Left-arm seamer Irfan Pathan is all set to be dropped for India's second cricket one-dayer against South Africa in Durban on Wednesday in Kingsmead where a sunny morning has raised prospects of a timely start to the day-night encounter.
It has been clear and bright since morning and even though there is humidity in the air, the game should be on. The opening tie of the five-match one-day series was washed out without a ball being bowled in Johannesburg on Sunday.
Pathan's omission implies that India would go into the game with four bowlers in Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, Ajit Agarkar and Harbhajan Singh.
The fifth bowler's duties would be taken care of by the seam-up stuff of Sachin Tendulkar and off-spinner Virender Sehwag, who is all set to take the field after recovering from a finger injury.
Pathan's inability to bowl in death overs must have cost him his place as is the fact that India wants to strengthen their batting by including a specialist batsman in the ranks.
As things stood hours before start of the game, Pathan, Dinesh Kaarthick, S Sreesanth, Wasim Jaffer and Anil Kumble are set to be dropped.
