Pakistan would surely be more upbeat and brimming with confidence when they enter the Eden Gardens for the second Test. The Indians, after having lost the opportunity to win at Mohali, will have to look hard into their cupboards to find the right ammunition. Accrediting the Indian team's reputation, it's not about winning the series but about stamping supremacy in every game. A win is a must for the Indians.
In all probability, the axe might fall on Zaheer Khan to accommodate Harbhajan Singh. The idea of fielding four bowlers is so deep-rooted that even a slight deviation from the traditional practice becomes hard to accept for the Indian think-tank. On subcontinent wickets, unless the strip is a rank turner, the four-bowler combination has always found it difficult to produce a result.
On pitches like in Australia, South Africa and even England, the wickets have something in it for the bowlers in terms of bounce, movement or even swing throughout the five days of a Test match. Here, the wicket might appear to have a green tinge on the first two days, but the strip becomes a sleeping beauty as the game progress to the fourth and fifth day. The tropical heat also dries up the wicket, making it a batting paradise. It would be a tiresome effort for the four-bowler combination to carry on the load with penetrating effect.
Unabated heat at this time of the year may also cause problems especially for the fast bowlers to operate at their best. Ideally, a fast bowler can bowl his best when he operates in three spells of six overs each. Once the spells are stretched, then the efficiency drops, making a bowler innocuous.
The normal practice in Test cricket is to go with four bowlers, keeping six places for the batsmen. India can do that only when they have two consistent match winners in the bowling department. Anil Kumble and Harbhajan are match winners in their own right, but when the wickets get too dry and dead, even they need support from within their bowling department.
Irfan Pathan, Balaji and Zaheer are growing in stature. Making their life harder like the last day at Mohali, might erode the most important component in them, the belief of winning matches.
The Pakistani bowling attack is no match for the vastly experienced Indian batting. Five Indian batsmen plus a wicket-keeper batsman should be able to hold the innings for the Indians, thus creating a place for the much-needed fifth bowler, who would be able to bring more life and energy into the bowling department. It will also allow the captain to have more options in his bowling changes and bring more variety on flat tracks. The bowlers come into spells with verve and purpose. On Indian wickets, all you need is a bowler running in with more purpose than just doing duties for the team.
With Sehwag is going great guns along with Dravid, Sachin, and Laxman, Gangluy should not worry about the Indian batting line-up. The Anxiety of going into the game with one batsman less could well be negated with five energetic bowlers going for a kill. Sourav might have Sachin and Sehwag as his reserves in the bowling department, but they will be reduced to half their capability once they are made to bowl at the serious juncture of the game.
The problem on hand would be to drop a regular opener. In that case, the problem is who would be willing to open the Indian innings? In my opinion, dropping Zaheer would not augur well for the team and for the Indian bowling too.