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Kolkata: With the four-Test series levelled at 1-1 after India's ploy to prepare a turning track backfired in Mumbai, the hosts will seek to bounce back as they go into the third Test against England on Wednesday with intense pressure on their under-performing star players to deliver before its too late.
After India's humiliating loss in the second Test, the build-up to the Eden match was marked by a pitch row that began with a desperate Dhoni insisting for a rank-turner, which led to the local curator Prabir Mukherjee calling the Indian skipper "immoral and unethical".
Aided by skipper Alastair Cook's super show with two centuries from two Tests, and the most-destructive Kevin Pietersen showing in the last Test what he is capable of, England had buried India at their own den at the Wankhede, sealing a 10-wicket.
The three-pronged spin attack did not yield desired results and in batting department, barring Cheteshwar Pujara, all big names failed miserably.
The opening pair of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir's inconsistency combined with Sachin Tendulkar's prolonged slump form -- 153 runs from last 10 innings -- has not done India any good.
Even Virat Kohli has been unusually quiet in this series so far. Despite having a great year, he hasn't scored a big knock in the last four innings.
India's bowling had also came a cropper in last the two Tests.
The spin department led by veteran Harbhajan Singh completely flopped. Harbhajan himself looked a shade of his past, while the duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha seemed pedestrian as compared to England's Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann, both of whom shared 19 of 20 wickets on offer.
Pacer Zaheer Khan seemed to have lacked match fitness as he not only failed to pick a wicket, but also could not use the reverse swing.
On otherhand, England may include pacer Steve Finn, who is raring to go after overcoming a thigh injury, which forced him out of the first two Tests.
The 23-year-old fast bowler may cost a struggling Stuart Board a place in the side.
In Panesar and Swann, the Englishmen have the house in order in the spin department. Their success will depend heavily on the duo's consistent performance, even as India would look to dominate spinners as they have done in the past.
As far as batting is concerned, middle-order batsman Ian Bell has returned after going on a paternity leave and he may replace Jonny Bairstow.
Teams from
India: MS Dhoni (captain & wk), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Cheteshwar Pujara, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Ajinkya Rahane, R Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Murali Vijay, Ashok Dinda.
England: Alastair Cook (captain), Nick Compton, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Eoin Morgan, Matt Prior (wk), Jonny Bairstow, Samit Patel, Graeme Swann, Monty Panesar, James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Steven Finn, Joe Root, Tim Bresnan, Graham Onions, Stuart Meaker, James Tredwell.
Pitch & conditions
The pitch for the match has drawn a lot more attention because of the controversy and it remains to be seen whether the hosts can put everything behind them and focus on the game.
Stats & trivia
Match facts
December 5-9, 2012
Start time 09:30 local (04:00 GMT, 05:00am EST)
