Selection is important : Kumble

Kumble said that there is the threat of rain in Bangalore. Selectors are in the horns of a dilemma regarding selection of the team.

Team selection should be beyond reproach, feels the ace leg spinner. There is the threat of rain which may prompt the selectors to play three spinners.

We dont know whether Nehra will play or Sreeshant will be selected. If the selectors are not worried about the weather, then India will play two seamers and two spinners. Dhoni can use the part time spinners also. Munaf and Zaheer bowled with control against BD. What is needed is wicket to wicket bowling. This controlled bowling will pressurise the batsmen into committing mistakes.

If overcast conditions are there, Sreeshant may be dangerous, but then he has to control his bowling.

This is the pitch where the leg spinner Chawla took 4 wickets against the Aussies in the warm up match. Most probably Chawla may be included.

( Yesterday Pak opened with Akthar and Razzak. There was widespread belief in the Pak camp that Umar Gul had problems in controlling the ball ).

If a fast bowler cannot exercise control, he may be hit for fours and sixes. Batsmen will use the pace of the ball and score freely. Timing batsmen like Sachin and Sehwag can use the pace of the ball and score heavily. Sehwag's Upar Cut is well known ! Balls coming at 140-160 kph is frightening, but once these are connected by the batsmen and timed, God save the ball !

That is why it is said that the sides opposing Australia can go either all out for 50 or that the Kangaroos may go on chasing 500 ! The balls coming at 160/150 kph !

In the last match against the Kiwis, the pitch was a bit wet and it was a sort of a green top. The formidable Aussie quickies extracted life out of the pitch and NZ were reduced to 68/5 ! In the first 20 overs, the match was gone !

Gone are the days of Jaya and Kalu and the method of putting 100 runs in the first 15 overs. Now all teams, including Aus are going back to the traditional way of preserving wickets. If you lose five wickets for 68, then it will be very difficult to redeem the side. It is better to be 100/1 or 200/3 and then launch the final blitzkreig ! Yesterday, SL were going well, when Tharanga had a rush of blood to the head and lofted the ball, spooning a simple catch. The match was gone !

Meanwhile both captains, the maverick Dhoni and the polished Strauss, have come out with comments about the Bangalore match.

"We got a flying start to our campaign, with the win over BD. All matches in this WC are important. We are not attaching too much importance to the match against England. We have no special strategy to trap Pietersen. The Indian strategy is team centric " - Dhoni.

"We are anxious abut playing against India. Pressure is more on India than us. After we won the T20 WC, we are an inspired side. Bowling improved considerably. We have plans to trap Sehwag " - Strauss.