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Yuvraj gets the nod ahead of Chopra in final Test
Till Sunday, it was clear that one team did not know whom to pick and the other did not know whom to drop, writes Kadambari Murali.
Till Sunday, it was clear that one team did not know whom to pick and the other did not know whom to drop. On Monday, India made their choice and announced their XI. Pakistan, hampered by numerous injury problems, announced a 16, leaving out Abdul Rauf.
It was not the best of signals from Pakistan on the eve of a series-deciding Test, indicating that Mohammad Sami, struggling with a back injury, may not play. That, on this lush, green wicket, would be a huge problem for the hosts.
For India, the problem is vastly different --- who will open in the game? Sourav Ganguly announced the team on Monday, leaving out Ajit Agarkar, Aakash Chopra, Murali Kartik, Ramesh Powar and Md Kaif. "It's a very tough call we've made in the match, the decision to leave out Chopra," he said.
Ganguly kept repeating that it was a decision made only for this match and that Chopra would "definitely be in the squad in the future too. "There is no question of that," he said. "Obviously, he'll get his place back in the squad in future.
“He's done very well in Australia and been very consistent at the top of the order. This is a one-off situation."
Ganguly might keep repeating this, but how this will only be a one-off situation is something beyond comprehension. It's basically putting off thinking about a problem for the next six months (when Australia come to India in September-October) but the issue is bound to crop up again. And it is an issue, make no mistake about that.
It might be a good problem, as coach John Wright said on Sunday but it's the kind of tricky dilemma that no captain wants to deal with. On the one hand, you have this 23-year-old who's no ordinary youngster. He's more than just a normal batsman --- he's also a spirit on the field --- and with his performance in the last Test, he's more or less forced himself into the side.
The bold thing to do would have been to tell him he did a splendid job but say that now that the regular guy is back, he'd have to bide his time.
It's something that Australia would probably do --- not disturb an opening combination that has seen some outstanding stands, including as recently as the first Test in Multan. Plus, you're punishing someone (Chopra) who has done exactly what was required of him time and time again.
But then again, right now, it might be a very difficult thing to do for India --- who have neither the attitude, nor the bench strength of an Australia --- to drop an in-form batsman. Australia would probably have gone into this Test thinking, "We'll win".
Whatever the talent at their disposal, India would be going in with a dozen doubts, especially after the loss of the Lahore Test.
Especially at this point of time, with Ganguly himself returning from injury and Dravid and Laxman not among the runs. Yuvraj has played magnificently and in the deciding Test, India cannot afford to drop the only batsman in the middle in form.
Anyway, they've made the decision for this game, so this is all a theoretical debate.
The matter for actual debate is who will open with Sehwag. Ganguly says it will "either be Yuvraj or me".
He said that though Yuvraj had been drafted into the squad as the third opener ahead of S Ramesh, to move him up the order at this juncture (when he's done well in the middle) could create a problem for the team. That's why he was considering the unthinkable ---- pushing himself up the order.
The other option that is apparently being discussed --- though Ganguly did not talk about it openly --- is sending Parthiv Patel to open in the first innings if India have to bat first, with Yuvraj opening in the second essay. The logic reportedly being that even if Patel gets out early on this green track, it would not be the big loss that Yuvraj or Ganguly getting out early would be.
He would, in effect be the sacrificial lamb.
If this happens, it would be a silly decision. No good team pins its hopes on a lucky bonus --- and if Patel does come up with something, it would be just that, a lucky bonus. Not a solution to a tricky issue.
Coming back to the match itself, whatever the issues, it is still India's best chance in recent memory, to record a series win abroad. It won't be just winning in Pakistan --- happily, here at least, it has not become an all-consuming issue --- defeating Pakistan that is --- the emphasis all through the tour has been on winning on foreign soil --- wherever.
It's India's best chance not just because of the players at their disposal and a fighting spirit rarely seen before. There is the added advantage of Pakistan having to go in with an inexperienced attack.
If Sami plays, though unlikely, he might still be worried over his niggling back.
If he doesn't, Shoaib will have almost zero experience on the other side to back him up. And he can't bowl unchanged anyway.
It's really a chance India must grab with both hands.
TEAMS
India (XI): SC Ganguly (capt), Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, VVS Laxman, SR Tendulkar, Parthiv Patel, Irfan Pathan, A Kumble, L Balaji, A Nehra.
Pakistan (from): Inzamam-ul-Haq (capt), I Farhat, T Umar, Y Hameed, Y Youhana, A Kamal, Kamran Akmal, S Akhtar, Mohd Sami, D Kaneria, Rana Naveed-ul Hasan, I Nazir, F Akbar, Rao-iftikar Anjum, Abdur Rauf, Misbah-ul-Haq.
GROUNDREALITY
The wicket looks a lush green and will definitely help the seamers. Logically, the team that wins the toss will want to make use of the conditions and bowl first. Pakistan would do as much. You never know with India though.
WINDS
Partly cloudy skies will give some respite to the players and some movement to the bowlers early on. But the temperatures are expected to be high, in the mid to late 30s. Similar forecast for the next five days.