May 18, 2007	Friday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 01, 1428

CHITTAGONG (Bangladesh), May 17: India will consider playing five bowlers to beat the oppressive heat and humidity when they take on Bangladesh in the first Test here on Friday.

The tourists declined to name even a shortlist of 12 as they debated the virtues of dropping a top-order batsman to accommodate a fifth bowler on the dry wicket at the Ruhul Amin Stadium.

“We’ll keep the opposition guessing until the toss,” captain Rahul Dravid told reporters on Thursday after a two-hour training session under energy-sapping conditions.

“The heat is obviously a big factor. We could play five bowlers to ensure that no one is unduly burdened.”Temperatures are expected to touch 38 degrees Celsius over the next week with 92 percent humidity even as the port city gears for the advancing monsoon rains.

A five-man attack would comprise two seamers and three spinners, with off-break bowler Ramesh Powar and debutant left-armer Rajesh Pawar supporting veteran spin spearhead Anil Kumble.

India will need to axe two of the seven specialist batsmen in Wasim Jaffer, Dinesh Karthick, Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Venkatsai Laxman and Yuvraj Singh to play a fifth bowler.

Bangladesh, meanwhile, named three left-arm spinners in their 12, although only one among Enamul Haque and rookie Mehrab Hossain is expected to play alongside the experienced Mohammad Rafique.

The hosts received a boost ahead of their first Test in 13 months when captain Habibul Bashar and star batsman Mohammad Ashraful were declared fit to play after being laid low by fever for the last few days.

“It will obviously be a problem going into a Test after more than a year but the boys are motivated to do well,” said Bashar. “India are a more experienced team than us, but I am confident we will give a good fight. It should be a good series.”

Bangladesh, who gained Test status in 2000, have secured just one win so far, against a struggling Zimbabwe in 2005.

Dravid, however, refused to take the hosts lightly after beating them 2-0 in the preceding one-day series.

“The Test series starts at 0-0, it’s an equal opportunity for both teams,” the Indian captain said. “Experience does matter, but only if you go and perform out there.

“Bangladesh have made great strides in one-day cricket and will be motivated to do well in the Tests. We are taking nothing for granted here.”

Teams:

India (from): Rahul Dravid (captain), Wasim Jaffer, Dinesh Karthick, Venkatsai Laxman, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Anil Kumble, Zaheer Khan, Vikram Rajvir Singh, Ramesh Powar, Rajesh Pawar, Munaf Patel, Rudra Pratap Singh.

Bangladesh (from): Habibul Bashar (captain), Mohammad Ashraful, Javed Omar, Shahriar Nafees, Saqibul Hasan, Rajin Saleh, Khaled Mashud, Mohammad Rafique, Enamul Haque, Mashrafe Mortaza, Shahadat Hossain, Mehrab Hossain.

Umpires: Daryl Harper (AUS) and Billy Doctrove (WI)

TV umpire: Enamul Haque Moni (BAN)

Match referee: Roshan Mahanama (SRI).—AFP