If Virender Sehwag carried a grudge for being dropped as Dhoni opted to play the extra spinner and field five bowlers in all, then it was not visible during the optional practice session on the eve of India's Super Eight game against Pakistan, says a report in The Indian Express, adding that after the thrashing India received at the hands of Shane Watson and David Warner, in spite of fielding three spinners, cricketing logic only suggests that Dhoni will go in with two slower bowlers against Pakistan — a team which have batsmen adept at playing spin.
“The poor show with the bat against Australia suggests Dhoni will be more than tempted to play the extra batsman and a bowler less. And in such a scenario it will be difficult for him to look beyond Sehwag, who did not have a hit in the nets during practice,” says the report, adding that also if he plays only four bowlers then Dhoni may continue to field Yuvraj Singh, who can bowl tidy overs and also has picked up wickets with his brand of left-arm spin.
“Fielding both Sehwag and Yuvraj will mean that India will have two out of form batsman in the line-up. If Sehwag returns to the batting line-up that will also result in Irfan Pathan dropping down the order and back to his comfort zone. Though Pathan opened the innings against Australia and made 31, it was a laboured stay for the all-rounder in the middle.,” says the report.
Meanwhile according to a Times Of India report, when Dhoni was quizzed about Sehwag's omission for the Australia game, he said: "We had only two options. I don't like to take individual names. I think in such tournaments we should go horses for courses, and we wanted someone who is good in this format. It's very difficult to justify why it was Sehwag who was dropped," he said.
To make matters worse for Dhoni, one of his 'trusted' aides seems to have shot off his mouth at the worst possible moment. Southpaw Suresh Raina, who has always enjoyed the skipper's confidence, told a media person: "I think Sehwag can be very dangerous. I hope he'll play the next two games. It won't be easy to play the next two games without him."
Meanwhile, Inzamam-ul-Haq in his column in Hindustan Times writes that MS Dhoni and his boys will be coming into the Pakistan match with tremendous pressure on them, not only because they are facing Pakistan but also because this could be a knockout game for them.
“This match will be watched by more people than the final, unless these two teams are in it. You need to have played an India-Pakistan match to know the pressure this match generates for the players. The main problem for India is their bowling. If any team scores 175-180, India have the batting to chase it. But their bowling does not look like it can defend such a target,” writes Inzamam, adding that what India need is a shot of pace. A fast-bowler might get clobbered for a few runs but if he gets two early wickets, it makes the spinners' job that much easier.
“Like in the England game, for instance, when Irfan Pathan struck early on and the spinners subsequently looked unplayable. If India are to succeed, they will have to strike early with the ball. Also, I don't know much about the Virender Sehwag issue. But if he is fit, my advice to Dhoni is simple - put his name first on the team list,” writes the former Pakistan captain.
