Pakistan players warm up before nets at the Eden on Monday

Calcutta: In the last Test at the Eden (in November-December 2004), South African allrounder Jacques Kallis felt awestruck by the crowd?s noise at the stadium and had complained to teammates of losing focus during his century in the first innings.

Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer is echoing almost a similar fear as his team is bracing up for the second Test against Sourav Ganguly?s boys, starting here from Wednesday.

Woolmer, it may be recalled, had spent some years in the city during his childhood when his father was posted here.

A good deal of the Englishman?s observation was based on what Harbhajan did during the final day of the first Test in Mohali.

?It was quite an amazing experience. When Harbhajan came in the field (as Sourav?s substitute), the first thing he did was to pep up the crowd and soon they started creating hell of a noise. We knew he got something going and it was during that time we lost both Kamran (Akmal) and Abdul Razzaq,? Woolmer told a press conference on Monday.

?Harbhajan?s act gave us a little scare, but we managed to move along (towards a draw). Crowd could certainly be a thing of worry here also,? the Pakistan coach felt.

His advice to the players under such circumstances at the Eden is simple: Switch off the mind from such crowd problems and stay focussed.

Woolmer, however, is a man living in reality and thus, the Akmal-Razzaq?s miraculous act in Mohali is history. As he said: ?We want to take each Test in isolation. True, a tremendous rearguard performance saved us the (first Test) match. But it?s more morale-boosting than having to go with a psychological edge here,? he opined.

Describing the Eden wicket as ?fantastic and quite similar to the one I had seen the last time?, Woolmer didn?t rule out exploring the possibility of going in with five bowlers in the second Test.

?It?s too early to comment on that. But it will basically depend on a couple of factors. It?s quite hot here and dehydration may take its toll on the players. From my point of view, I?ll certainly want to explore this (five-pronged attacking) option,? Woolmer maintained.

Interestingly, Shahid Afridi spent a lot of time with ball at the nets in the morning and he seems to be very much in Woolmer?s scheme of things in this Test. Pakistan sweated it out for about three hours, a significant part of which was also focussed on fielding.

Woolmer admitted the top-order is a worry and Younis Khan is having ?some problem? with his off-stump (the Pakistan vice-captain misjudged a Mohammed Sami delivery and was clean bowled at the nets). He, however, ruled out carrying any drastic changes in the team.

Woolmer, however, believed there has been improvements on some counts since he took over from Javed Miandad.

?Since I took over, Pakistan have played 27 ODIs and seven Tests. Statistically speaking, our ODI success is 68 per cent and so we are on track in this perspective. Our success rate in Tests 40 per cent and hence, we have a long way to go. But fitness has been improved by 60 per cent, attitude by 120 per cent and fighting spirit drastically bettered,? he explained.

Woolmer put Pakistan?s chances as ?fifty-fifty?.

Though not inclined to look into history, the coach felt Pakistan?s triumph over India in the BCCI platinum jubilee one-dayer at the same venue in Novembershould be at the back of his boys? minds and it should enthuse them. ?But in reality, you have to play every ball as it comes.?

Meanwhile, nothing serious was found in a MRI scan was done to Hasan Naved-ul Rana?s right shoulder injury. Sami was also reported for dehydration but had recovered by the evening.