The second day’s play of the tour match against ACT XI made the choice obvious. With the choice of the third seamer—who can join forces with RP Singh and Ishant Sharma—looking rather bleak, Harbhajan Singh’s case for being included in the third Test has been strengthened. And that is apart from the fact that the team is supporting him to the hilt in the ‘racist’ charge.

VRV Singh has the reputation of being the quickest among the Indian pacers here, while Irfan Pathan is the most experienced. Pankaj Singh is the in-form bowler coming off the domestic circuit. Yet the trio did little on field today to stop the Rogers—John and Chris—from scoring at will and despite the fact that Indians took this game lightly, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni had to utilise nine bowlers, including himself—and yet failed to bowl out the opposition in the time frame of 93 overs. At the close of play, ACT XI was 292/8.

Irfan Pathan started with the new ball but never really troubled the batsmen. He finally got a wicket, the eighth batsman to fall, but VRV and Pankaj struggled.

Pankaj bowled his heart out, but even his best was not impressive enough for Team India think-tank to be discussing his name as a possible inclusion in the squad for the third Test.

It was Ishant Sharma who got the wickets. He bowled quick and send down a few testing bouncers. He clearly was the best Indian bowler on display today and it was his willingness to bend his back and use the shorter-stuff cleverly to his advantage and hitting the line that kept the batsmen busy throughout.

Ishant picked two wickets in one over, and added the wicket of skipper Mark Higgs before lunch even as Chris Rogers looked solid in his innings of 62 before Harbhajan Singh ended his stint at the middle trapping him plumb in front.

But the best batting effort for the hosts came from John Rogers—no relation to the other Rogers—who took advantage of the generosity of the visitors’ bowling.

The 21-year-old missed out on a deserving century—caught by VRV off RP Singh for 98 — and walked off to a warm applause from the Indians and a standing ovation by the 2000-odd spectators at the Manuka Oval.

RP was the seventh change bowler, and he had to come into operation because the proceedings in the middle were getting a bit too embarrassing for the visitors.

Tomorrow will be one last chance for Sehwag, Kaarthick and Yuvraj to put their hand up for selection.

Perhaps just one chance for the fast bowlers, and that too on a wicket that wasn’t quick by any standard, was a bit unfair. But cricket has always been a batsman’s game.

Brief scores: India (Ist Innings) 325/9 decl vs ACT XI (Ist Innings): 292/8 in 93 overs (Chris Rogers 60, John Rogers 98; Ishant Sharma 3/26, RP Singh 2/16).