Pakistan will have the edge

Now that Saurav Ganguly is back, the axe will most probably fall on poor Aakash Chopra. What a pity, because most of India’s recent success, especially in Australia, was built on the solid foundation Chopra provided the team. If Sehwag has been such a success, Chopra should take some credit for that. Also, after all these years of cribbing about not having a good Test opener, it’s sad that a successful opener like Chopra will have to make way for a stopgap option.

Everyone knows how talented Yuvraj is, but it is a tremendous adjustment one has to make to move from the middle order to number one or two. It’s an entirely different ball game. As an opener, your primary job is to ensure the red cherry loses its shine and to negotiate a swinging seaming 90mph ball is no joke.

It does look like Shoaib Akhtar will be spearheading the attack, though Mohammed Sami is supposed to be playing. Umar Gul, unfortunately, won’t be around to carry on the good work. After Shabbir Ahmed and Gul, Rawalpindi might just see yet another new pacer making a name for himself.

From the point of view of the Indians, they have to focus on getting their batting right, because all said and done, it won’t be their bowling that will win them the match. They have to bat well and all the six names at the top of the order have to put up their hands and make their presence felt.