The start of another Test series with Pakistan is always a wonderfully exciting one. There’s that sense of an eager anticipation and the uncertainty of which way luck is going to smile. Make no mistake, irrespective of the talent and temperament factor, it is that totally unpredictable aspect called ‘luck’ that can turn the scales in a trice. It can start with the coin falling the wrong way for the captains.
The toss may not decide the Lahore Test but it can certainly influence the course of the game. Irrespective of the fact that there is little or no grass on the pitch there will be something for the new ball bowlers on the morning of each day’s play. By the way the fact that there is no grass is a clear indication that the Pakistanis have a lot of respect for the Indian seam attack. The Indians may not have the extra yards of speed that Akhtar can generate but they have the swing that makes the best of batsmen play false shots.
Irfan Pathan was a relative newcomer in 2004, yet he rocked the Pakistani batting with his late swing and clever change of pace. Now he is more experienced and has added variety to his bowling, which makes him a dangerous customer on any kind of pitch. Whether he gets to pair up with Zaheer Khan again will not be known but Zaheer has been in destructive form on the dry, dusty pitches in India’s domestic cricket and would relish bowling on pitches that carry a bit of zip.
The batting of both sides looks very strong and once the pitch eases out, the bowlers may not find it easy going. Both teams also bat deep down the order, so if the pitches are going to be good then we may have high scoring games. The confidence level of both teams is high with Pakistan humbling the Ashes-winning England team in both Tests and one-dayers and India beating their southern neighbors Sri Lanka quite easily.
The one aspect in Pakistan’s favor is that their team is free of any controversy at the moment while the inclusion of Ganguly has created quite a debate in India and polarized opinion and that can have an invisible effect on the morale of the team.
India’s other problem is about it’s opening batting. A left and right hand combination can create problems for the bowlers but with Gambhir not being in the best of touch, the Indians may opt for Jaffer, who is producing runs by the hundreds in domestic cricket and has batted confidently in the warm-up game against Pakistan ‘A’.
In a function, I had suggested that since Pakistan relies on pace and the new ball, it would be a good idea to play all three openers. Some thought it’s a bizarre suggestion, but a batting order of Jaffer, Gambhir, Sehwag, Tendulkar, Dravid, Laxman with Dhoni and Pathan to follow is a formidable one by any stretch of imagination. It may be tough on Yuvraj and Ganguly, but if they are to bat at No. 6, then it does not make much of a difference. However, it would be better for India to have another opener to come in, if a wicket falls early rather than have Dravid and Tendulkar come in to play the new ball.
Pakistan too have had opening batting problems but with Imran Farhat scoring a century in the warm-up game, he comes in to partner the talented Salman Butt. Younis Khan had a memorable series in India and Inzamam almost scored a century in each of the three Tests against England, so Indian bowlers will have their task cut out for them.
It does look like it will be a series for batsmen but cricket has a way of surprising and then an Indo-Pak encounter is invariably full of twists and turns and plenty of drama and this one will be no different.
