Shooting has not failed to deliver a gold medal for a single time since the inception of the discipline to the biennial event at the fifth SAF Games in Colombo in 1991.

However, after Bangladesh suffered a defeat at the hands of India at their pet event, the 10m air rifle at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games earlier this year, hopes were not high in the camp.

But it was learned yesterday that Indian shooters are aiming higher and decided not to compete in Colombo.

Avinav Bindra and Gagan Narayan, who dashed Bangladesh's hopes of retain the

Commonwealth gold medal in the event won at Manchester 2002, are concentrating on the Asian Games to be held in Doha later this year.

India won 22 out of 27 gold medals at Commonwealth and Bindra went onto win the 10m world title in Zagreb.

"They must haven not taken the Games seriously. They are now aiming to win gold in the Asiad. There are other experienced shooters who are not coming, too" informed a veteran Indian journalist yesterday.

Pistol's shooting star Jaspal Rana is also missing the trip but India will send young prospects to the Games, case in point being Navanath, who has impressed heavily in the World Shooting Championship in Zagreb.

India also have in their ranks veteran shooter Ashok Pundit, who will be the flag bearer of the country at the march past, and his son Ranak Pundit.

How Bangladesh match with the second string Indian side will depend on their mental strength and preparation.

The Bangladeshi shooters, who were restricted to shadow practice and physical training for the first three days after their arrival in the Sri Lankan capital, finally got into the action yesterday.

Coach and team manager Asbab Ali Foyaz told The Daily Star over phone from their hotel near the Walisara Navy Range, an hour's drive from the city, that the organisers have given them the chance to shoot at the range.

"It's a new venue and there was some work going on when we arrived here. There is a nice beach where the squad ran and stretched. We also did some training in the rooms. I think two day's practice at the range will be enough to cope up with the conditions," said Foyaz.

Bangladesh's best bet in the discipline would be the men's and women's 10m air rifle teams. The men's team features 2002 Common-wealth Games gold medalist Asif Hossain Khan and his partner Anjan Kumar Singh, who paired to win the 2006 Commonwealth Games silver medal in the team event while Suraiya Akhter and Sharmin Akhter make the women's team.

Meanwhile, the boxing, kabaddi, swimming, table tennis and weight lifting teams have arrived in Colombo in the early hours of yesterday.