He will feel no less pressure batting at four than he did at three

Gooch on Hussain

Hussain: Runs will come

As captain you are under tremendous pressure when you bat. That's speaking from experience but it did not generally affect my form. In fact it galvanised it. It has surprised me that Nasser has not been in the best of form with the bat.

He had a good tour of South Africa with the bat but last year his form lapsed.

It seems he will move down the order and bat at number four. I have known him since he started playing and he will feel no less pressure batting at four than he did at three.

I can't put my finger on why his form has dropped. The team is playing well and the way he has led the side is admirable.

It is fair enough to rest bowlers but I do think batsmen need to bat

Gooch on contracts

Mahmood: All-round talent

Nasser did score that century in Kandy and I'm sure it will come right.

Confidence is important, but I think part of Nasser's problem last year was the number of games he played, or rather didn't.

He was injured a little last summer and did not play much cricket in between Tests.

Central contracts are a hot issue at the moment and while I completely agree with them I do think you have tailor them to each player's needs.

It is fair enough to rest bowlers but I do think batsmen need to bat.

Nasser was brought up playing county cricket and a lot of it. He is used to playing rather than practising and it can take time to make the transfer.

Not playing enough cricket last year was, I think, a contributing factor in his lack of form.

As a batsman you want as many innings as you can. You can have as many nets as you like, but it does not breed confidence.

As for the game, it is going to be an intriguing contest.

Pakistan are a very talented side, especially in the bowling line-up.

Fletcher and Hussain at Lord's

They have two experienced opening bowlers in Wasim and Waqar, two excellent spinners in Saqlain and Mushtaq - although I'm sure only Saqlain will play - and two very good all-rounders in Abdur Razzaq and Azhar Mahmood.

I would play both of them, especially as Sami is a bit raw and Shoaib is not fully fit.

Mahmood has really impressed me. Here is a player who has scored three Test centuries batting at number eight and nine.

One area where England have the edge - especially at Lord's - is over the tourists' batting.

They again have a talented line-up but it is largely inexperienced in English conditions.

The conditions will favour the home bowlers. Pakistan are not used to the ball swinging from the start - in Pakistan it doesn't swing until later. It should be a good advantage for England.

I expect whoever wins the toss will chose to bowl first.

It is going to be a tough summer for England's openers with Wasim and Waqar followed by Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie.

Wasim: Going out with a bang?

It is Wasim and Waqar's last hurrah in England and they are unlikely to let that pass without making a mark.

I'm sure Duncan Fletcher and Nasser will be telling the team to forget about Australia. Pakistan are a tough nut to crack.

They have flair players and if they get it right they can be irresistible. Equally when they get it wrong they can be a bit of a shambles.

It was a pretty dull series in Pakistan, but all credit to England for nipping in and nicking it.

This series will be very different but just as close. It will be tough, but England can exploit Pakistan's frailty in batting.

Graham Gooch will be previewing and reviewing each Test this summer for BBC Sport Online.