There is unending speculation about the composition of the Indian cricket team for this test. I note with interest that one Kolkata daily that would routinely give away the playing eleven the day before or on the morning of a test has fallen off it's mark a bit. No marks for guessing why!

The pitch first. The last time a test was played here, the match ( India versus Australia) ended on day three. I am assured that the pitch this time is better and unlikely to crumble quite so early. There is some dry, brown grass on it and the bounce is expected to be decent to start with. Regardless, it will invariably turn into a spinner's wicket from day three onwards.  The English would hope that it is a minefield and that they bat first again - that is their only chance of winning here.

A few thoughts about this test. This is Rahul's 100th. and Sachin's 132nd. - both landmarks. Sachin has been quiet since the hundred against Sri Lanka and normally reserves something special for his favorite stadium. The first 10 players pick themselves :

Jaffer, Sehwag ( watch out - likely big knock), Dravid, Sachin, Yuvraj, Dhoni, Irfan, Kumble, Bhajji ( should go into hiding if he fails here), Munaf. The eleventh, I suspect, will be VVS. Sreesanth/ R P have an outside chance if we play a fifth bowler ( unlikely). 

This brings me back to Chawla. As I said earlier, he got only 14.1 overs to bowl in the Mohali test and cannot be judged so soon. Having said that, I have to say that hype surrounding new players is getting a little out of hand. The boy has barely started his career and we were all led to expect an Indian Shane Warne making fools of batsmen. Sorry to say, I did not see anything super special. I am, perhaps, judging him by too high a standard but one has to - this is test cricket. Just goes to prove that he still has much to learn before becoming the match winner we all expect him to be. 

I also get a little worried when a spinner proudly says that he is not a big spinner of the ball. I would not be proud of that. Kumble is one of a kind and I do not expect other spinners to do too well if they do not spin the ball. It's like a swing bowler saying that he does not swing the ball much or a batsmen saying that he does not see the ball too well! Kumble gets his wickets with his myriad variations and unmatched accuracy. It is unlikely that anyone will be able to replicate that and one is best advised to learn and develop the art conventionally. The other 'unconventional' senior spinner in the side is proof that it does not always work. 

Well, I am all ready to watch the match with the Match Referee and my coffee. Have fun and enjoy your cricket!