Nation awaits next move from the great gambler Dhoni

Even if he was just joking captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni knows that he faces a much tougher task for the upcoming two-day match than for the remaining two Tests.

Who does he field against Northamptonshire? More importantly, who can he rest?

Indeed, the Indian team, especially after the two-Test drubbing, looks more used and abused than a Mumbai taxi; after all, it has been on the road for almost ever now.

"Look at them," he is believed to have quipped on Tuesday, as he and a few of his mates soaked in the city centre atmosphere. "Some day one of them will just collapse."

He, of course, will never say something like that even if a gun was put to his head; at the most, he was only trying to look at the problem from a lighter side. But it is still exactly that: a major problem.

Yuvraj Singh, after taking a nasty blow on his hand, and Harbhajan Singh (abdominal strain) are already out. Gautam Gambir's elbow surely needs more time too so that the pain, or injury, doesn't become a factor in the crucial battle ahead; Rahul Dravid also needs some recovery space after all the batting in West Indies and here.

Who does that leave? Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman among the seniors and Abhinav Mukund and Suresh Raina among the younger ones on the batting front. Would it make sense for the former two to put up their feet and mull over the challenge ahead? Would it make sense for the latter two to have a go at the lesser bowlers?

Even if Dhoni wants to take a considered decision, he doesn't have the choice: he will need at least six players to present as batsmen. The only one he can readily think of is wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha. But he has as much chance of playing in the Tests as Boycott.

The other sure shot could have been Virender Sehwag who arrived in the morning. He will, of course, need the practice too just to get a hang of the conditions, if not to get his feet moving. But then, the team management can't be sure of his fitness until he has a hit; would it like to jeopardize everything, probably their last chance at squaring the series even, by rushing him into it.

Dhoni would be worried about his own form too: he has neither been tidy behind the stumps nor smart before them. He has to do something about both if he has to regain his confidence, if not his aura.

The bowling front is even more depressing. Zaheer Khan is still recovering from the hamstring strain; Harbhajan is already out, as mentioned earlier.

Praveen has bowled so many overs that he might collapse any time. Ishant Sharma is also equally tired.

That means only Munaf Patel, Sreesanth and Amit Mishra are in any position to play. So who will be the fourth bowler? Dhoni knows it is not a laughing matter at all; far too much is at stake, even personally for him.