Andrew Kokinos, the Indian cricket team's Greek-Australian physical trainer, conducted proceedings at the Brabourne Stadium. Assisting him was team doctor Ravinder Chadha, with Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Raj Singh Dungarpur, National selection committee chairman Ajit Wadekar and BCCI executive secretary Sharad Diwadkar in attendance.Kokinos and Chadha, who arrived here from Colombo early in the morning via Chennai, got to work by physically examining the injured areas of the two players. Kokinos then led the players on a double lap of the stadium, which included sideways and backward running.

Then followed the most rigorous aspect of the 80-minute test. They were asked to do two-legged and one-legged hops, made to run fast in a zig-zagfashion through a row of stumps pegged five-feet apart, and perform one-legged slalom runs. Stretching exercices came next, followed by fielding drills and a session at the nets.

The BCCI's belief in lack of transparency came to the fore yet again. Board chief Raj Singh Dungarpur acted like a mother hen, ensuring that neither Agarkar or Kambli, nor the examiners, spoke to the horde of mediapersons present. Dungarpur said tersely: ``You are wasting your time here as nobody would speak to you.''

Later, he agreed to talk to the visual media. In a fleeting statement he said: ``The process of fitness trials has just began. Kokinos and Dr Chadha would study the effects of the strenuous physical workouts on the players tomorrow. If necessary, the selectors may have another look when they assemble on Wednesday (March 3). I think a conclusive report will be submitted to the selectors before they go into the meeting and it is for them to react whether to retain them in the 19 or not.''

Though Agarkar underwentthe trials under humid conditions without any fuss, Kambli appeared tired during the fielding drill. The flamboyant Mumbai left-hander, however, showed no such traces while batting against Agarkar.Despite submitting fitness certificates last week, the BCCI decided to conduct its own trials on the duo. Kambli had fractured his right ankle while fielding at the triangular series last April, while Agarkar suffered a stress fracture on his left leg prior to the Indian team's departure to New Zealand.