145;Chopra146;s still a part of the Indian team146;

Aakash Chopra is out, Yuvraj Singh8217;s in, and India could bowl first if they win the toss here tomorrow.He stated two possibilities, and...

Aakash Chopra is out, Yuvraj Singh8217;s in, and India could bowl first if they win the toss here tomorrow.

He stated two possibilities, and left the third unarticulated. On the eve of the third and final Test, Saurav Ganguly said either Yuvraj Singh or he himself would open the batting with Virender Sehwag. Not a mention, however, of Parthiv Patel skipping to the top of the batting order.

Ganguly told reporters that in all probability five cricketers will not take the field here on Tuesday: Ajit Agarkar, Murali Kartik, Ramesh Powar, Mohammad Kaif and Aakash Chopra. He said dropping Chopra was a tough call: 8216;8216;It is hard on him but it is also difficult to leave out Yuvraj, who scored a hundred at Lahore.8217;8217;

On the track, which before a final shave matches the outfield in greenness, he said: 8216;8216;If there is moisture, it will be useful to bowl first.8217;8217; He reckoned that the wicket would help seamers in the first session before easing out, given the heat and sun in Islamabad8217;s twin city 8212; just what happened in Lahore last week.

8216;8216;I hope we can make it here8217;8217;, the Indian skipper agreed when reminded of his team8217;s traditional inability to clinch a series after taking a lead. 8216;8216;It is important to focus on the game and do the right things 8212; bat properly and bowl with discipline. If you play well, the results will come.8217;8217;

Yet, even today, India8217;s opening innovations elicited the most attention. 8216;8216;It is just a one-off test match8217;, Ganguly said by way of compensation to the benched Chopra. 8216;8216;The next series is in six months. Chopra is definitely a part of the Indian Test team, he will get back his slot later. It was a difficult decision, in Australia he did well.8217;8217;

He also sought to dispel any notion that by making Yuvraj open, India could be burdening the young man: 8216;8216;When we picked him ahead of S. Ramesh, it implied he would agree to open if required.8217;8217; In fact, though Yuvraj often assists the tail in one-dayers, he would be well advised to acclimatise himself to the conditions at the top of the order: 8216;8216;In the long run, Yuvraj has to consider opening Test matches.8217;8217; Ganguly also downplayed the raw talent Pakistan will hurl at India, given substitutions necessitated by injury to Umar Gul. 8216;8216;It is how we play the ball that comes out of the hand8217;8217;, he argued, 8216;8216;not the bowlers. A lot depends on how we bat.8217;8217;