Powar, Pawar likely to make Test debut

[DesiChap]

Powar, Pawar likely to make Test debut Press Trust Of India | Posted May 17, 2007 at 16:15 | Updated May 17, 2007 at 17:50 Chittagong: Spinners Ramesh Powar and Rajesh Pawar are likely to earn their maiden Test caps as India are pondering fielding a five-pronged bowling attack against Bangladesh in the first cricket Test starting here on Friday. "We do have the option of playing five bowlers in these conditions considering the weather, the wicket and what we are trying to achieve in this game," skipper Rahul Dravid said at the match-eve press conference. The bowling combination then could very well be two pacers and three spinners, meaning Ramesh Powar and Rajesh Pawar were set to take the field alongwith veteran leg-spinner Anil Kumble. Powar has already played in One-Day Internationals while Pawar is yet to play an international game. The team management will have to decide which of the seven batsmen in the squad should sit out to accommodate the fifth bowler. "It's never easy to drop anyone, especially when they are playing well. But yes, in this case we have to drop one. It's part and parcel of the game," Dravid said. "You have to take these decisions keeping in mind what is the best combination under these circumstances and what helps you to win the game. "All of them are good batsmen and so someone has to miss out and be unlucky." Among the seven are two wicketkeepers, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Dinesh Kaarthick, but the latter has been picked as an specialist opener. The skipper said it would be difficult one over the other as both Dhoni and Kaarthick were in good form. Dravid denied that the visitors had an edge as they went into the two-Test series on the back of a 2-0 ODI series win. "The match is going to begin zero-zero at even scores and then you need to perform and build on it," he said. "We also have to see that we do the right performance, get the basics right and do what is needed to do to win a Test match. We want to approach in a methodical manner." Asked if the Indians had some special plans for host vice-captain Mohammad Ashraful, who struck an unbeaten 158 in the previous Test match between the two sides here in 2004, Dravid said they were focusing on Bangladesh as a team, and not any particular player. "Ashraful is a very talented batsman, he played extremely well in the last series. Hopefully, we will not allow him to score so many runs this series, he can score against somebody else," he said. Dravid said the wicket looked good for batting, but could take some spin later in the match. "It looks like a good wicket. It looks pretty flat with little grass on it. It should hold together for the first two and-a-half to three days," he said. "In the fourth and fifth day, it can dry up and we can get some spin. But if the weather is hot and dry it can break up a little early also." Asked if India's huge experience and the several seasoned campaigners in the side would be of any advantage, Dravid replied, "The fact is how you perform on a given day of the match. You can have a wealth of experience but it is of no use unless you perform."

[Holysmoke]

Re: Powar, Pawar likely to make Test debut umm.. Chawla instead of pawar? :?

[DesiChap]

Re: Powar, Pawar likely to make Test debut Chawla is not in the Test 15 !

[yoda]

Re: Powar, Pawar likely to make Test debut so we need 5 bowlers to take out the mighty banglas. :jawdrop:

[DesiChap]

Re: Powar, Pawar likely to make Test debut Conversely Do we need 7 batsman against the mighty bangls?

[kabira]

Re: Powar, Pawar likely to make Test debut dont drop Laxman..