Will it spin in India's favour?

By John Cheeran
When Indian skipper Rahul Dravid is told from all four corners that he and coach Greg Chappell should stop experimenting with strategies, England are planning just that.
Trying to bring innovation to the way they throw batsmen at rival bowlers.
England team management has gone public much before the Champions Trophy in India that their skipper Andrew Flintoff will open the innings.
And, today, India are facing England in the first match of the tournament. Dravid must be the most prepared person to come to terms with such surprises.
On Saturday, Dravid said it doesn't really matter who opens. "He could provide some exciting possibilities up the order, but we could also get him out early and put a lot pressure on their middle order. We will be prepared whoever England open with."
That's the attitude a team that aspires world title should have.
But it is quite another matter how keyed up Dravid's men will be when they begintheir Champions Trophy campaign. Team India have been hit hard by some narrow losses in the immediate past. Their top order batting has been whipped to cream on more than one occasion.
Sometimes, it has happened that even a good batting effort (scoring 300 plus with one of your batsmen slamming a century) does not ensure victory.
In Jaipur India are laying a spin trap for England. On such occasions tactics can backfire. Especially when England have a competent spinner in Monty Panesar, one who can put even Sachin Tendulkar to sleep in the middle.
India will not be taking a gamble if they decide to field both off spinners Harbhajan Singh and Romesh Powar. Powar's reputation for big hitting should be a factor that eventually should seal his place in the side.
It is apparent that Dravid is banking on the hosts' tradition of spin this time.
With the kind of slow wickets available, he should exploit the home advantage to off set the reversals suffered in Malaysia and West Indies.
Let us hear Dravid. "It is an advantage for us, we came back from some difficult positions to win that (England) series," he said. "But in an eight-team competition, any of these teams can go on and win.
"I hope we hit the groundrunning," he said. "We can be a force to reckon with at home."
And the fact that India had thrashed England 5-1 in a home series in April should be some comfort to Dravid.