KOLKATA, Nov 29: The writing is already on the wall. Beleaguered and distressed, Pakistan on Thursday struggled to put eleven fit players on the park as they prepared to take on buoyant India in the second Test at the Eden Gardens on Friday.

In fact, such has been the confusion and chaos in the touring camp that one fears for their health and welfare. Already down 1-0 after their six-wicket thrashing in the opening Test in Delhi, the scenario for the Kolkata Test couldn’t have been more painful with Pakistan now unsure of their bowling line-up for a game they must either win or draw to keep the series alive and kicking from their point of view.

Sources said although Mohammad Sami may not be available for the second Test, fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, the only bright spot for the tourists in the bowling department at the Delhi Test, is likely to play.

Shoaib has, however, preferred the hotel bed over going through the motions of attending the final practice session on Thursday.

But the shock of the day came at the pre-match press conference on Thursday from none other than the Pakistan captain himself. “Umar Gul’s tour is over,” was the bombshell dropped by a limping Shoaib Malik on the eve of the match. “Yes, Umar Gul will head home to have further treatment on his back. Until Wednesday, he was in our game plan but this morning we learnt that his problem has not responded to the treatment. So he will go back,” Malik told reporters.

When asked about his own fitness, Shoaib said he had still not ruled himself out. “The final decision on my participation will only be taken just before the toss. We cannot tell you now who’s going to play tomorrow; it is confidential at the moment,” a glum-looking Pakistan captain added. “But for us winning this Test is more important.”

To add to the tourists’ woes, pacer Sami also complained on sore throat and fever and was confined to the bed on Thursday. He is suffering from the same viral infection that affected Misbah-ul-Haq in the Delhi Test.

The team management had sent for Rao Iftikhar but visa problems ruled him out, at least from this match. Left with no other option, Pakistan has now called up all–rounder Yasir Arafat who has played a handful of One-day Internationals in his short career. Yasir is now scheduled to make an emergency arrival in Kolkata at 8:00am local time, an hour before the start of play.

One cannot recall the last time Pakistan were forced to field two greenhorns to share the new ball as Yasir Arafat and Sohail Tanvir might be asked to do on Friday.

As for Misbah, thankfully he was there at the nets on Thursday, but still felt the side-effects of the illness that prevented him from fielding in the first Test in New Delhi.

After his lacklustre performance in the first Test where he neither looked a batsman good enough to occupy the middle-order slot nor the captain shrewd enough to make things happen, Malik’s critics are now screaming for his head. To aggravate his problems, the Pakistan captain is now reluctant to bowl his off-spinners no matter how grave the situation.

If Malik does decide not to risk his injured ankle on Friday, vice captain Younis Khan, who celebrated his 30th birthday on the eve of the Test, will take over the job only for the third time in his career. The last time Younis filled in for the now retired Inzamam-ul-Haq, Pakistan recorded their biggest win in terms of runs – 341 – in Karachi 21 months ago to win the series against India.

As for India, they have no worries at hand for the moment. It would be a major surprise if the home side opts for any change to the playing XI that beat Pakistan by six wickets in Delhi.

“Happily everyone in our squad is fit and available for selection. But I can’t say what would the playing XI be. So let’s wait and see tomorrow,” said Indian captain Anil Kumble, looking relaxed understandably.

India overwhelmingly have advantage on their side, having won the previous Test against Pakistan in Kolkata in March 2005 when Dravid’s pair of centuries and Kumble’s 10 wickets in the match (on his 100th Test appearance) sealed the match by 195 runs.

Teams:

INDIA (likely): Wasim Jaffer, Dinesh Karthik, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly, Vangipurappu Laxman, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Anil Kumble (captain), Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel.

PAKISTAN (from): Salman Butt, Yasir Hameed, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik (captain), Faisal Iqbal, Kamran Akmal, Sohail Tanvir, Shoaib Akhtar, Danish Kaneria, Abdul Rehman, Yasir Arafat, Sarfraz Ahmed.