KOLKATA, Nov 28: Younis Khan is all but certain to lead Pakistan in the second Test against India since Shoaib Malik’s chances of playing here at the Eden Gardens are diminishing by the hour.

Malik, who sustained an injury on his left ankle while playing football soon after India won the first Test in Delhi on Monday, was found limping with his ankle strapped when the tourists held an extensive three-hour practice session here on Wednesday.

If Malik, who stayed away from the nets, is ruled out then Younis, the vice-captain for this tour who has led the country twice in Test cricket, will take over the captaincy when the Test begins from Friday with Pakistan trailing 1-0 in the three-match series.

Malik’s injury is not the only setback for the Pakistanis.

Misbah-ul-Haq, one of the few successes for Pakistan in the Delhi Test with scores of 82 and 45, has yet to make complete recovery from the viral fever which the 33-year-old batsman contracted in Delhi.

Pace bowler Mohammad Sami is the latest casualty in the Pakistan camp with a bout of sore throat and fever. Both Misbah and Sami didn’t make it to the practice session on Wednesday as they remained confined to bed in the teams’ hotel. But opening batsman Salman Butt had nets after he too was laid low by sore throat.

Salman’s opening partner Yasir Hameed had a scare in the nets on Wednesday when his right shoulder hit the ground during a fielding drill. Yasir, however, is expected to be fit for the Test.

Talat Ali, the Pakistan team manager, painted gloomy picture when he admitted that his team’s preparations for the Kolkata Test, which Pakistan must win to keep their hopes alive in the series, have been badly disrupted by these setbacks.

“Obviously, things are not looking as good as we had been hoping for. It’s an unfortunate scenario that some key players are either injured or ill,” Talat told reporters on the sidelines of the practice session.

When asked whether the team management was contemplating to ask for reinforcements, the manager replied that such a request would be premature at this stage.

“We still have players in the squad who can be called upon to replace those sidelined. However, we are monitoring the situation continuously. If we feel that someone has to be flown out here to reinforce the squad then the message will be conveyed to the chief selector who is here,” Talat remarked.

One heartening sight for Pakistan was Umar Gul bowling at reasonable pace while showing no signs of back and hip problems that forced the 23-year-old tall seamer to sit the Delhi Test.

Asked to comment on the Eden Gardens pitch for the coming Test, Talat said: “From what we have seen it appears to be a brown surface with no grass and is on the slow side. Team winning the toss would definitely want to bat first and pile a big total to put the other side under pressure. The spinners will have a lot of say later in this match.”

Meanwhile, the Indians also held their practice simultaneously at the other side of the historic ground. In contrast to the Pakistanis, the news from their camp was happy one.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India’s limited-overs skipper and deputy to Test captain Anil Kumble, showed no signs of discomfort from a sore ankle that necessitated him to put a brace around it during the first Test as he trained under the watchful eye of team physio John Gloster.

But the flamboyant wicket-keeper/batsman, whose popularity according to the locals here has superseded even that of Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh, felt pain in adjoining areas.

The doctors have advised Dhoni to take a break to avoid any complications with India’s tour of Australia beginning almost immediately after the Bangalore Test against Pakistan concludes on Dec 12.