Sami likely to miss first Test

Pakistan's preparations for the Test series against England took another blow with the news that Mohammad Sami is likely to miss the first Test in Multan beginning from November 12.

Although board officials weren't willing to rule him out just yet, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Pakistan captain, has reportedly told a private news channel that Sami's groin injury will require two weeks to heal, thus ruling him out of the first Test.

Wasim Bari, chairman of the selection committee, told Cricinfo, "Sami has got a small niggle but he is hoping to be fit in time for the Test. The team management has not yet asked for a replacement to be picked and Sami is receiving treatment with the physiotherapists at the moment. We can't rule him out definitely just yet."

Pakistan's cricketers are due to assemble once more in Lahore on November 6, before departing for Multan two days later and Sami's fitness will be tested one last time in Lahore. According to the Daily Times, Sami has said he is confident he will be able to recover from the injury and pass the fitness test.

The news is a further blow to Pakistan, already reconciled to the loss of Abdul Razzaq for the first Test with an elbow injury. Worryingly, however, the development yet again deprives Pakistan the luxury of choosing from four fully fit fast bowlers.

Although Pakistan can boast the considerable resources of Shoaib Akhtar, Sami, Shabbir Ahmed, Umar Gul and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, selecting any combination of three or four out of them has been impossible over the last two years owing to a combination of injuries and problems with actions.

In fact, since the 2003 World Cup, Pakistan have rarely been able to field what could potentially be their first-choice pace attack, comprising Shoaib, Sami and Shabbir. They have played together in a solitary Test. Shoaib, Sami and Gul - another preferred combination - have also played only once. Gul hasn't played a Test since March last year, Sami since March this year and Shoaib since January.

Apart from their opening worries - nine different combinations in the last ten Tests since Bob Woolmer took over - Pakistan have struggled, albeit for reasons beyond their control, to find a settled new-ball pair. In the same period, eight different pairs have opened the bowling, three different third seamers have been tried and altogether eight pace bowlers have been utilised. Shoaib and Sami, in ideal circumstances, the first-choice new-ball pair, have played together in only three Tests together in that period.