Struggle for number 5: Yuvraj or Raina?

India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni faces a hard task of choosing between Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina for the number-five spot in the first Test against England.

It will be quite a choice for Dhoni as Yuvraj or Raina are together left-handers, both violent, both brilliant fielders and both worth a few handy overs of spin.

Raina has been inspiring in the recently-concluded tour of the Caribbean, where he scored 232 runs at 46.40 with three half-centuries on tracks that Rahul Dravid describe as the most difficult among all he has played in the West Indies in the last 15 years.

On the other hand, Yuvraj Singh showed his brightness in the World Cup.

While Raina manage to impress no less than famous batsman Sunil Gavaskar in the way he flinch not to one single short-pitched release from the West Indian pacemen directed at his torso, Yuvraj can flaunt his figures that shows seven half-centuries from the last 11 Tests he played and the success he has enjoy against England with 46-plus average.

Raina can certainly maintain that he deserves as much contact as possible given the wheels of transition have slowly begun to turn in Indian cricket. And there is every reason to keep him battle-hardened and not a discouraged young man when the time comes.

However, Yuvraj, if sidelined now, might not make a comeback and his otherwise glorious career would show just 34 Tests with 1639 runs during a fractured career of 12 years.

Raina can be probable to take on the aggressive off-spin of Graeme Swann like he did to leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo on the first afternoon of Jamaica Test against the West Indies that was a game-changing instant of the three-Test series.

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Tendulkar not idea of 100th hundred

Sachin Tendulkar is one century away from accomplishment 100 international tons and has an opportunity to achieve that on a historic instance at Lord's, where India and England will play the 2000th Test later this month. Tendulkar, who has 51 centuries in Tests and 48 in ODIs, however, said the landmark wasn't preoccupying his build-up to the game.

"I am not thoughts of records," Tendulkar told the Daily Telegraph. "I am just thinking of enjoying this tour. The secret to any presentation is not in chasing records. I think about, 'What is the best way to enjoy the game, and how can I improve that enjoyment factor?'

"If I enhance the pleasure then, naturally, the standard of play becomes higher. To me, that is more important. If I am playing well, things can happen. I don't need to go around chase them. It is a process. You construct a solid base and build on it."

Tendulkar opt out of India's tour of the West Indies, where they won the ODI series 3-2 and the Tests 1-0. It was India's first international task after their World Cup win, of which Tendulkar was an integral part. "I was extremely enchanted. It was something I had always dreamt about,"

Tendulkar said of India's victory in his sixth World Cup. "You start playing cricket, and one day you walk away as part of a world champion team.

"I took up playing serious cricket because in 1983, we won the World Cup, and that was a big turning point in terms of allowing for cricket a full-time profession. That instant was a decisive one. I felt, 'I want to play for India one day'. It was a huge improves. From then I started working hard."

When asked of his plans for the future, Tendulkar said it was main he left behind a good inheritance whenever he chose to leave the game. "For me, it's not about breaking records or creating new ones. It's about adding value to my team. Records will be set by me; they might be broken by someone else.

"They're not going to stay enduringly. But the feeling that I leave on people will last forever, I feel. The impression that I leave behind - to me that is important. If I can inspire the next young cricketers that will be a big contribution."

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Butt-Afridi tale takes another wind

The PCB has in progress taking damage-control steps to restore its relationship with former national one-day captain Shahid Afridi.

The PCB chairman, Ijaz Butt, in a clear move to send out a message that the Board had nothing personal against Afridi, made it a point to ask about the health of his (Afridi's) father, who is admit in a hospital in ICU after pain a heart attack.

"Ijaz Butt had a bunch of flowers and a get-well card sent to Shahid at the hospital, while a senior official of the Board also called up the former captain to make inquiries about the health of his ailing father," a source in the Board said.

The source also said that the moves were intended to snub the feeling that the PCB had any personal feeling of resentment against the allrounder.

"As far as his payment to Pakistan cricket is anxious, everyone in the Board appreciate and admire him for it," the source said.

Relations between Afridi and the Board have been tense since June and got worse recently when in an interview Butt passed serious comments about his captaincy and quote the tour report of manager Intikhab Alam from the West Indies.

Afridi swift back home from England, where he was doing extremely well for County-side Hampshire, to be with his father.

Afridi said that he was deeply dissatisfied by Butt's remarks and reserved the right to respond to them also through legal means.

The 31-year-old remains one of the most popular cricketers in Pakistan with a huge fan next and there have been renewed calls for his comeback since he announce retirement from all international cricket in late May.

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"Recommendation not obligatory on PCB"

Haroon Lorgat on Wednesday said that it was not fixed for the PCB to realize the recommendation and comments made by ICC's Special Task Force on Pakistan cricket.

In an interview, Lorgat said from Dubai that the task force report was meant to propose to the PCB ways and means to get better their cricket structure.

"It is not required on the PCB to implement all recommendation or explanation of the task force. But we are confident that they will study it and their governing body would see the importance of implementing some, if not all, recommendation and explanation of the task force," Lorgat said.

Lorgat was dialogue after the PCB sent a strong worded response to the task force report in which they discarded most of the recommendation and observations. The PCB also said that the report restricted factual errors and superfluous.

Lorgat said he had not seen the PCB reply as yet but everyone had to realize that the purpose was to help Pakistan cricket.

"As far as the truthful errors are worried, yes, there might be some but at the same time, we had shown a draft copy of the account to the chief operating officer of the Board, Subhan Ahmad, to check it out before we gave it final shape and submit it," the ICC official said.

Asked about the PCB defense of its system of having the Pakistani President concerned in cricket affairs and his power to employ the Board Chairman and governing board members, Lorgat said that the ICC decision-making council had already passed a legitimate amendment that made it mandatory for Boards to prohibit political interference and government involvement in their matters.

"From what we saw, the PCB supports the constitutional alteration and we are hopeful they will implement the recommendation on this issue," he said.

He noted no opposition was raise at any point during the ICC meeting on this issue by Pakistan.

Lorgat also made it clear that when the task force was twisted, Pakistan was taken into self-assurance and the main purpose at that time was to ensure that Pakistan cricket was not isolated and got sufficient contact at the top level with the exception of hosting foreign teams at home.

"With due course of time, the mandate of the task force was delayed and the PCB was taken into self-confidence on this.

"The pleasing feature is that, at the moment, the Pakistan team is one of the busiest in international cricket and it is playing a lot of cricket which was our main anxiety in 2009," Lorgat signed off.

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Trott relish India challenge

Jonathan Trott is relish the vision of trying to do again the form he has shown for England next to other Test nations.

The Warwickshire batsman is averaging over 60 in Test cricket and is facing one of his most testing examinations next to the side ranked number one in the world.

But Trott will not evade away from the challenge in a series which be an ideal yardstick to determine whether England can finally get out India as the leading country.

He said: "It's a great opportunity and will be a large advert for the game on the back of a good series next to Sri Lanka.

"As you go through your career, you are leaving to come across teams you haven't played before and it's how you become accustomed and regulate to them.

"There is maybe a bit of a benefit in that they haven't seen you or played against you.

"I've played next to some of them in county cricket so there are a few things there.

"But Test cricket is a little bit dissimilar and it will be very exciting." Trott is aiming to uphold his current high standard though he is adamant helping England emerge winning is of great priority.

He said: "I don't worry about what I'm going to finish my career with. I try and worry about how many Test series wins I can donate to and be a part of.

"That is our goal as a team and the most significant one as a person and everyone in the team feels that way.

"When you get the possibility to go out into the middle, it's your job to represent the other nine guys in the altering room and all the coaching staff.

"It's a great chance to play and test yourself and at the finish of it, see where you've ended up.

"But as regard the averages, I don't pay too much thought to them. I don't know my average now though I bet you can tell me my strike rate!"

Trott believe he is able of upping the tempo after his rate of scoring has come under microscope.

He said: "Five days is a long time. As in 50-over cricket as well, you can sometimes think 'I've got to get on with it a bit'.

"You've got to weigh up the option of put your foot down a bit more and leaving it up to someone else.

"I'm very wary of that. My job at number three in the England team is to bat as long as likely and get the most runs.

"Sometimes it might go a bit gradually but also I know the right time to up the ante."

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