Recall for Yousuf Risks Pakistan's Fragile Unity

Birmingham: A psychologically battered Pakistan side takes on England in the second Test at Edgbaston on Friday, with its selectors poised to take a huge gamble by recalling former captain Mohammad Yousuf.

Within 24 hours of the 354-run defeat by England in the first Test at Trent Bridge, Yousuf, having coming out of international retirement, was summoned from Pakistan in a high-risk move by the selectors.

Yousuf's condition has to be open to question, he only received a visa on Wednesday and is due in Britain on Thursday after a 10-hour flight, less than 24 hours before the second Test starts.

Although Yousuf, 35, averages 53 in Tests, he has only played Twenty20 cricket in the past six months and bringing him back into the squad risks re-opening the bitter wounds exposed in May, when a video of an inquiry into player behavior was leaked to Geo Super TV.

Malik in turn was accused of refusing to perform for Yousuf, while the new captain Salman Butt may struggle to forget the public admonition he received from Yousuf after running him out against Australia in Hobart in January.

In the immediate aftermath of the capitulation at Trent Bridge, Butt had pleaded for more time for his young teammates. Butt was openly skeptical about the idea of tinkering with the line-up.

Coach Waqar Younis also seemed to rule out a recall for either Yousuf or Younis Khan, another former captain.

With or without Yousuf, Pakistan risks losing the series 4-0 and although Pakistan lost and lost badly at Trent Bridge, Butt did at least seem to be rebuilding team unity.

Who Yousuf replaces is also a matter of conjecture as the only Pakistan player to play a significant innings at Trent Bridge was the bowler Umar Gul, with 65 not out in the first innings.

And while the bowling attack had some success, spinner Danish Kaneria has been released from the squad after taking 1-171 in the match and replaced by Saeed Ajmal.

England is concern over Kevin Pietersen's form - he hasn't made a century since the tour of the West Indies in March 2009 - while Alastair Cook could also do with some runs.

But unless there is an injury, the England starting line-up will almost certainly be unchanged.

Graeme Swann, who bowled just two overs in the match despite being the leading spin bowler in world cricket this year, is happy to take a back seat again.

"It was nice to have the best view in the house, just sit on the armchair at slip and watch it," Swann said, joking with reporters. If I get a couple of wickets at Edgbaston, I'll be perfectly happy.

Whenever you go into a game you always expect the worst and when I say the worst I mean expect to bowl 30 overs in an innings and really feel it afterwards.

Team news

England barring late injuries England won't make any changes, especially after such a comprehensive victory. Graeme Swann should expect some more work in this Test, but he has said he won't mind another Test standing at second slip.

Squad from Andrew Strauss (C), Alastair Cook, Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott, Eoin Morgan, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Paul Collingwood, Steven Finn, Matt Prior (WK), Ajmal Shahzad, Graeme Swann, Tim Bresnan.

Pakistan Yousuf has made it to Birmingham in time but a late decision will be made on whether to include him. If he isn't brought straight in, Hameed could play his first Test since December 2007 and there may also be a temptation to move Shoaib Malik up the order.

Squad from Salman Butt (C), Imran Farhat, Yasir Hameed, Umar Akmal, Umar Amin, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal (VC & WK), Umar Gul, Mohammad Asif, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Aamer, Saeed Ajmal, Azhar Ali, Tanvir Ahmed, Fawad Alam, Shahzaib Hasan, Mohammad Yousuf.

Pitch and conditions
There has been some rain around Birmingham in the build-up to the Test and the forecast suggests further showers can be expected at various stages during the game. Cloudy skies will keep the swing bowlers happy and Stuart Broad recently showed what was on offer in the surface with 8 for 52 playing for Nottinghamshire against Warwickshire.

Stats and trivia

• The first Test provided only the third occasion in history when all the top scores came from No. 6 and below in the order.
• England and Pakistan have met six times at Edgbaston and the visitors have never won here. The last occasion was in 1992 in what became a rain-ruined and bat-dominated draw.
• James Anderson, fresh from his 11-wicket haul, will play his 50th Test.

Match facts
August 06-10, 2010
Start time 11:00 local (10:00 GMT)