India likely to play three spinners

Zimbabwe will get no respite from spin even in the absence of India's star bowler Anil Kumble when the first of two back-to-back Tests starts in Delhi on Saturday.

The leg-spinner, a demon on the traditionally dry Indian pitches, who grabbed all 10 second innings wickets on the same Kotla ground against Pakistan last year, is out with a shoulder injury.

Still, the Indians plan to throw in three slow bowlers at the tourists with rookie off-spinner Sharandeep Singh joining left-armers Sunil Joshi and Murali Kartik to exploit another spin-friendly wicket.

Indian captain Sourav Ganguly's worries on the eve of the Test centered around the choice between seamers Zaheer Khan and Ajit Agarkar to partner pace spearhead Javagal Srinath.

"All I know is that we will go in with five bowlers," said Ganguly, leading his country in a home Test for the first time.

Ganguly refused to under-rate Zimbabwe, whose only previous Test match on Indian soil ended in a massive innings defeat at the same ground in 1993.

"There are no easy pickings in Test cricket, and I don't believe in the concept of being superior on paper," the elegant left-hander said.

"You have to go out there and take 20 wickets to win the match."

India's unbeaten 13-year record in home series was ruined in February this year when Hansie Cronje's South Africa won both Test matches convincingly.

But Ganguly stressed India's star-studded batting comprising himself, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, will be hard to dismiss twice in a match.

Zimbabwean captain Heath Streak said the four-wicket win over the Board President's team on Wednesday had buoyed his team for what he concedes will be a tough outing.

"India are always tough to beat at home and we are under no illusions here," the fast bowler said. "But the Tests will be more open that what people think.

"The strength of the Indian batting is well-known, but I don't think their bowling will be as potent in the absence of Kumble. We must take advantage of that."

Seasoned left-handers Alistair Campbell and Andy Flower, the only ones to have played in each of Zimbababwe's 45 Tests so far, struck timely centuries during the two three-day tour matches.

There were also good knocks from openers Grant Flower and Gavin Rennie and number three Stuart Carlisle, but coach Carl Rackemann was worried about the bowling.

"The batsmen have got used to the low bounce of Indian wickets, but time is running out for the bowlers," the former Australian paceman said.

Streak, who skipped the first warm-up match to have his wisdom tooth removed and the second to rest a strained shoulder, will share the new ball with Henry Olonga and Travis Friend.

Leg-spinners Paul Strang and Brian Murphy have a huge workload ahead on a wicket that Rackemann predicts will turn by the second day, if not the first itself.

The second Test will be played in Nagpur from November 25.

India (from): Sourav Ganguly (capt), Sadagopan Ramesh, Shiv Sunder Das, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Vijay Dahiya, Sunil Joshi, Murali Kartik, Javagal Srinath, Ajit Agarkar, Sharandeep Singh, Zaheer Khan.

Zimbabwe (from): Heath Streak (capt), Grant Flower, Gavin Rennie, Alistair Campbell, Andy Flower, Stuart Carlisle, Trevor Madondo, Douglas Marillier, Guy Whittall, Paul Strang, Brian Murphy, Henry Olonga, Travis Friend, Bryan Strang.

Mail Cricket Editor