India drop Jaffer as they seek to level series

ADELAIDE: A resurgent India have dropped struggling opener Wasim Jaffer but were still undecided on whether to opt for a five-pronged bowling attack as they go into the fourth and final cricket Test against Australia here on Thursday seeking to level the four-match series.
    
Jaffer, who has failed in his six innings in the series so far, has been omitted from the shortlisted 12 for the crucial game which India needs to win to square the series 2-2.
    
Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who sat out in Perth where India recorded one of their greatest overseas victories, and wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Kaarthick have been named in the 12 but the team management has decided to wait till Thursday before finalising the playing 11.
    
With the Adelaide Oval expected to assist the slow bowlers on the last two days, Harbhajan stands a good chance of playing the match.
    
The Indians also have the option of going in with a five-pronged bowling attack, in which case Kaarthick may have to perform the 12th man's duties. But if they stick to the conventional four-man attack, Kaarthick is almost certain to don the opener's role at the expense of a paceman.
    
"There are a few possibilities but we would like to take another look at the pitch. It (five bowlers) is an option and that is something we will definitely assess," skipper Anil Kumble said.

India's unheralded pace trio -- R P Singh, Irfan Pathan and Ishant Sharma -- were highly impressive at Perth and it will be a tough call to leave one of them out to accommodate Harbhajan.
    
The 72-run triumph at Perth will no doubt serve as a tonic for Anil Kumble and his men who have now proved to be worthy challengers to the champion team, which has been strengthened by the return of opener Matthew Hayden.
    
The Australians have also not finalised their composition but it is likely to be a choice between paceman Shaun Tait, who was far from impressive in Perth, and spinner Brad Hogg.
    
Captain Ricky Ponting refused to divulge details about team composition and said he was still to make up his mind on whether to persist with Tait or bring back Hogg.
    
"We just have to toss up in our head whether the spin is the way to go or do we try and use pace with variable bounce late in the game," he said.
    
"I think historically spin has probably been the preferred option for the Australian team to play in most conditions around the world."
    
"But when you have someone like Taity -- a wicket taker like that in the room as well, it gives you lots of options but makes your decision very difficult as well," he added.
    
But if spin was to be Ponting's option, the Australian skipper said he would try not to put too much pressure on Hogg.
    
"If he does come in, it's important we make sure he is not under too much pressure because we all do know how hard it is to perform when you do feel like your spot is on the line," Ponting said.
    
Kumble was confident that some of his senior players, who have been axed from the ODI squad, would keep their focus on the task at hand.
    
"It's not easy on senior players. Having said that we would keep our focus on this Test," Kumble said.
    
"It's a challenge (to get them around). People (not selected) would be disappointed but they have played enough cricket to understand, why this Test is important for Indian cricket and to stay in the series," he said.
    
The Australians, whose 16-match winning streak was broken in Perth, have a few problems to solve with Hayden and Andrew Symonds alone passing muster among its top batsmen who, not very long ago, were striking terror in the hearts of opposition bowlers.
    
Swing has emerged as the big poser for the hosts and they reckon it is the presence of left-handers in their ranks -- five of them are southpaws -- which is helping the cause of India's left-arm swing bowlers.
    
Ponting is hurt by his first loss as captain on home soil and by the growing din in the media that Australia is no longer invincible.
    
Not that Australia's bowling worries are less pronounced. Brett Lee is a class act but Mitchell Johnson has a long way to go and Stuart Clark, despite his accuracy, still cannot run through a side.
    
Left-arm spinner Hogg has a question mark on his ability because of his tardy spell on the final day of the Sydney Test. This has left Ponting in a bit of dilemma on the final composition of the team.

The conditions at Adelaide are expected to be good for batting for the first three days. The game tends to move quickly thereafter when the pitch tends to increasingly get up and down.
    
Rain is forecast for the third day but it is not alarming and the game should go the distance. The quality of cricket dished out in this series should again come to the fore.
    
The teams:
    
Australia (from): Ricky Ponting (capt), Phil Jacques, Matthew Hayden, Mike Hussey, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Adam Gilchrist, Brad Hogg, Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson, Stuart Clark and Shaun Tait.
    
India (from): Anil Kumble (capt), Virender Sehwag, Dinesh Kaarthick, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Irfan Pathan, Anil Kumble, Ishant Sharma, RP Singh and Harbhajan Singh
    
Umpires: Billy Bowden (NZ) and Asad Rauf (Pak).
    
Match Referee: Mike Procter (South Africa)
    
Hours of play: 5.30 am to 7.30 am, 8.10 am to 10.10 am,10.30 am to 12.30 pm.