Ganguly may make way for fifth bowler

India's selectors are toying with the idea of playing five specialist bowlers when the second Test against Pakistan gets underway at Faisalabad tomorrow, with RP Singh and Zaheer Khan fighting over the final slot in the starting XI.

The change in tactics has been discussed after last week's stalemate at Lahore, in which both India and Pakistan posted massive first-innings totals on a featherbed of a wicket. The team meeting went on late into Friday evening, and a final decision will be taken before the toss.

The need to take 20 wickets per match, coupled with the form of India's top order - in particular the openers Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid, who added 410 at Lahore - means that there may be no need for a sixth specialist batsman, which would be bad news for the former captain, Sourav Ganguly, who is the most likely man to miss out.

Whether or not India play five bowlers, Dravid is certain to remain at the top of the order after last week's century. "The hundred I got in Lahore it has given us some options for this series and I will continue doing the job," he told reporters at Faisalabad, as he mulled over the final selections for his team.

Ganguly's demise has been predicted and disproved on several occasions in recent weeks, so it would be no surprise if he does retain his place in tomorrow's line-up after all. But tactically, it would make more sense to add another seamer to the equation, with RP Singh the favourite to sneak into the team ahead of the more experienced Zaheer.

Pakistan, meanwhile, are likely to make one enforced change, with Mohammad Asif expected to step in for Mohammad Sami, and one optional one. Sami has come down with a sore throat and a high fever and is a doubtful starter, while Abdul Razzaq is in line for a recall, at the expense of the ever-willing Rana Naved-ul-Hasan.

Pakistan (likely) 1 Salman Butt, 2 Shoaib Malik, 3 Younis Khan, 4 Mohammad Yousuf, 5 Inzamam-ul-Haq (capt), 6 Shahid Afridi, 7 Kamran Akmal (wk), 8 Abdul Razzaq, 9 Shoaib Akhtar, 10 Mohammad Asif, 11 Danish Kaneria

India (likely) 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Rahul Dravid (capt), 3 VVS Laxman, 4 Sachin Tendulkar, 5 Yuvraj Singh, 6 Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk), 7 Irfan Pathan, 8 Ajit Agarkar, 9 Harbhajan Singh, 10 RP Singh, 11 Anil Kumble