As the selectors search for the right balance in the Test team, one question confounds them - What to do with Irfan Pathan? Chosen to play as a bowler who can bat, Pathan is doing just the opposite.

If he can somehow find his swing again, the search for an all-rounder would be over.
“When I play my cricket, I am like a kid. Whenever I bowl or bat, I always want to be exactly like the one when I came back into the team,” said Irfan.

In his first Test for over a year and a half Irfan Pathan brought just that childlike freedom to the park with his maiden hundred.But it is with the ball that a desperate dressing room wants him to shine and experts believe Pathan can.

“The swing is definitely less at this moment but I won’t be too worried about it as swing is something that you can always get back. I want him to gain as much of confidence as he can. His technique is looking really good and he is being able to bowl at a good pace,” said T A Sekhar, the head coach at MRF Pace Foundation.

It was at Sekhar’s MRF pace foundation that Pathan worked hard to overcome flaws that had crept into his game.

“Irfan’s shoulder was somewhere and only his arm was going towards the batsman so now we have made the body as well as the shoulder also going towards the batsman. That way he is able to bowl a better line,” said Sekhar.

But everyone is searching for that old Pathan, who took a hat-trick with lethal late swing against Pakistan in Karachi nearly two years ago. Can the magic return?

As former Pakistan pacer, Waqar Younis said, “You can see the springs in his feet when he is running towards the crease and he wants to do it - if you see him in his follow-through. That is a sign that he wants to do it and I can see it coming back.”

At 23, a long career still lies ahead for Irfan and if he can start to swing it again, he has the tools to become an all-time great.

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Throughout the course of this series, there have been many peaks and troughs for both sides. However, Pakistan depart for Bangalore, egos slightly battered, the series intact and a migraine on the makeup of their best XI.

Their pre-match planning was rocked by viruses, the makeshift skipper was nonplussed in not being a formal part of the decision making process and, therefore, was unable to prepare a concerted plan with a starting line up of his wont.

Whilst we cannot legislate for injury or illness, there must be adequate backup plans and resources available. First choice Rao Iftikhar, who appeared in the ODI series, jokingly had a single entry permit, so, Yasir Arafat was summoned at the 11th hour, as the only player with a current visa for India, and ended up carrying the drinks.

One hopes that there are lessons to be learnt for the future. That’s on the assumption of any officials being sat in PCB HQ and not on their normal jaunts.

India won the toss and opted to bat first on a wicket, which looked devoid of any pace and would suit the batsmen. Pakistan’s temporary commander went onto the field, with Shoaib, Sami and Misbah, cleared to play.

After Karthik’s immediate dismissal, the first session belonged to India, as Jaffer and Dravid put on 102. The rest of the day belonged to Mumbai’s Wasim Jaffer.

I wrote in my last piece of how he adapted his technique after being exposed in Delhi. The slightly framed but elegant opener cruised to his 5th Test ton in 150 balls, whilst Tendulkar quietly went about his business for 82, prior to being bamboozled by Kaneria. India closed on 352-3 on Day I with Jaffer undefeated on 192.

Wasim’s second reincarnation as a Test match cricketer has been remarkable, run fested and highly productive. He played some quality shots, was never troubled against a weak attack and went onto to claim his second Test double before prodding at Tanvir.

There was still time for local hero, Ganguly and Laxman to notch up their respective hundreds as India rattled up an imposing 616. Pakistan’s attack was below average and critically Shoaib’s involvement was distinctly uninspiring.

Commencing the third day at 50-1, Pakistan’s effort had to be dedicated and based upon a combined reliance to occupy the crease. The other factor would be coping with a slow turning wicket and India’s more experiences spin duo.

Kumar Sangakkara has become the first Sri Lankan player to top the LG ICC Test batsmen rankings after yet another brilliant performance recently.

The 30-year-old has knocked off Australian skipper Ricky Ponting at the top of the ranking after he scored 92 and 152 in the first Test match against England at Kandy in the recently concluded game which enabled Sri Lanka also to go ahead in the series.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka tops the list yet again when it comes to bowlers as well in the LG ICC bowlers rankings as world record-breaking spinner Muttiah Muralitharan holds the top position in the bowling list.

Sangakkara has also got into joint-sixth spot in the all-time rankings, indicating his marvellous form he has been in of late. On Tuesday, he became the first batsman in the history of the game to register scores of 150 or more in four successive Tests.

In the all-time list, Sangakkara has moved level with West Indies legends Clyde Walcott, Viv Richards and Garfield Sobers with just seven rating points separating him from Len Hutton in second place. He still has a way to go, however, to catch the man with the best all-time rating, Don Bradman.

Perhaps surprisingly, the man from Matale is the only batsman from the Asian sub-continent in the all-time top 10 although there are two – Mohammad Yousuf of Pakistan and India’s Sunil Gavaskar – in the top 20.