A Bridge too far for gang of four?

Between them, skipper Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Ganguly and VVS Laxman boast a total of 135 years, 423 Tests and some 84 centuries. In their pomp they were acclaimed as the finest batting unit in the world but evidence suggests that they have travelled over the hill and are on a steep downward slope.

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Between them at Lord's last week, the four stalwarts managed a paltry 192 runs in two innings. England's inexperienced pace attack exposed their lack of decisive foot movement and absence of self belief.

So although Ganguly's back injury appears to have eased — with the left-hander taking a full part in practice yesterday — there are still clouds over the tourists.

Dravid endured a disappointing winter tour of South Africa and is averaging a modest 39.8 runs in Tests this year. The man who earned the nickname 'The Wall' in the early 1990s has been unable to maintain that impenetrable defence.

Tendulkar's place in the pantheon is assured, but it is perhaps telling that the Indian public's fanatical support has cooled of late.

Since 2002, three of his six hundreds have come against Bangladesh, suggesting a star in decline, although injuries have taken their toll.

The other two players are not in the same class but their finest exploits are a long way behind them. Laxman never quite built on his epic innings of 281 against Australia, in Calcutta in 2001.

However, at 32, he does have a few years left.

As for Ganguly, his personality clash with former coach Greg Chappell led to an 11-month exile from the Test team which prompted mass protests in Bengal.

Yet since his comeback at the start of last year he has hardly repaid such fervent support by setting the world alight.

So the four wise men are in Nottingham feeling the strain. India's cricket media are agitating for change and the players know it.

Dravid was forced to defend the group yesterday, saying: "We didn't perform in the last match and there is pressure on everyone to perform. It's tough to qualify if there's more pressure or less pressure on us but we know what we need to do. We would like more runs in the middle order.

"It was here in Nottingham that we turned it around last time and we went on to have a very good summer with the bat. It took us a bit of time then to get going, and it has been no different this time around. There is a lot of quality there, now it is a question of producing that quality in the middle."

The captain was within his rights to hark back to 2002. Then, the fabled foursome misfired at Lord's as England won at a canter, but in the second innings at Trent Bridge, Dravid, Tendulkar and Ganguly made 115, 92 and 99 respectively to save the game.

After the first match, they and Laxman combined to contribute five fifties and five centuries.

They urgently need a similar torrent of runs now but they must overcome not only accurate English bowling in awkward conditions, but also relentless sledging from the close fielders.

At times during the Lord's Test, the 'banter' triggered flashpoints, but Dravid felt both sides had stayed within the limits.

He said: "In close games like that which go to the wire, tempers can get a bit frayed. But otherwise the relationship between the two teams has been good."

Asked if England, in particular, had crossed the line at any stage, he added: "A little bit of that is probably good for the game. I don't think at any stage I felt it was out of bounds."