Change the batting order, esp if we bat first:

1. Sehwag (last chance)
2. Yuvraj
3. Pinch-hitter Pathan, or Karthick
4. Dravid
5. Kaif
6. Gangs
7. If Karthick does not pinch-hit, he will be #7 or else, Pathan
8. Bhajji
9. Balaji
10. Kumble/Agarkar
11. Nehra/Kumble

Some justification:

1. Yuvraj can’t bat against spin. He will be best used at the top, facing the new ball, with the field open for his shots. Plus he will get more time to play. This is his chance to prove that he is ok opening.
2. We need a pinch hitter because invariably what happens is that after the first wicket, Laxman comes in and slows things down, taking time to settle and stuff. We don’t need any of that. Let Pathan come in and stroke a few 4’s and keep the run rate up.
3. We need to try out Karthick - one way or the other, we have to make sure we have a keeper who can bat. IF we want to prepare for the ‘07 WC, this is the time to start. Sorry, that means Rohan is out.
4. Dravid is perfect for #4 because depending on what is going on, he can either come in and calm the boat, or start doing what he does best (or used to do best) - rotate the strike. He just needs to spend some time in the middle to regain some of his lost form.
5. I put Kaif ahead of Gangs because in general, Gangs can start striking from ball 1, but Kaif cannot. And Kaif will get one more wicket and one more partnership to work his singles and twos in.

The rest is self-explanatory.

Whaddya think?