Shoaib aims to keep on firing

Shoaib Akhtar was destructive against England and will be a key weapon in any Pakistan victory against India © Getty Images

Having frustrated a series of Pakistan captains and selectors over the past few years with his inconsistency and dodgy fitness, Shoaib Akhtar was a revelation in the recent series against England, ripping through the tourists' batting line-up for a superb return of 17 wickets.

In fact, though the claims of inconsistency levelled against him are arguably fair, and his fitness could definitely have been better, Shoaib's figures are pretty good. The Rawalpindi Express has taken 161 in 39 matches at 24.76. If his form against England are a sign of things to come then India could be in for a torrid time and the bad thing for the visitors is that they won't actually have faced him that much. Shoaib has played just four Tests against India, taking 15 wickets in the process, with two wins and two losses in those four games.

Having only played against India in four Tests, there is not much to be gleaned from looking at who he's dismissed most often, though it is perhaps notable that he has dismissed both India captain Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman twice apiece.

Those people looking for Man of the Match betting would probably be focusing on Faisalabad, where he has taken 13 wickets in just two Tests. In Lahore, the venue for the opening Test, he has taken 26 wickets in six Tests, and in Karachi, where the last Test is to be played, he has snaffled nine in three Tests.

Whatever his faults, his pace is a real threat to any batsman and if his new-found persistence and willingness to run in all day continues against India, then he could help Pakistan to another series win.