India hold all cards but need spare ace

Greg Chappell8217;s Vision 2007 is taking shape and, as the series in Pakistan showed, the outlines are more clearly visible. The adjustments in the team 8212; Indians call it strategy, others call it experimentation 8212; have worked well of late.

Yet this team, for all it8217;s success, has one potentially fatal flaw: The over-dependence on Dhoni. His ability to soak up pressure in run-a-ball situations gives the impression that India can chase any big total. Yet the law of averages will catch up with him, sooner rather than later you suspect, and India could be caught short.

Worryingly for India, the English seamers sorted out Dhoni in the Tests. Agreed there won8217;t be four slips and two gullies but the bowlers will aim at restricting and frustrating Dhoni. By not giving anything of a full length and keeping it just short, Dhoni will crave space could pull the trigger on his own dismissal.

Curiously, for a team management that insists on a back-up for every place, there is none for Dhoni. Raina and Kaif hitting form is good news but there8217;s no one who can hit the ball hard and clean coming in at number 6 or 7, who can produce a 40-ball 80 or a knock of 143 off 100-odd balls. Some of that will be compensated by the availability of all-rounders, or at least bowlers who can bat a bit. The sense of seriousness with which Chappell and Fraser were seen instructing RP Singh, Sreesanth, Ajit Agarkar and Powar in the art of batting demonstrates just how crucial they are in a team where the batting has been a bit iffy of late.

Sachin8217;s absence will be felt, and not in the batting department alone; the fifth bowler will be vital against an England line-up capable of overturning big scores with ones and twos. 8216;8216;We have Sehwag, Yuvraj, Raina in that role as fifth bowler and we need to get more out of them,8221; says Dravid.

8216;8216;The 2007 World Cup is the goal for us8217;8217;, Dravid said. 8216;8216;There will be a few ups and down; a few youngsters have done well but the next eight months will give us crucial experience.8217;8217; India play 14 ODIs before the season ends; there is reason to believe that the seven beginning tomorrow will be crucial.

Where the match will be won or lost

8226; MOMENTUM: England are fresh from the Test win but India are the better ODI side and will look to their Pakistan success for inspiration

8226; PITCH: Curators says it8217;s true and will play well over 100 overs. It has a tinge of grass down the middle, the corridor where English bowlers will focus on to cramp India8217;s stroke players

8226; KOTLA ATMOSPHERE: England have dealt with heat and dust but they8217;ve not experienced the noise of a one-day crowd in India. Add to that the baking Delhi sun and they may just go belly-up

8226; DHONI: Will be keen to show, once again, that he8217;s among the most destructive ODI batsmen. And will also have to prove that he can play genuine quicks. If England can handle him, they8217;ve got a good chance in the series

8226; FIELDING: India can8217;t afford to field like they did at Mohali. England may lack batting and bowling but their fielding gives them a 20-30 run edge

PITCH BATTLES

FLETCHER VS CHAPPELL

Fletcher is credited with breathing life into a jaded team, steering them to third on the Test table. Chappell8217;s experiments have yielded dividends in one-dayers, helped by a talented squad

DRAVID VS FLINTOFF

Two opposites: Dravid carries his team on his shoulders, Flintoff has carried his team with him. That says as much about the teams as about the captains. But Freddie8217;s inexperience as an ODI captain may be too much of a handicap

SEHWAG VS HOGGARD

The local hero is still searching for some bat on ball and Hoggard will not make things easy for him, after having foxed Sehwag in the Tests. But Viru is due for some big innings and Kotla may be the perfect setting

PIETERSEN VS HARBHAJAN

The explosive Pietersen is by far England8217;s best ODI bet and his liking for spinners makes him a nightmare for the Turbanator. Pietersen looked in great touch at the nets, despatching balls to the top stands of the reconstructed Kotla effortlessly. But Harbhajan is due for a good outing

YUVRAJ VS COLLINGWOOD

Both one-day wonders who8217;ve reinvented themselves as Test regulars. While Yuvraj is all finesse, Collingwood is the meticulous grafter who believes in staying till the finish. Both are sharp fielders

8212; Aditya Kumar