Under pressure to change the fortunes of the team after some dismal shows on the trot, South African cricket coach Ray Jennings on Tuesday said the preparations for the two-Test series against India were going on in right earnest.

He also praised the support being given to him by the senior players in the team.

"Senior players are lending me their total support and I am very happy with the way the preparations are going on," Jennings said here today.

"Things are going very well and we will have a fully fit team for the tour," he said.

The South African team has been training at the Pretoria University sports centre and would leave for India on Thursday.

Jennings was appointed on a temporary basis after Eric Simons was sacked last month.

The South African team includes for the first time an Indian-origin cricket star in 20-year-old Hashim Amla, who is also the captain of KwaZulu-Natal provincial team.

Amla, who recently scored four centuries against a visiting New Zealand 'A' team and South African provincial sides, said he was looking forward to notching up some decent scores in India.

"Being the first cricketer of Indian origin playing from South Africa, there are a lot of expectations from me," he said.