The whole day had an air of inevitability about it. I am running out of words to describe the blunt nature of our bowling. Apart from a 10 over spell on day one, it has looked seriously inept. Greg Chappell today accepted that we need a genuine fast bowler to win tests consistently. The BCCI should put it's considerable economic reserves to use to unearth and nurture a couple of bowlers who can threaten on unhelpful wickets.

I have repeatedly pointed out that Pathan is very good, only when the ball is darting around. I had pointed this out months ago, during the Zimbabwe tour. The way he is losing pace, he will be soon bowling at Kumble like speed! I do not know how to classify him as a bowler - somewhere between a spinner and a medium pacer! The batsmen have so much time to adjust their stroke they could hit his balls twice! Zaheer is bowling better than he was last year, but is not going to reach the heights he reached during the last World Cup. It is early to judge R P, but he does not look a world beater to me.

We need bowlers far better than these three. It is a complete mystery why we have never had any genuine quicks in the history of Indian cricket. The financial rewards of playing for India far outstrip that offered by any other team several fold. Along with the demi-god status cricket confers, one would think it would be inspiration enough. Not by current evidence, I am afraid.

Looking ahead, we should perish any thought of preparing seaming wickets for England. Sadly, we have to revert to our 50 year old tactic of preparing spinning dust bowls for visiting teams. Even in the spin department, we are losing our edge. Kumble and Bhajji are not quite the bowlers they used to be. It looks gloomy. Time to blood Piyush Chawla and others ? I would pick a youngster as the third spinner for England's visit. Kartik has had his chances and it is time to look ahead.

Pakistan are ahead by 518 runs and will declare around the 600 mark. Had we been able to at least stem the flow of runs, we would have fewer sessions to bat through. The batsmen have played very well, except for the first innings of this test. They are now being asked to script history. The first six Pakistani batsman scored at least 50 each in the second innings. Not a single Indian batsman got a fifty in the first innings.

Our batsmen have played great individual innings on multiple occasions. This time, however, multiple batsmen will have to play a great innings, together, on the same occasion. One of them needs to get his Superman costume out of the cupboard!

I expect India to bat well but still go down fighting. The total is too big and there is too much time left. But, we live in hope. Here's to hope, and SUPERMAN.