India mulls 5 bowlers selection

Indecision, last minute drama, mid pitch hungamas before toss, decrees from BCCI mandarins are all recipes that typically make up Indian pot boiler of Test selection. This time around, the word is that SG might drop out and they might play 5 bowlers. But, this is as usual, conjecture only and anything can change between now and the time the line up card is handed out.

Pakistan, on the other hand have made their mind up ahead of time. They are replacing Sami and Rana with Asif and Razzaq. Sami is neither in the best of form and nor in the best of health and Rana – India got lucky, perhaps. Razzaq is still full of guile but slower and Inzi and Woolmer perhaps thought that there is no point in giving extra bounce to Sehwag.

Weather seems to be a worry but not much of a worry as it seemed a few days ago. All in all, an even keel opening to start with for the 2^nd test – with perhaps 2 evenly matched teams. Both strong in batting and weak in bowling. My take at this moment, I will give a 5% edge to Pakistan because of the conditions, their depth in batting and their form. Indian bowling, with the 5 bowlers plot not withstanding, lacks the bite to take 20 wickets against a line up with 8 genuine batsmen.