Parthiv Patel is all set to open India's first innings in the third Test against Pakistan at Rawalpindi.

According to a source, India skipper Sourav Ganguly wanted Rahul Dravid to open with Virender Sehwag but then decided to ask Patel. If Patel fails he will ask Yuvraj Singh to open in the second innings.

At a press conference on Monday morning Ganguly said either Yuvraj or he would open the innings. He announced the exclusion of Akash Chopra from the playing eleven and said he would still continue to be in the scheme of things for India's Test team.

The decision to fall back on Parthiv is to ensure that India bats deep.

Patel had earlier opened the second innings at Hamilton in New Zealand. He was bowled by Daryl Tuffey for a duck. But the 62 he scored in the second innings of the second Test at Lahore might give him the confidence to face a raging Shoaib Akhtar.