MUMBAI, Dec 2: Kapil Dev back in action?

For a fleeting moment it appeared so when the the legendary Indian paceman was assisting the Indian team during their training session this morning.

Dressed in flannels, the 38-year-old veteran of 131 Tests was an inspiration for the likes of Venkatesh Prasad, Abey Kuruvilla and Debashis Mohanty as he not only took part in the bowling session, but also passed on tips to the seamers.

``It was good to have a great player like him here,'' remarked Kuruvilla. ``He gave me tips on swing bowling and asked me to pitch the ball up,'' he informed on the advice given by the highest wicket-taker (434) in Test cricket.

Track will hold firm

Seamers will have field day during the third Test between India and Sri Lanka, if the curator of the Wankhede pitch Subhash Bandiwdekar is to be believed. ``It is a fast wicket and should help the seamers,'' opined the former Mumbai wicket-keeper on the eve of the match.

The strip had put Bandiwdekar in a spot of bother during the Irani Trophy and Challenger Series matches when critics had flayed the nature of the track. But Bandiwdekar is unperturbed and assured that ``it (pitch) will hold firm for the entire five days.''

IMG Signs Jadeja

Though Ajay Jadeja hasn't had much say in the ongoing Test series against Sri Lanka, there's much happening for him off the field. The dashing batsman was signed by the multi-national sports marketing firm, International Management Group (IMG) today.

Jadeja is the fourth Indian sportsman after team-mate Anil Kumble, football star Baichung Bhutia and tennis ace Leander Paes to figure in the IMG roll of honour.

Lukewarm response

The response to the third Test has had a lukewarm response if the ticket sales are any indication. ``Around 16,000 tickets of the 38,000 up for sale have been sold till this evening,'' informed Prof Ratnakar Shetty, joint secretary, Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA).

``We are expecting the sale to rise once the match gets under way,'' he remarked. The MCA has so far netted Rs 27 lakh, added Shetty.

Book release

Dwarkanath Sanzgiri, one of the most popular Marathi cricket columnist, is coming out with his fourth book -- Dashaavataar, a profile on ten well-known personalities including Sanath Jayasuriya, Denis Compton and Bal Thackeray.Sanzgiri, or Pappu as he is known among friends, is hugely popular among the Sri Lankan cricketers over the years. In fact, he is jokingly known as non-resident Lankan among mediamen.

Sanzgiri's fourth book will be released by Jayasuriya on Thursday evening (6.30 p.m.) at Savitribai Phule Kanya Shala, Dadar. Also taking time out from their post-day's commitments will be Aravinda de Silva and Arjuna Ranatunga, who will also be present on the occasion.