403-0. Another India-Pakistan series has begun. And, as was the case in 2004, Pakistan has done everything to let the world know that “sporting” wickets with pace and bounce and what not. India started the first Test with Sehwag hammering his way to 309 at Multan. Pakistan lost that game and India had one foot in the door. Second Test witnessed a green top at Lahore (If I remember correctly!). Pakistan won easily thanks to a good spell by Umar Gul and leveled the series. Third Test, another one-sided contest, with India sealing the series 2-1. India had created history and left Paskitan searching for scapegoats.

Coming back to 2006, Lahore is the venue of the first Test. We were promised a fast, bouncy wicket. One that would assist the Pakistani pacers. After the battering the Indian bowling received (679/7), I feared the worst. But at the end of day 4, it’s quite clear that the fears of bouncy tracks were uncalled for. The pitch is dead as a dodo - a bowlers’ graveyard. With the Sehwag-Dravid partnership 11 runs away from a record, after having broken several others, the officials are ducking for cover. I wonder why they try to make such an issue out of it. If they think they will intimidate the Indians by promising pacey wickets, then they’re obviously mistaken. And then, by not living up to the hype, they’re simply shooting themselves in the foot.

Then, we come to the issue of the Pakistani bowlers being better than the Indian bowlers. Maybe. The scoreline certainly tells a different story. After 75 overs, India’s run rate is at 5.37 and no wickets have fallen. This has been achieved by judicious shot selection, not manic batting as was the case with Afridi and Akmal. All that talk of Shoaib Akhtar running through the Indian batting line-up has fallen flat on its face. Even after resorting to sledging, all Pakistan got were more boundaries. One look at the faces on Inzy and his fast bowlers told the story. They had been bludgeoned by Viru. The short balls were left alone. The ones wide of off-stump were ferociously cut away. Fuller length deliveries were exquisitely driven and the spinners lofted over the infield.

I’m sure the Indian openers are enjoying themselves in the middle. They’re probably wondering where that bouncy track went to. Maybe Faisalabad? Well, the promises have been made yet again. Since this one is as good as over, and the result not favoring Pakistan, what can we expect from the next one? Some grass, most certainly. While that would assist the Pak fast bowlers, don’t underestimate the Indians. And it’s quite clear that both teams struggle with their batting when faced with green tops. If only the Indian attack can bowl a tight line, Pakistan will have problems of their own to deal with. So who will win? Let the weather decide!