Sneak Preview Of the Arch-Rivals

Vikrant Gupta

INDIA

Strengths: Batting Trio -- Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Saurav Ganguly are in the midst of an excellent run and, as such, the team's fortunes centres around them. Need support from others also.

Prasad's comeback: Prasad's dream spell in the Chennai Test (and the confidence he has got) augurs well for the side. Can be destructive if conditions favour seam bowling on Day One.

Weaknesses: Opening batting-pair Up against the two Ws (Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis), their inexperience (and another failure) could really open up the Indian middle-order.

Bowling worries: Kumble, who had six wickets in the first innings, did not look the same bowler in the second. Have the Pakistanis sorted him out? Also Srinath's insistence on relying on speed rather than movement does not succeed every time, especially on `patas' like the one at Kotla.

Poor slip catching: The slip fielders are changing every game, with no positive result. To compound miseries, the bug has hit the normally safecatcher, Azharuddin as well.

Non-performing skipper: An out-of-form skipper is finding it extremely difficult to motivate the others.

PAKISTAN

Strengths: Aggressive skipper -- Akram's reinstatement as skipper seems to have done wonders for the controversy-ridden team. What's more, he is leading by example.

Attacking bowlers: Have bowlers to take 20 wickets in the match, with the two W's (if fully fit) and Saqlain Mushtaq. Can neutralise whatever home advantage the Indians fancy.

Strokeplayers: Never willing to plod, the experienced Pakistan batting line up can blast any attack if they apply themselves to the task.

Weaknesses: Inconsistent batting -- The strokeplayers can also throw away their wickets like anything.

Anwar's poor run: He has only two more innings to realise his dream of making a triple century in India in this series. All he has managed so far (including the Gwalior match) should be an encouraging thought for the Indian bowlers.

Poor fielding: Pakistanis have ahabit of gifting free runs to the opposition.

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