New captain put to the test.

KOCHI, March 8. - The only thing going for India on the eve of their five-match one-day series against South Africa is the positive approach of their new captain, Sourav Ganguly. The other things, however, remain constant: the same mundane practice sessions where the players are content to merely go through the routine with long faces and little enthusiasm, where batsmen bat like millionaires and bowlers often deliver from 20 yards. On the other hand, the South Africans play rugby, chase one another round the park, bowl and bat with purpose and generally enjoy themselves. The contrast is clear - and it completes the picture.

India's only chance lies in unsettling the …