Zaheer Khan gets some useful tips from Kapil Dev at the Eden on Monday. Picture by Santosh Ghosh

Calcutta: The Indian team’s preparation for the historic series against Pakistan gained momentum on Monday as the players got involved in something different from the regular nets.

There was a practice match of 45 overs per side featuring the 13 players attending the camp at Eden Gardens and the ten bowlers called up to assist them.

The outcome of the match wasn’t significant, but it was a crucial outing for the likes of Zaheer Khan. The left-arm seamer is returning after an injury-induced break, and his condition was closely watched by captain Sourav Ganguly and coach John Wright.

Zaheer said it will not be easy going for him when the ball starts rolling in Karachi on Saturday. “I will be under pressure as I have not played for the last two months. There will be pressure on me to perform better.”

Watching him carefully was Kapil Dev too, who has been invited by the BCCI to attend this camp and offer advice to the seamers, from his experience of playing in Pakistan.

The former Indian captain and coach played the role of umpire for the first few overs of the match and was standing behind the non-striker’s stumps from both ends.

Zaheer bowled six overs from the Clubhouse End in the first innings and returned to the middle to bowl from the High Court end for six more when the second team batted.

In between, Kapil was seen interacting with him. “He was helping me with some stretching exercises, and suggested other means to avoid injuries. One learns quite a lot from him.”

Zaheer said he is comfortable with the tag of the country’s leading fast bowler, after the retirement of Jawagal Srinath. “Yes, that has put some additional responsibility on me. But it has also egged me on to perform better for India.”

Zaheer felt he has recovered well. “Today I bowled at full pace and in good rhythm. This outing, and a one-day match I played in Mumbai last week, has helped me a lot. I am very pleased with the way I have bowled and this should help me do well on the Pakistan tour.”

Commenting on the tips offered to him by Dennis Lillee at the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai recently, Zaheer said it will not be possible for him to implement them straightaway.

“His suggestions on the way I bowl, my jump are valuable, but I need time to get adjusted to those changes. I will work on them in future.”

On the tour of Pakistan, Zaheer said a lot will depend on how the fast bowlers from both sides fair, but that will not be the last word.

“Our fast bowlers have done really well in recent years. It’s good, but it doesn’t mean our spinners will not have an important role to play.”

Asked whether the secret behind reverse swing, a special weapon of Pakistan bowlers in the past, had now become open, Zaheer said: “There is nothing hidden about reverse swing anymore. It depends on the ground and conditions and also whether the ball swings or not.”