Unsettled India aiming high against in form Pak by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:	MS Dhoni
Event:	ICC Champions Trophy 2009/10

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DateLine: 26th September 2009

 

India will seek inspiration from history when they clash against Pakistan in their Champions Trophy opener today.

 

In the absence of opener Virender Sehwag, pacer Zaheer Khan and explosive middle-oder batsman Yuvraj Singh, India have a tough task at hand, considering the form Pakistan players look in.

 

Its not only the on-field issues, stories regarding the leaked dossier is also contributing no less to the problems in skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's ranks.

 

Coach Gary Kirsten's leaked vision document has both been a matter of whispers and jibes. His advocacy of sex for better performance from cricketers is already a matter of intense scrutiny and interpretations.

 

This advice will definitely be scrutinised for a long time, no matter how well or poorly the team does today.

 

The pitch at Centurion also does not bring all good news for the Indians who are lookig forward to their three-pronged pace attack. RP Singh did not look at his best in the warm-up game against New Zealand and Ishant Sharma can be rusty initially.

 

Pakistan on the other hand would be oozing with confidence considering their bowlers brilliant show against a depleted West Indian outfit.

 

17-year-old Mohammad Aamer's seamers are well complemented by Naved-ul-Hasan's swing movement. If that is not enough, Umar Gul is in line with his deadly reverse swings.

 

In Shahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal, the team has two spinners who have proved their mettle in international cricket.

 

Pakistan's batting has been bolstered by the return of regular skipper Younus Khan who has recovered from a finger injury.

 

The batting has looked a little weak but a young Umar Akmal takes tons of loads off seniors Shoaib Malik, Misbah-ul-Haq and Younus.

 

India have history on their side though as they have never been beaten by Pakistan in an ICC event.

 

On current form Pakistan look more settled than an injury prone India, but Younis and company need to be aware of the fact that the Indian team boasts of a man called Sachin Tendulkar, someone who has without fail done well in critical matches in recent times.

 

Teams: (From)

 

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh, Dinesh Karthik, Virat Kohli, Praveen Kumar, Amit Mishra, Abhishek Nayar, Ashish Nehra, Yusuf Pathan, Suresh Raina, Ishant Sharma, RP Singh.

 

Pakistan: Younus Khan (capt), Shahid Afridi, Fawad Alam, Iftikhar Anjum, Imran Nazir, Kamran Akmal, Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Aamer, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Yousuf, Naved-ul-Hasan, Saeed Ajmal, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Umar Gul.