Pakistan's Kaneria targets Tendulkar scalp by AFP

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Player:	Danish Kaneria
Event:	Pakistan in India 2007/08

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DateLine: 19th November 2007

 

Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria said he will target all India's batsmen in the forthcoming Test series but getting the wicket that has eluded him so far -- Sachin Tendulkar -- would be a dream.

 

"I have not dismissed Tendulkar and perhaps this will be the last time I will be up against him so I wish to get his wicket," Kaneria told AFP before leaving for India on Monday.

 

Besides Kaneria, batsman Faisal Iqbal and paceman Mohammad Sami will join the Pakistan squad in India where the first of three Tests start in New Delhi from Thursday.

 

Pakistan won the fifth and final one-day game by 31 runs Sunday at Jaipur but India clinched the series 3-2.

 

Kaneria, 26, said playing against India was always a tough challenge.

 

"India pose one of the biggest challenges for us, and playing against them in their own backyard is more challenging because they have world class batsmen like Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and many others," he said.

 

The bubbly spinner has grabbed 31 wickets against India in eight Tests but has yet to dismiss Tendulkar.

 

"He (Tendulkar) is a master and I came close to dismissing him in the 2005 series at Mohali. I thought it was a bat-pad but the umpire thought otherwise and his wicket eluded me.

 

"The world knows how good a batsman Tendulkar is and it would be like an empty cupboard without his wicket so the first thing in all the innings would be to get his wicket and it's always the key."

 

Kaneria said he would target all Indian batsmen with the ploy he usually unfolds against the archrivals.

 

"Since you know Indians play leg-spin, well, you have to use a different ploy against them so I have that in my mind and I want to play my part as the main bowler and help Pakistan win the series," said Kaneria, only the second Hindu behind Anil Dalpat to play for Pakistan.

 

Kaneria said scoring big would be the key to victory.

 

"Since they have a very deep batting line-up the opposition needs to score big and then only you can pressurise India. If we score big then we can attack them like we did against them at Bangalore in 2005," said Kaneria, who has 208 wickets in 48 Tests.

 

Pakistan squared the series 1-1 with a come-from-behind win at Bangalore in the third Test two years ago.

 

Kaneria felt Pakistan will badly miss former captain Inzamam-ul Haq in the batting department.

 

"Inzamam was like a big brother to every player and he infused a fighting spirit in the team so not only as captain but also as a key batsman he will be missed. But we now have Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf to shoulder our batting."

 

The other two Tests will be played at Calcutta (November 30-Dec 4) and at Bangalore (December 8-12).

(Article: Copyright © 2007 AFP)