Batsmen must be self-reliant - Katich

Last week, Cricket Australia assembled more than 20 of the nation's sharpest cricket minds at the SCG in an attempt to work out how to help the nation's struggling batsmen. Simon Katich was not among the delegates, but he has a simple piece of advice for those players fighting to establish themselves as consistent run-makers at state and international level - no one else can do it for you.

Katich's message of self-reliance was significant both for how true it was to him, as the owner of a proven batting technique few coaches would admit to having suggested, and for how far out of step it is with the ways of the 21st century game. Australian batsmen have never been surrounded by more mentors and minders. But as Katich stated so bluntly, at the moment of critical importance it is just them against the bowler.

"The harsh part of this game is that even though it's a team game it's very much an individual game, particularly batting," Katich said after making 67 for Western Australia against Victoria at North Sydney Oval. "So you can help as much as you can with advice and passing on experience, but at the end of the day you're out there on your own.

"One thing I've gathered from my career is the more self-sufficient you become as a batsman the better off you'll be, because unfortunately no one can bat for you. Everyone can help, coaches and team-mates can help with advice, but in the end it's just you against the bowler and you've got to win that battle. There's some good kids floating around the state system, no doubt, and it's a matter of them grabbing their opportunities and making the most of it."

Alongside the grabbing of opportunity and the fostering of independence, Katich joined his fellow late 30-somethings Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey in arguing that the current crop of international batsmen needed to be granted faith and continuity. He recalled taking time to feel settled as an international batsman himself, and wondered if his successors have been given enough of a chance to find their feet.

"I just think people have got to be patient because it's not that easy to step into international cricket and perform straight away," he said. "There's many guys in the past that have taken time, I know myself it took time to feel comfortable at Test level. So it doesn't happen straight away but if there's patience and persistence with guys then hopefully at some point they'll reward the selectors and keep churning out consistent runs."

Katich is playing for WA after a decade out of the yellow cap due to a request by his former team-mate Justin Langer to reinforce an alarmingly thin Warriors batting order, beset by injuries, national call-ups and a wider malaise affecting the state. So far he has agreed only to play in the domestic limited-overs matches in Sydney, but Langer is pushing him to go on to four-day duty.

"I want to be able to walk in the front door of my house in the next couple of months," Katich joked in reference to a Sheffield Shield schedule of six matches in as many weeks after the limited-overs tournament concludes. "I'm pretty sure Justin will keep chipping away at me, he has been the last few months.

"But I'm happy with my decision, I'm happy to be helping the boys out as well, in extreme circumstances, where a number got injured before the Champions League and we've lost three or four of our senior players to the India tour. I guess the timing of it all was nice to try to help the boys out by playing this week and giving them some experience. I am grateful for having started my career in WA, and from that point of view it's nice to help out in this way."

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Tendulkar available for Mumbai's season opener

Sachin Tendulkar will warm up for his farewell Test series by appearing in Mumbai's Ranji Trophy opener against Haryana, to be played in Lahli from October 27 to 30.

A day before Mumbai's selection panel, headed by former India opener Sudhir Naik, is to select the squad for the match and name the captain for the season, Mumbai Cricket Association joint secretary Nitin Dalal confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that Tendulkar "has made himself available" for the Ranji match.

Tendulkar will then join the Indian team one last time for the two-Test series starting on November 6. He had announced his decision to retire after the second Test, his 200th, to be played at his home ground, the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. After leaving international cricket, Tendulkar is unlikely to return to the domestic circuit, so Mumbai's match against Haryana may mark Tendulkar's last appearance in Indian domestic cricket.

He had made his maiden first-class appearance almost 25 years ago, against Gujarat on December 10, 1988, and has played 37 Ranji Trophy games so far over the years. Despite wanting to be part of the Mumbai dressing room more often, a packed international calendar prevented him from doing so. After retiring from ODIs last year, Tendulkar appeared in four Ranji games for Mumbai last season, scoring two centuries and a fifty in five innings. It was the first time since 1994-95 that he played more than three Ranji games in a season.

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South Africa err in length and selection

The over-reliance on short-pitched bowling and lack of a penetrative spinner forced South Africa to endure their toughest day in the field in 11 months

On pitches that do not facilitate bounce, like the one at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, fast bowlers need to be patient and disciplined. Their reserves of guts and imagination will be tested and the levels of intensity and mental focus needed are higher than normal. That's what South Africa's bowling coach Allan Donald said was required of his attack before the series began. However, with Pakistan on 263 for 3, ahead by 14 going into the third day, the challenge has seemingly proved more than what the bowlers could handle.

South Africa endured their toughest day in the field in 11 months, since Brisbane 2012. On day four at the Gabba, they had conceded 376 runs for one wicket. It wasn't as bad this time but the same issues remained: an over-reliance on short-pitched bowling and the lack of an attacking spinner.

The problem with length can be fixed through technical adjustments, which Donald seemed certain his charges would make in time for the first Test. He said he had impressed on them that they could not simply, "turn up, bowl back of a length and expect to take wickets." That is the default South African way of doing things as the coach Russell Domingo admitted, but Donald will have to strategise a plan B for pitches that do not have much in the way of bounce.

Donald was looking for a slightly fuller length, a line that did not stray down leg side and early breakthroughs created by making batsmen play as much as possible in the first 20 overs. South Africa's four quicks allowed Pakistan to leave more than six overs' worth of deliveries, 37 to be exact, in the first 19 overs.

Some of those deliveries were too far outside off stump to tempt Shan Masood and Khurram Manzoor, but the majority of them allowed the pair to duck underneath or watch them pass tamely over the stumps. There were 27 short balls in the first 114 deliveries. The surface did not suit the ploy and the openers, particularly Manzoor, displayed solid defensive ability on the back foot. As Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander discovered, the better plan was to bowl fuller and try to induce an edge. Steyn got it right against Masood but the chance he created was fluffed in the slips.

Where the quicks, barring Steyn, did well upfront was in keeping the run-rate down. Morne Morkel and Philander were miserly and built pressure but could not sustain it because of their continued relapse into old habits. Domingo, however, did not regard the approach as a mistake even though it yielded so little. "Every time we play subcontinent sides, we always look to target them with short-pitched bowling and it's definitely something we will continue doing," he said.

If that is the case, South Africa may only end up enabling Pakistan's batsmen, who showed greater intent than they have done recently. Against Zimbabwe, albeit in completely different conditions and against a different kind of attack, they rarely scored at more than three runs an over. Here, that was their regular pace - a refreshing change from the mindset of survival they have had to employ in recent matches.

Their scoring increased further against the slower bowlers. Robin Peterson was hardly threatening and expensive. For Pakistan, facing him was like asking a university graduate to write a high-school essay. They handled his flight with ease and brought South Africa's selection policy into question, because they did have another option in legspinner Imran Tahir.

Peterson was picked on protocol and sentiment. He has been South Africa's lead spinner since late 2012 and displacing him was considered unfair, especially because he had not done much wrong. That policy worked when all South Africa's spinner had to do was play a bits-and-pieces role in the shadow of the quicks, and it even helped lengthen their batting line-up.

On a pitch that will suit spin, however, there is no legitimate excuse for not playing the person who can turn the ball most. Tahir is not the best spinner in the world and the practice match was evidence of that. His assortment of full tosses and needless variations bled runs in his first spell in Sharjah, but he caused problems once he got it together. In the circumstances, South Africa should have used him in Abu Dhabi.

Domingo disagreed, and said Peterson had good enough performances over the last year to bounce back. "I am sure he will be the first to admit he didn't bowl as well as he could have. We know he will get better."

Peterson's performance will lead to deeper questions about the development of the available spin talent in South Africa - with Warriors' offspinner Simon Harmer being bandied as a possibility for the future - but right now the situation does not merit such severe introspection.

All that should be questioned is why South Africa did not use their best resource and whether they made the right decision in expecting JP Duminy to be the second spinner. Duminy has potential and was the better of the two slow bowlers today.

This is not the first time they picked an XI not best suited to the conditions either. That day in Brisbane, South Africa were so convinced by the pre-match hype of a green top that they played four seamers and relied on Duminy to do the work of a spinner. The pitch was one of the flattest in recent memory, and Duminy was injured before he could play any part in the match, which was drawn after a day was lost to rain.

There's unlikely to be a similar reprieve in this Test so South Africa will have to rescue themselves, and before they can consider doing that with the bat, they have to rectify their shortcomings with the ball.

"Having not played for a lengthy period of time, it always takes some time to get going," Domingo said. "You have to go back and remind yourself why this side is No.1 in the world and how they got there." They can start by remembering their rise up the rankings came through solid performances away from home, which were achieved by adapting to conditions quickly. They will need to do the same here.

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From wildcard to senior

Khurram Manzoor looked tentative on his Pakistan comeback but, two Tests later, made a century against the No. 1 Test attack alongside a debutant opening partner

For a significant portion of Dav Whatmore's tenure as Pakistan coach, he has looked worried. Occasionally that expression becomes something less stressful and sometimes it completely disappears and is replaced by calm. Even rarer are the times when it moulds into optimism. One of those times was between Test matches in Harare.

"Khurram Manzoor, he's back and he's looking quite good," Whatmore said in casual conversation with journalists one evening. Manzoor had returned into the Pakistan side to partner Mohammad Hafeez and fix one of Pakistan's most pressing concerns. But he did not look too convincing on first sighting.

He scored 11 and 5 in the first Test, appeared uncomfortable with the angle created by Tinashe Panyangara from around the wicket and was out lbw twice. Height was a concern on both occasions but without referral technology it was difficult to know for sure. Even ignoring that, Manzoor looked tentative and even a little out of his depth.

Whatmore must have known something others did not because in the next match, Manzoor scored twin half-centuries. Hafeez departed cheaply twice. Manzoor was more settled against the quicks, more in control, especially on the drive, and used his feet well against spin. Although Pakistan suffered a surprise defeat, there was one positive to take out of it: Whatmore had found his man.

Those knocks meant that when Hafeez was dropped for this series, Manzoor went from a wildcard who was handed a comeback after being dropped following seven reasonable Tests - which included a 93 against Sri Lanka and a 77 against Australia - to the one certainty in the Pakistan opening pair. With the search on to find who would share top-two duty, Manzoor became the more experienced opener, almost overnight.

It was a responsibility he handled from the first ball when he took strike against Test cricket's top-ranked bowler. He could have been overwhelmed but he was bullish - with bat and in attitude - instead. Ten runs were scored off three deliveries in the opening over, a rarity for Dale Steyn, and an appetiser to what Manzoor and his partner, Shan Masood, went on to produce.

They put on Pakistan's best opening stand since January 2012 and gave the middle order a reprieve from their rescue-effort duties. They have also given Pakistan hope that another new combination at the top of the order could be a successful one by wearing down a lethargic South Africa attack through watchfulness and calculated aggression.

Masood said this was the third century stand they have shared in. He recalled previous occasions during a warm-up match in Pakistan and an A game in West Indies and said that explained their understanding. "He is my senior partner and I felt very comfortable with him," Masood said.

Manzoor seemed to allow Masood greater freedom earlier on, even though they scored at similar rates. While Masood took on the short ball, Manzoor was happy to get on the front foot, push forward and nudge into gaps to ensure runs accumulated.

	With the milestone out of the way, Manzoor played with freedom and a surprising amount of self-expression. He seemed to laugh in the face of a frustrated Steyn by blowing him a sarcastic kiss

In that way, Pakistan were never in the slow-scoring rut they have found themselves in before and were still applying the requisite caution needed against South Africa's pace bowlers. When spin was introduced as lunch approached, Manzoor came into his own. His footwork appeared second nature as he struck JP Duminy and Robin Peterson for three fours in three deliveries, placing the ball where he wanted it to go each time.

It was a small bit of fun and Manzoor did not allow himself to be carried away by it. After the break, he was back to holding the fort. His ease in handling the short ball was a hallmark of his defence as he judged expertly when he needed to be on the back foot. When he reached fifty, it seemed a natural progression from where he left off in Harare. This time, he also showed he could convert.

Masood made what he termed a mistake in "missing a straight one" from Duminy, which trapped him on the pads. He acknowledged that he and Manzoor had exceeded expectations by the time he departed. "We wanted to try negotiate the new ball and set a good platform for the experienced and dependable middle order," he said.

The way Manzoor played afterwards illustrated his maturity. Pakistan lost two wickets for five runs and Manzoor needed to consolidate, even though he would have had his own milestone in the back of his mind. He spent 29 deliveries getting from 85 to 100, including an over from Vernon Philander where the bowler showed glimpses of the line and length that has worked so well for him in other parts of the world.

When Manzoor started to get itchy feet and thought about chasing a wide one, he immediately meted out a self-inflicted punishment. A thump on his own helmet with his bat was enough to remind him to advance cautiously. He allowed himself to let loose against Peterson, against whom it was only fitting that he brought up his century.

With the milestone out of the way, Manzoor played with freedom and a surprising amount of self-expression towards the end of the day. He seemed to laugh in the face of a frustrated Steyn by blowing him a sarcastic kiss. That kind of attitude is what's needed to overcome an attack who rely on their reputation to do some work for them because it will send a message, as Masood outlined later, saying: "We wanted it more." And Manzoor seemed to want it most.

How much more he wants could be decisive in the lead Pakistan take after the first innings. Masood suspects it will be a large amount, given the time left in the game. "We've got a guy who is batting tremendously on 131 and the captain," Masood said. "If these can two can bat for the first hour or first session, we are talking about taking the game by the scruff of the neck. The pressure is on them."

South Africa have already conceded their first century opening stand in 34 Test innings and could have another record against them broken too. Manzoor is now six runs away from overtaking Azhar Mahmood as the holder of Pakistan's highest individual score against South Africa. If you'd asked Whatmore in Harare that night whether he thought a feat like that was coming, despite all his confidence in Manzoor, he may have been hesitant to commit that much.

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Pakistan ruing lack of third seamer

Mohammad Irfan's temporary exit from the field illuminated the issue of not having a third seaming option, with captain Misbah-ul-Haq having Saeed Ajmal operate at one end in order to rotate his depleted attack

When Mohammad Irfan left the field two balls into his fourth spell, Pakistan were already playing with limited bowling options. With only a pair of specialist seamers and spinners each, without him, Pakistan were down to three bowlers, and when he walked off, it seemed that could cause some problems.

Hashim Amla and JP Duminy were playing fluently, and with barely any turn on a deck that was flattening out, Pakistan seemed to be in for the long haul. They had already shown their reluctance to use Younis Khan's medium-pace when Zulfiqur Babar was brought on as first-change in the 10th over. The left-arm spinner's first spell was placid, as he tossed it up generously and offered some relief from one end.

Despite that, they managed to put the world's top-ranked team in a precarious position using only four bowlers, thanks largely to the efforts of Junaid Khan upfront, and the spinners later on. Junaid opened with a four-over spell and obtained significant movement to make Graeme Smith's stay at the crease uncomfortable. After a four-over break, he returned for another, beating Hashim Amla's bat on occasion, and getting the crucial wicket of Jacques Kallis with what was probably his delivery of the day - one which bent back in and took the inside edge.

But with the older ball, the South Africans found him easier to play, and that may have been where Pakistan missed a third seam-bowling option. Their lack of a pace-bowling all-rounder seems to offset the balance of their team and they will have to rely heavily on the spinners to make up for that.

The early signs suggest they can. Saeed Ajmal's stamina meant he could easily operate from one end all day once he was brought on, and it seemed that would be the case when he came on before lunch. He bowled non-stop from the 22nd over till tea, making it 17 overs on the trot.

Although he was fairly unthreatening in that time, the South Africans treated him with the respect his reputation has earned, and having him as a constant allowed Misbah-ul-Haq to rotate the rest of the bowlers from the other end. That may be the way Ajmal is used in the early exchanges between these two sides, as a slow poison of sorts to create frustration and allow things to happen at the other end before striking himself.

An example of that came when the man stationed in an unconventional position behind square leg for JP Duminy's sweep shot gave Babar his first Test wicket. And then things started to turn for the spinners, with Babar and Ajmal taking advantage. With South Africa at 222 for 8, they could have finished them off for under 250, but it was perhaps the lack of an additional bowler which made it difficult for them to achieve that.

Misbah will probably have to call on Younis at some stage, but will be relieved that Irfan was able to get back on to take the second new ball. The tall man later confirmed it was nothing more than a case of cramp, exacerbated by slight dehydration, and that he felt better after increasing his water intake. He confirmed he would be able to play a part in the rest of the match but predicted he may not be the danger man.

"At the end of the day, the spinners dominated," Irfan said. "Although it is not turning that much, our spinners are still getting something out of it, and will hopefully have more in the second innings."

Pakistan would have thought they were in a similar position of advantage after they bowled South Africa out for 253 in their first innings at the Wanderers in February. That was the first, and only time, in the home summer that South Africa were challenged, and that too in conditions tailor-made for their pace attack. All Pakistan could muster in response was 49 all out, thanks to a Dale Steyn special of 6 for 8 in 8.1 overs.

Nothing as emphatic should be expected tomorrow, given the conditions, but Duminy hinted the seamers are already smarting on behalf of their batsmen and will want to make up for a day which they "definitely" felt they ended "behind" on. "Having the bowling line-up that we do, you've got to back us to do a great job," Duminy said.

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Tucker appointed captain for qualifiers

38-year-old veteran Janeiro Tucker has been appointed Bermuda captain for next month's World T20 qualifier, for which they named a 15-man squad.

Bermuda aim to shrug off the one-hit wonder tag at the tournament as they target a place back at a major event for the first time since the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies - to date their only appearance at a global competition.

"I am happy to congratulate Janeiro Tucker on his appointment," Bermuda Cricket Board president Lloyd Fray said. "Janeiro has been an outstanding player at domestic and international level for a number of years and has a keen cricket mind. He is respected by the players and our community and is a proven leader on and off the cricket field.

"Many of us remember one of Bermuda's proudest moments in July 2005 when Bermuda qualified for the 2007 Cricket World Cup. I hope that we all remember that is was Janeiro Tucker who was captain at that time, he had taken over the reins when Clay Smith was injured in an early match, and he lead our country to qualification. I hope that proves to be a lucky omen for our country in next month's tournament."

The squad will travel to Dubai on November 8 for two warm-up matches against Italy and Canada before their first qualifier in Group B against Scotland on November 15.

Bermuda squad for World T20 qualifier
Janeiro Tucker (capt), Dion Stovell, Kwame Tucker, Christian Burgess, David Hemp, Terryn Fray, Tre Manders, Christopher Douglas, Allan Douglas Jnr, Jacobi Robinson, Derrick Brangman, Lionel Cann, Malachi Jones, Kamau Leverock, Kamal Bashir

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Amla, a master of patience and adaptability

Hashim Amla began his innings like he has often done this year - inside the first ten overs - and batted with simplicity and consideration to bring up his 20th Test century

Perhaps the most remarkable fact about Hashim Amla's triple-century at The Oval last July was that he did not change batting gloves once in the 13 hours and 10 minutes he spent at the crease. He took them off, of course, and dried them at lunch, tea and stumps but put the same pair back on when he resumed his innings.

Amla does not have a Neil McKenzie-type obsession with superstition; it was simply a case of not changing something that was still of perfectly good use. It was about getting rid of the unnecessary, which Amla has become better at as his career has progressed. The results are evident in his significantly less eye-catching back lift and his ability to capitalise when others are not able to.

JP Duminy aside, Amla was the only batsman who looked like he belonged to the No.1 Test team on the first day in Abu Dhabi. The openers struggled against a new-ball assault, which included extra bounce from Mohammad Irfan and movement from Junaid Khan, and Amla found himself walking out before three overs were up. He went on to play with the understanding of a man who had read this book many times before.

Amla has been in before ten overs have been bowled in five out of eight innings this year. Making up for the deficiencies of South Africa's openers has not been a burden, though, but a chance to do something special: Amla has gone past 50 each time and converted two into hundreds.

His patience has been praised at length on these pages and many others. Today Duminy called it "immense," how Amla resisted early in his innings against a tough seam attack and later on, when heat and spin could have worn him down.

Amla relied on simplicity of technique in those testing periods, and an awareness of his off stump allowed him to leave the ball comfortably, when others were more hesitant. It cannot be coincidence that Amla is the only South African Test player with first-class experience in the last month - a stint with Surrey - while his team-mates have either been recovering from injury or playing limited-overs cricket. Duminy also had some first-class cricket, although that was in August against India A.

The assurance that comes with game time was evident in the way Amla approached the practice game in Sharjah, where he attacked the bowling soon after settling, and the way he began his innings here. After ten balls of making the right decisions about what to leave and defend, Amla drove Junaid through mid off. If not for the sluggish outfield, he would not have had to run three.

Once he was satisfied that there were no dangers in the pitch, Amla wanted to get on with scoring. After pushing into the covers, he set off quickly for a run and had to be sent back by Jacques Kallis, a man who prefers to take his time. He was nearly run out. Amla had been part of several misunderstandings between the wickets last summer, and although he couldn't explain why, his enthusiasm for getting a move-on may be behind it.

After being reminded of Kallis' more leisurely preference, Amla adjusted to meet his partner's pace of scoring boundaries when they were available and ambling runs at other times. Amla has excelled at adapting to the tempo of his partner, which makes playing his own game easier, irrespective of who is with him.

When AB de Villiers, who found rhythm immediately, came in, Amla raised his strike rate from 44 to 60, the highest of his innings. With Duminy, who was making a comeback to Test cricket after 11 months, Amla assumed responsibility and scored in more measured fashion, allowing his partner time to feel comfortable.

Duminy said having someone of Amla's quality at the other end made batting easier. Amla is calm on the outside but intense within. Batting may seem as easy as breathing to him, but when he is out there he is thinking of ways for both he and his partner to profit.

If Amla sees that his partner has taken a liking to a certain bowler, he will happily let him have the strike. Duminy was enjoying playing the spinners and there was a five-and-half over period in which Amla faced just six balls.

Amla approached his century in his typical method - slowly. He spent 30 balls in the 90s and saw Duminy depart in that time. Soon after he enjoyed his 20th hundred, Faf du Plessis was out and Amla had to consolidate again. He let Robin Peterson and particularly Dale Steyn play with freedom, in the knowledge that he was there to hold fort. He saw off the second new ball with the same focus that he used for the first and will be back on the second morning to try and complete South Africa's escape.

Overnight, Amla is unlikely to have any anxious thoughts. He may enjoy a latte, one his favourite refreshments, and begin tomorrow as though he was batting for the first time. These are all indicators that Amla does not want for a lot to do his job properly. Duminy confirmed it. "All he basically needs is a sip of lukewarm water, even in that heat, and a towel on his head and he is pretty good," Duminy said. A change of batting gloves? Don't be silly.

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India begin Project Raina

India are trialling Suresh Raina at No 4 as back-up for Yuvraj Singh ahead of the 2015 World Cup. But does Raina have the game to succeed in the top order?

As he dissected India's performance after their heavy defeat to Australia in the first ODI, MS Dhoni also revealed an important development: India are trying to develop Suresh Raina as a No 4 batsman with an eye on the 2015 World Cup. This was why Raina had been sent in ahead of long-time No 4 Yuvraj Singh in Pune, and he would bat there for a while, according to his captain.

"As of now what we want is for Suresh to bat at No 4 for a considerable period of time," Dhoni said. "It's only Yuvraj Singh who we have got and if he is in good form and we go till the World Cup without anything happening, then he will bat there. But if he doesn't, all of a sudden we can't say we do not have a No 4 batsman.

"All the other slots, we have players and we even have replacements. But apart from Yuvraj, I don't see anybody who has batted 50 ODIs at No 4. That can be a concern and we will have to rectify that from this point. No point going too late and then saying we don't have time to do anything."

Dhoni's rationale in wanting a back-up for a crucial batting position is understandable, especially given Yuvraj's recent history. Yes, he's made his second comeback since recovering from cancer but it is still unclear how his form will hold up as the World Cup approaches. He is obviously the first-choice No 4 but there is every reason to have a contingency plan in place.

So for the second time in his eight-year international career, Raina will get another sustained run up the order. The first opportunity had come in 2008, when over 13 successive innings in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India, he produced one century and four fifties at an average of nearly 40.

As his career has progressed, Raina's desire to gain a promotion in the line-up has increased. He's seen Virat Kohli come in and establish himself at No 3 with a string of hundreds. Raina knows that for all the death-over slogging, it is the centuries that catch attention and bring lasting recognition. Last year, Raina pointed out that he'd "scored only three (ODI) hundreds", as he staked his claim for elevation again.

While Raina's desire cannot be faulted, mere elevation in the batting order will not result in more hundreds. They will have to be earned by taking on the responsibility of building an innings, something Raina hasn't exactly shown the inclination for when he has been given the chance. Captaincy should ideally translate into more cautious batting, as in Dhoni's case, but when Raina led India in Zimbabwe in 2010 and in the West Indies in 2011, he refused to change his aggressive approach.

India had sent second-string sides for both tours, and Raina mostly came in with plenty of overs to go after a top-order wobble. In nine innings over those tours, he averaged 23.57, including two not-outs in chases that were almost over by the time he walked in. Three times he failed going for his favourite slog-sweep when the situation demanded restraint.

In Pune, Raina looked to launch James Faulkner over midwicket, after gaining a hard-earned start against Mitchell Johnson's pace, and fell for 39. It was not the ideal response from a No 4 batsman at that point in a tough chase. Raina, however, is used to going for similar strokes to similar deliveries. Aggression comes naturally to him. Also, an overwhelming majority of his career has been spent at No 5 or below. Often, he doesn't have the luxury of getting himself in so these shots are instinctive.

It is not to say Yuvraj would have never gone for the same shot at that moment. But at No 4, a batsman must temper the urge to turn a 10-run over into a 16-run over with an eye on the big picture. Yuvraj has done that successfully for more than a decade. He can hit six sixes in an over in a Twenty20, but he also makes sure he lasts long enough to get the big scores that win ODI games. That necessitates controlling the urge to deposit one more over midwicket. It needs one to duck under a few short balls early on rather than try to work them for singles, one of Raina's preferred ways of handling the bouncer barrage he usually faces. Dhoni knows Raina will need some time to unlearn and adjust.

"We will have to give him some kind of experience at No 4," Dhoni said. "He's batted too long at No 6. That is why sometimes you see these instinctive shots, when the batsman sees and goes after them. It is very important that he uses these opportunities well. Then we'll have two batsmen who have a fair amount of exposure at No 4."

Raina has the chance to increase his centuries from "only three." Will he able to adapt and rein himself in? India will have a clearer picture of his ability by the end of the Australia series.

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Bangladesh's greater unity brings rewards

Bangladesh are more cohesive than they were two years ago, and that's because of Mushfiqur Rahim's leadership and the rise in status of players like Sohag Gazi

If David Boon hadn't dived two feet to his right at short leg, there wouldn't have been an MCG hat-trick for Shane Warne. At Eden Gardens in 2001, it was Sadagoppan Ramesh's swift right hand that gave Harbhajan Singh his famous hat-trick. And today, Sohag Gazi needed Shakib Al Hasan to dive from leg slip and catch the ball as it was about to drop in front of first slip, after the edge from Doug Bracewell had ricocheted off the wicketkeeper Mushiqur Rahim's pads.

The catch that gave Gazi his hat-trick was stunning, because of the distance Shakib had to cover and his courage at not giving a hoot about the fielder who was about to swoop in from first slip.

Shakib's feat said a lot about this Bangladesh team. Gazi had talked about how senior players like Shakib and Abdur Razzak had talked to him about his bowling, when the Bangladesh board had made it clear that the spin consultant Saqlain Mushtaq would not be available before 2014. Gazi had never had a bowling mentor before, and he needed Saqlain at a time when his form had taken a dip.

The development of a more congenial environment in the team has not been talked about outwardly, but there have been moments in the field that indicate Bangladesh are a cohesive unit, and not a divisive one.

Bangladesh had gone through a hard time when there appeared to be a gap between Shakib and Tamim, and the rest of the team. It had to do with the high profiles of those two celebrity players, but the number of performers has increased over the last couple of years. Nasir Hossain, Mominul Haque, Robiul Islam and Gazi have not reached the status of Tamim or Shakib, but they are getting there. Within the team environment, it has become easier to handle stars and treat everyone more equally than before.

The captain Mushfiqur Rahim must take most of the credit, but he too has had to overcome difficulty. He took over two years ago, at a time when Bangladesh cricket was going through a tumultuous phase, having lost to Zimbabwe and with Shakib and Tamim being abruptly removed from leadership. Mushfiqur has handled several issues adroitly, such as the players regrouping after a controversial first BPL. He was in the most trouble for speaking out about the unpaid fees.

Mushfiqur picked that moment to inspire his side, and they won ODIs against India and Sri Lanka, and were eventual Asia Cup runners-up after a heart-breaking loss in the final. Mushfiqur also had to tackle long breaks between seasons, because Bangladesh do not get a lot of Test cricket.

After this year's BPL, Mushfiqur saw several players turning up injured for their preparatory camp ahead of the Sri Lanka tour, creating a chaotic situation with long queues outside the physio's room. He managed to shift the focus to Test cricket again, overcoming worries about injuries and more unpaid BPL wages.

Mushfiqur also had to battle his own demons. After losing the ODI series to Zimbabwe in May, he suddenly resigned. There were rumours flying about but it was clearly an emotional decision. He was quickly reappointed, but there was going to be a lot of pressure on him from the BCB directors had Bangladesh not done well in this game. It is necessary to understand the background of this team's development, when putting Gazi's hat-trick into context.

Gazi had done extremely well in first-class cricket but since he played for Barisal Division, one of the worst teams, he had gone unnoticed. Under Mushfiqur and former chief selector Akram Khan, however, the focus has been on good performers, regardless of their pedigree. Gazi is a product of all the troubles Mushfiqur had to solve. He is here because Bangladesh cricket is slowly moving away from the tradition of promoting talented cricketers from age-group competitions.

Ever since his Test debut, Gazi has made headlines. Mushfiqur asked him to open the attack against Chris Galye in the Dhaka Test last year. It made Gazi the first offspinner in Test history to bowl the first over of a match on debut, and the first debutant spinner to do so in 103 years. Within a few overs, he dismissed Chris Gayle, who had earlier smacked him for a six off his first ball. Gazi took nine wickets in the match, and on his ODI debut, he was the Man of the Match for his four-wicket haul, which won Bangladesh the game in Khulna.

Gazi's fortune dipped in Sri Lanka where, on his first tour, he had to be the lead bowler in the absence of Shakib. The Zimbabwe tour wasn't great either, as he struggled in different conditions. There was a poor tour of England two months ago, as well as unremarkable performance in the Dhaka Premier League too.

However, as Gazi felt the arm ball slide out of his fingers and then saw it dip and nick Doug Bracewell's edge, clip Mushfiqur Rahim's right pad and fall into Shakib's diving fingers, the hat-trick was completed and the place in history secured. But he had done the same thing nearly a year ago.

Only a small group of most ardent followers in Bangladesh and highly-aware cricket statisticians around the world know that Gazi has scored a hundred, taken a hat-trick and a five-wicket haul in a first-class match, for Barisal against Khulna in the National Cricket League.

He took the wickets of Taposh Ghosh, Rubel Hossain and Al-Amin Hossain, which gave him seven wickets in the innings and nine in the match. Earlier in the game, Gazi had struck 119 off 93 balls, after reaching the century off 76. It was the second fastest first-class century in Bangladesh, just behind a 67-ball century in October 2011 - his own feat.

Gazi's set and broken records in the month of October, in 2011, 2012 and 2013. What will October 2014 bring, when Zimbabwe tour Bangladesh?

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Spin and heat lessen mismatch

Match facts

October 14-18
Start time 10.00 am local time (6.00am GMT)

Big picture

South Africa have shown their dominance at home, blanking opponents in both series last season, and in England and Australia, where they have won on their previous two visits. Their focus will now turn to underlining their superiority on the spin-friendly tracks in the heat of Asia. They get fewer matches in Asia - Vernon Philander, an integral member of the side, is yet to play a Test there - and they haven't quite been as commanding on visits there: South Africa drew against India in 2008 and 2010, and shared the series against Pakistan in the UAE three years ago. Though they were not outclassed in any of those contests, the series win has proved elusive in recent years.

While South Africa are a settled unit, three of their regulars are returning after lengthy breaks: Graeme Smith was out with a foot problem, Jacques Kallis opted to take a break after the IPL and JP Duminy, while he has made limited-overs appearances recently, last played a Test nearly a year ago after being sidelined with an Achilles injury.

Pakistan, in the meantime, have had a humbling year. They were out of their depth in South Africa and only managed a draw in the series in Zimbabwe last month. They are far more in their element in the UAE, where the pitches give their spinners more to work with. The big question mark for Pakistan remains their batting, and whether it has the backbone to keep out a potent South Africa attack. Misbah-ul-Haq has become a master of the firefight after his top-order batsmen keel over, but he'll need more support if Pakistan are to pose a challenge to the No. 1 side in the world.

Form guide

Pakistan LWLLL (last five matches, most recent first)
South Africa WWWWW

In the spotlight

Pakistan's top order has been a huge problem: in ten Test innings this year, the top three wickets have only had two half-century stands, and there have been 15 partnerships of ten or less. Pakistan have discarded Mohammad Hafeez, and have a couple of uncapped players vying for an opener's spot. The 'established' opener is Khurram Manzoor, only nine-Tests-old himself, and having only returned to the side after a three-year absence in the recent Zimbabwe series.

For over a decade Graeme Smith has been an effective, if not elegant, run-getter for South Africa at the top of the order, shielding his middle-order batsmen from the new ball. He hasn't played much cricket in the lead-up to this series, however, having been out of competitive cricket for over 21 weeks with a foot injury. He didn't get much time in the middle in the practice game either, but he is confident he is ready for the rigours of Test cricket.

Team news

There was some concern over Smith's ankle but he is expected to play and has trained a day ahead of the match. South Africa are likely to go in with one frontline spinner in Robin Peterson, and Dean Elgar is set to make way for Duminy.

South Africa: 1 Graeme Smith (capt), 2 Alviro Petersen, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 Jacques Kallis, 5 AB de Villiers (wk), 6 JP Duminy, 7 Faf du Plessis, 8 Robin Peterson, 9 Vernon Philander, 10 Dale Steyn, 11 Morne Morkel

Besides the top-order conundrum, Pakistan have to pick the support quick bowler for Junaid Khan - one of Mohammad Irfan or Rahat Ali. The rest of the side is fairly settled.

Pakistan: 1 Shan Masood, 2 Khurram Manzoor, 3 Azhar Ali, 4 Younis Khan, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), 6 Asad Shafiq, 7 Adnan Akmal (wk), 8 Abdur Rehman, 9 Saeed Ajmal, 10 Junaid Khan, 11 Mohammad Irfan

Pitch and conditions

Smith expected the pitch to be similar to the one South Africa played on in 2010, when these teams were involved in a high-scoring draw. It is warm in Abu Dhabi, with temperatures likely to be in excess of 30 C over the course of the match. The South African players have been using ice vests to try and get some relief from the heat.

Stats and trivia

• South Africa lead the head-to-head record in Tests against Pakistan 11-3
• Pakistan (23) and South Africa (24) have played the fewest Tests among the top eight countries in the last three years

Quotes

"There are a great bunch of boys and I had a good time with them in Zimbabwe. Even though we lost a Test match, overall the performance and the conduct was wonderful. It's good for me to be around them and I know a lot of them - like when Misbah made his debut, I was the captain."
Moin Khan, the Pakistan team manager

"We haven't dwelled on any past experiences. But every time you win away from home you gain an inner strength. That confidence has grown because we know we've been able to compete in all conditions away from home.
Graeme Smith on South Africa's unbeaten record away from home, which has stretched to seven years

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