BANGALORE, Dec 7: Pakistan’s hopes of squaring the series against India received another boost on Friday when world’s premier batsman Sachin Tendulkar was declared a doubtful starter for the third and final Test here at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Tendulkar, the second highest run-getter in Test history, is troubled by a knee problem. His participation would be only confirmed after a fitness test prior to the start of the match on Saturday.

The probable absence of Tendulkar may be a good omen for Pakistan, but the prevailing damp weather conditions could have a major say in the final outcome of this do-or-die match for the tourists as intermittent drizzle had been constantly chasing the cricketers since they landed here two days ago. The forecast is for better weather during the match days, but the threat of rain from north-westerly direction has also been predicted. The sun shone for just three minutes before it got obscured behind the mass of rain clouds. Touch wood, it hasn’t rained from afternoon until this report was filed.

Happily for the tourists there are no injury worries to report from their camp with the exception of Shoaib Malik, whose tour was over from the moment he picked up that ankle injury after India won the Delhi Test.

Shoaib Akhtar, in spite of his extra-curricular activities on this trip, appeared to have put behind the problems he faced on the field in the Kolkata Test as he bowled with a lot of pace in the nets.

Pakistan are seriously considering playing five bowlers here on a newly-laid track, which has been prepared with the help of New Zealand pitch experts Chris Lewis and Mark Hooker who have been engaged by the Karnataka State Cricket Association. The surface has a tinge of grass and looks firm which should aid the fast men in the first half of the match.

With Shoaib, Sohail Tanvir and the unlucky Mohammad Sami, who has remained wicketless in the series so far, almost certain to play here, all-rounder Yasir Arafat could win his first Test cap in place of batsman Faisal Iqbal.

Younis Khan, who will lead for the second consecutive Test in the current series, has happy memories of this ground where Pakistan won here to level the series in face of heavy odds. On that occasion, Younis (267 & 84 not out) and the then captain Inzamam-ul-Haq (184) were main architects of victory along with Danish Kaneria (seven wickets), Sami and Shahid Afridi (five each).

Six members of that winning side are in the current squad but the mercurial Afridi is a notable absentee this time round after he was surprisingly asked to head home at the end of the one-day series last month.

In case of Tendulkar being sidelined, Yuvraj Singh is tipped to play his first Test after almost a year and a half, although left-handed opener Gautam Gambhir has been placed on standby.

With frontline seamer Zaheer Khan already ruled out with a heel injury along with his new ball partner of the first two Tests Munaf Patel (back spasm), India’s options in the pace bowling department have been drastically reduced. In the absence of R.P. Singh (side strain) and Shantakumaran Sreesanth (shoulder) — both of them missing the entire Pakistan Test series — Irfan Pathan makes a return for his first Test in 18 months.

Pathan, whose last appearance at this level was against the West Indies at Gros Islet (St Lucia), has shown signs of regaining the form which made him a regular fixture in the one-day team since the World Twenty Championship and certain to take the new ball with either Vikram Singh or Ishant Sharma.

Apart from the injuries, India have other worries to think about. Rahul Dravid, who along with skipper Anil Kumble will play in front of home crowd, has a modest track record in Bangalore. In five previous Test appearances, ‘The Wall’ has mustered only 165 runs (average 18.33) with just one half-century (60 versus Australia in 2004-05).

India will be very much wary of their opponents, who have a happy knack of bouncing back when the chips are down. The draw in Kolkata has not only Pakistan provided a lifeline, but also given them the momentum as they bid to salvage a much-needed victory here.

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