Akhtar doubtful for the Kolkata test, Yuvi may get the nod...

Already 0-1 down in the three-match Test series, Pakistan team has had to deal with some more bad news on Tuesday as their bowling spearhead Shoaib Akhtar has been admitted to a hospital with a chest and viral infection.

After the Indian and the Pakistan teams arrived in Kolkata ahead of the second Test, Akhtar had to be hospitalised.

Shoaib was the only Pakistan bowler who threatened in the first Test match. His new ball partner Umar Gul though has been passed fit but had a back injury which kept him out of the Delhi Test.

Meanwhile, the security has been tightened for both teams. A private news channel received an email threat to the lives of Pakistan cricket team members.

Kolkata police want the movements of the team to be more restricted. They are meeting the team managers of both Indian and Pakistan teams to review security.

The second Test is crucial for Pakistan as they have already lost the first Test match in New Delhi. The second Test is scheduled to be played in Kolkata from November 30.

It isn't often that a team changes a winning combination but the Indian management may just be tempted to tinker with it for the Kolkata Test. There is a school of thought that Yuvraj Singh simply has to play if not in the middle order, then perhaps as an opener.

What a difference two bad knocks can make - Dinesh Karthik failed in both innings at the Kotla and suddenly his place is under the scanner, although his skipper gave him a vote of confidence.

"He was the highest run-scorer in the last Test series and you can't go by just the last two innings and it is not fair on anyone," said India skipper Anil Kumble.

Karthik does have a case to play on. After all in India's last series in England he was the highest scorer and made three half centuries.

But then the man waiting on the sidelines is in the form of his life and some experts are convinced that Yuvraj should play. But definitely not as an opener.

"Why are you spoiling his form. He is in such a good nick and he is batting at number 5 and 6 which is an ideal position for him as he is a stroke-maker. There are different techniques for the openers from the middle-order," said former Pakistani fast bowler, Waqar Younis.

But those calling for Yuvraj to open offer another logic. Wasn't Virender Sehwag a middle order batsman who was thrust into the job? And did it successfully.

"Don't forget that Virender Sehwag straight away got into the opening slot, but Yuvraj has proved himself as a middle-order batsman - played for about 6-7 years in the middle-order slot, so after playing for 6-7 years coming into opening is not advisable," said Kris Srikkant.

However to open the innings may be Yuvraj's only chance of playing in the eleven. Sourav Ganguly and V V S Laxman got runs in Delhi to ensure no questions over their place will be asked for the rest of the series. Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar walk into the middle order as a matter of right.

It is very difficult to change the winning combination but this time

the team management may have to think about it because Yuvraj Singh is in the form of his life and everyone wants to make the most of it.