanpur.

Twelve members of the jumbo squad of 16 selected for the final Test at the Green Park were in action at the Motera, first doing ground fielding and catching drills and then having a session of batting and bowling at the nets.

Captain Anil Kumble, who is recovering from a groin strain and is set to undergo a fitness test on the eve of the Kanpur match, and his spin partner Harbhajan Singh, laid low by a stomach bug, skipped the practice session.

Ishant Sharma, also recovering from his finger and toe injuries and scheduled to undergo the fitness test with Kumble on Thursday, was yet to join the squad.

Munaf Patel, who replaced the out-of-form Rudra Pratap Singh in the squad, already reached here and practised on Monday.

Wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and pace bowler Sreesanth only batted at the nets and did not take part in other drills, leading to speculations over their fitness ahead of the decider.

Sreesanth is reportedly nursing an injury in his bowling shoulder though BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah had said after announcing the squad for the Kanpur Test that only Kumble and Sharma would have a fitness test on the eve of the match. After that the squad will be pruned to 14.