The stage is set ...

The stage is set for the three tests Allianz series and the cricket fever grips Pakistan and India.

India will take on Pakistan tomorrow at Lahore for the first test. Though there are already hypes that Pakistan has slightly upper edge over India as they are more organized than the previous time, they should remember that India clinched the test series 2-1 and the and one day series 3-2 in 2004, and its tough to beat India as the team is more matured and looks pretty strong in all the departments. One extra Pakistan have is the advantage of the Rawalpindi express, Shoaib Akthar.

Today there was some interesting duels within contests listed in The Hindu, making one against one, which has put our ‘Wall Dravid’ against the ‘Speedster Shoaib’. In my view he (Shoaib) is the only threat to our batsmen, that too if the early overs are negotiated I don’t think its tough to handle him, apart from that the reverse swing might be in action, otherwise its going to be a normal bowling attack. It will be on how our batsmen are going to flare up. With the likes of Shewag, who can give the turbo-charged opening along with Gambir might even put Shoaib in tougher times. Then it’s going to be the Wall, that is highly impassable and they’re after our little master Sachin, whom I expect a lot in this series.

Other batsmen in the line should be ideally Yuvraj, to bolster the batting strength, but it seems Saurav might find his place in the team, undue pressure for Dravid to include him, that’s Indian Cricket.