Problems aplenty as India seek first win

India, yet to play five league ties, can make the finals against Australia if they win all games from now on while Pakistan are better off having won two out of four.

With batting in a shambles and skipper Sachin Tendulkar yet to resolve his dilemma whether to open the innings or come at number four, injuries to paceman Ajit Agarkar and seasoned all-rounder Robin Singh have added to Indian worries.

Agarkar, who suffered a hamstring strain on January 12 against Australia at Melbourne, is out for tomorrow and ignored seamer Debasish Mohanty might finally be included.

Mohanty’s exclusion proved costly on a lively wicket at SCG where India lost by five wickets after they were skittled out for 100 runs, but only after their two-man pace attack had reduced the hosts to 59 for 5. The placid Oval pitch, however, is not expected to provide pace bowlers much assistance.

Robin Singh, who has remained a picture of consistency, needed two stitches after a rising ball from Aussie paceman Brett Lee struck his left hand, but team management is confident he will play tomorrow.

India, looking for their first meaningful victory on the tour, will have to come up with a positive approach if they are to reverse the slump. Pakistan also were swept 0-3 in the Test series by the Kangaroos, but have put up a spirited show to win two matches so far in the tri-series.

Skipper Tendulkar, made only one run after reverting to his role as opener at Sydney, will have to weigh in with a big knock and Saurav Ganguly alongwith the woefully out of touch Rahul Dravid will have to click if India are to come up with a big score or chase effectively.

With VVS Laxman, drafted into the one-day side after his splendid 167 in the third Test at Sydney, proving a big failure and leg spinner Anil Kumble no where near his usual match-winning form, India will be the side under pressure.

Pakistan have also been struggling due to the poor run of their main batsmen, but their pace attack led by skipper Wasim Akram and the controversial Shoaib Akhtar has done fairly well and the team showed a refreshing approach by going after the Aussie attack at Sydney yesterday before leg spinner Stuart MacGill did the star turn for the hosts.

India squandered all advantage in their opening clash to allow Pakistan to come back from nowhere to pull off a last ball win and will have to guard against any such let-off if they are to remain in the race.

Middle-order bat Jacob Martin has recovered from his shoulder injury suffered while fielding in India’s 28-run loss to Australia at the MCG on January 12. But the team management will decide whether to include off spinner Nikhil Chopra instead of a specialist batsman.

Wasim Akram meanwhile said the media was exerting unnecessary pressure on Tendulkar. “If I were captain of India and if I have got the team which he has at the moment, I will play him at number four. If the two best batsmen of the team, Tendulkar and Ganguly, open the innings and get out cheaply, your team goes all out for 100,” said Akram, who felt the white ball does enough in the initial overs in Australian conditions to trouble the best of batsmen.

“There is no use risking your best batsmen in this situation,” he said and added that Tendulkar’s decision to open at SCG must have been due to pressure from back home. “India do not have Mohd Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja, it is not easy to replace two players of so much experience so quickly.”

Akram felt the Bellerive Oval pitch will be placid and dull. “It will not be like the one we faced in ’97,” said Akram, referring to the match against Australia that year when they made 140 and Australia were shot out for 120-odd.

Australia chased a huge 376 to beat Pakistan in the third Test here late last year, winning by four wickets. India had also conceded over 500 runs to Tasmanian batsmen in a four-day game here last month with the bowlers struggling to beat the bat.

India are certain to leave out opener Devang Gandhi while left-arm spinner Sunil Joshi, like Mohanty, is yet to get a look in. (PTI)

Teams (from):

India: S Tendulkar (C), VVS Laxman, S Ganguly, R Dravid, J Martin, S Dighe, R Singh, J Srinath, A Kumble, D Mohanty, N Chopra and V Prasad.

Pakistan: W Akram (C), S Anwar, I Ahmed, A Razzaq, I Haq, Y Youhana, M Khan, A Mehmood, W Younis, S Mushtaq, S Akhtar.

Umpires: Daryl Harper & Simon Taufel.
Hours of play (IST): 4:00 to 7:30 a.m., 8:10 a.m. till close of play (LIVE on Star Sports)