Some lessons are never learnt

In the home series against South Africa, Pakistan went in with a four-man bowling attack. It was a gamble on a placid surface, and When Mohammad Asif aggravated a shoulder problem, the other three were left to carry the can. Jacques Kallis pillaged them remorselessly and a series was lost.

Fast forward to India, and the Kolkata Test. Despite Shoaib Akhtar being ill almost from the time he landed in the city, Pakistan don't call for a replacement. Then, Mohammad Sami too falls victim to the flu. By the time Yasir Arafat is finally summoned, it's too late for him to play in the game. Shoaib and Sami don't compromise on effort, but expecting someone to bowl fast while unwell is akin to expecting a F-1 car to run on water or cheap kerosene. India pile up 616, and Pakistani hopes of levelling the series are extinguished.

In Bangalore, they once again plumped for the four-bowler formula, despite having two allrounders - Sohail Tanvir and Arafat - who can provide the runs that the sixth batsman might.Shoaib bowls just 10 overs before his back seizes. While he rests up in hospital, Yuvraj Singh and Sourav Ganguly flay his mates all around the ground in a remarkable partnership that takes India from abyss to mountaintop in two sessions.

Osman samiuddin, Pakistan's best cricket writer, stated the case for five bowlers eloquently, and it was nothing short of pathetic to see Salman Butt and Yasir Hameed bowling in tandem because Sami and Arafat were on the verge of pulling up lame. Aamir Sohail, the former Pakistani opener told me this morning: "Is there a difference between losing the series 1-0 and losing it 2-0? The last Test showed that even 600 runs don't win you a Test. Only 20 wickets can."

Common sense though has been in short supply on this tour, and as Pakistan's unbeaten record in India comes to an end, those that took such pride in it are justified in pointing the finger squarely at dodgy selection and strategy. It's unrealistic to expect any team to win every game. What you can expect though is that they go in having given themselves the best possible chance of doing so. Pakistan haven't done that, and will pay for it with a series defeat.

Comments

[Rajeev Mohan]

Dileep, you have summarized the sorry state of Pak bowling very well.
Where have all those exciting fast bowlers gone from Pakistan? And when will Mohammad Sami start learning the art of taking wickets. He seems to have regressed badly after the Bangalore Test of last series. He was sensational then. Our "Dada" has been making merry against this sub-standard bowling attack. The buzz seems to have gone from an India-Pak series.
Dileep, any news about Sreesanth's injury.