'We have got tough choices to make' - Woolmer

Woolmer disagrees with media views that Pakistan's top order failed on their recent trip to Australia. "That's an amazing decision by people who write and live outside the game," said Woolmer after the first practice session at the PCA stadium.

And, he felt that the team's decision to field youngsters was the correct one: "You look at the success we had in Australia," he said defiantly. "It was because we [played with inexperience]."

He went on to reject notions that Pakistan's failure in the final was attributable to their own tactics and said Australia were simply the better side. "In the first final (Glenn) McGrath bowled magnificently and in the second final (Brett) Lee bowled very well. In those situations the Australians played better than us and they were a better side than us.

"But the really exciting things is that we saw in those two games - and in the previous game in Perth - that we could beat them and we have the talent with us to do so, maybe not now but in a short period of time. And I say that guardedly because I know how cricket can bite you."

Woolmer, who took over as the Pakistan coach after India's tour of 2004, says there is a lot of talent in Pakistan. "They are potentially very, very fine players. We just have to give them the confidence to go out there and express their ability."

While he accepts there is pressure on him as a coach, he feels people can make too much of his role. "We get caught up in the `coach, coach, coach' thing all the time," he said. "The coach's job is to support the captain, the team and the country that he is coaching, and make sure that the process is correct." And that's an area where he felt the process was coming together, and he predicts it will come to fruition on this tour.

Woolmer was happy to learn that they have to choose the XI for the first Test in Mohali from a squad of 16. "We are picking the team from 16 for the first time in a long time. That is good news."

When asked if the in-form hit man Shahid Afridi would get picked, Woolmer was cautious. "We have got tough choices to make, I'll put it that way. That is a rather a nice thing to say because we are not quite sure what exactly the team for the right reasons. Not just because they are here but we got some good players who could play very well." Afridi's chances of playing the game at Mohali became slimmer when Woolmer said that he would play a specialist batsmen at No 6: that leaves a fight between Shoaib Malik and Asim Kamal.

Woolmer is not concerned that another matchwinner, the pace bowler Shoaib Akhtar, is missing from the team. "He can't weaken the bowling that's here because he's not here," he said simply. Woolmer knows the importance of this tour for his team and a how much a good start will make things easy for him. "It would help if we win it. If we draw, it's even better because we have a chance."