My readers will be reading this as the Indians are just hours away from taking the field against the English at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru.

Arguably the biggest game in the group stages of the World Cup, it has the potential to give the Cup a real spurt in momentum. Already marred by controversy, having been moved from the Eden Gardens to the Chinnaswamy stadium, it will pit two of the most hostile groups of spectators against each other. As the on-your-face passionate Indian fan makes the Chinnaswamy his own, the Barmy army, perhaps, feeling a bit shortchanged with a last minute shift in venue, will do all they can to make the English presence felt in the stands. And this duel between fans will be fuelled by a most interesting rivalry between the world?s top two off spinners in Harbhajan Singh and Graeme Swann.

While Swann bowled outstandingly in the recently concluded Ashes, Harbhajan has been in splendid form in one- day cricket. And both will have a real job to do against some top class batsmen. Harbhajan versus Pietersen, or Trott and Swann versus Sehwag or Kohli has every element of turning into a classic.

The point to be made here is that these marquee games have the potential to make or break the tournament. As has already been seen, most non-India matches have been sparsely attended with fans preferring the comfort of their drawing rooms to the stands in the stadium. At the same time, the unprecedented demand for semifinal and final tickets is proof that the ardent fan is actually saving up his purse for the big stage. And the India-England match is one such. At every stage in this encounter, the players? skill sets will be tested. Virender Sehwag, who battled like a champion in Dhaka, will be pitted against James Anderson, the best bowler on view in the Ashes down under. With Sehwag having made up his mind to bat long, it will be extremely interesting to see English tactics against him. Will they start with a fielder in the deep in the off-side and the fine leg-up, or will they bowl short on his body? The most important thing is none of these tactics might work with Sehwag for it is all in the mind for him.

Earlier, he would play the 50-over game as if it was a T-20 encounter and play the 20-over game as if he had five overs to bat. Now, in contrast, he has decided to play the 50-over game as a Test match. Knowing fully well that a double hundred is a real possibility if he bats 50 overs, this Sehwag avatar is an ominous sign for any opposition. Also, not having played two consecutive T-20 World Cups, he is all the more hungry. Knowing that a dodgy shoulder might mean this is his last World Cup, he will do all he can to make the Cup his own, adding great spice to the encounter and making every penny spent to get a ticket worth the effort.

Others who will have a point or two to prove at the Chinnaswamy stadium are Yuvraj Singh and Kevin Pietersen. Not having been retained by the Royal Challengers from Bangalore, Pietersen has been forced to say goodbye to the venue, his home in IPL season three. And now, in his new role as an opener, he is doing his best to reinvent himself as England?s leading game changer. Yuvraj too, is trying to do the same.

Under pressure from Suresh Raina, India?s one time leading match winner is in search of that one elusive knock that will propel him back to superstardom. Having put in the hours, chances are he is just moments away from finding form and making the Indian line up look unstoppable. With the top order in terrific touch against Bangladesh, a back-in- form Yuvraj will mean that India can fancy 300 every time they bat.

Finally, this match will pit two of the wiliest captains in world cricket against each other?M S Dhoni and Andrew Strauss. With both having huge fan followings and commanding complete loyalty within their teams, it might boil down to that one inspired decision taken at the spur of the moment. One bowling change, or a small improvisation in the batting order can turn everything, which these two men are well aware of.

It does promise to be a humdinger. Only the most passionate cricket crowd of the country in Kolkata will have to watch it on television. Life, on occasions, is indeed unfair.

?The writer is a sports historian