Ashwin’s challenging series

Mohali sideshow

Top Ranji performers as net bowlers

The BCCI has asked five bowlers — including Madhya Pradesh's pacer Ishwar Pandey, Gujarat left-arm spinner Rakesh Dhurv and Jammu and Kashmir all-rounder Parvez Rasool — to report to the Indian team's practice session on Tuesday evening in Mohali.

This decision to send some of the top performers in the Ranji Trophy was necessitated by the lack of quality net bowlers. Pandey, who is likely to join Pune Warriors, grabbed 48 wickets whereas Dhurv took 36 and Rasool had 33 wickets this season.

"With so many BCCI's age group matches going on, we have come to know that the quality of net bowers is not good. So the BCCI has decided to send these five bowlers," a BCCI official said. However, they will not travel to Dharamsala for the last ODI.

—Devendra Pandey

'Home' conditions for England in Mohali

As the cold wave in northern India got a second wind, the English were reminded of home. "The conditions here are more familiar for us than we had in the last couple of games. Obviously, we will feel nice to get a little bit of breeze and I am sure that will help our bowlers too," said England opener Ian Bell after his team's net session at PCA.

Though the game on Wednesday starts at noon, the players are expected to feel the nip in the air. Like was the case in the freezing conditions at New Delhi during the final ODI against Pakistan, the pacers will be holding sway. And England would expect their pace battery of Steve Finn, Jade Dernbach and Tim Bresnan to exploit the conditions. —Shalini Gupta

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