Qaiser Mohammad Ali

Bangalore, March 23:

India will be eyeing a first home series win against Pakistan in a quarter century as they go into the third and final cricket Test beginning here on Thursday. Pakistan is trailing 0-1 in the three-Test series, having lost in Kolkata last week and drawing the first clash.

Although Pakistan is determined to level the series, the spotlight would be on two stars: Sachin Tendulkar, who is a century away from becoming the batsman with the highest number of Test tons, and Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, who will play his 100th Test. Tendulkar, currently tied with legendary Sunil Gavaskar at 34 centuries, has a fine opportunity to pound an often-patchy Pakistani attack.

A three-figure innings will take the 31-year-old’s international centuries to 72, including 37 tons in one-day internationals. He had touched the 10,000-run mark at Kolkata. If the maestro can help India win the series, it will be a perfect icing on the cake, especially as the country has not beaten Pakistan since Gavaskar’s team beat Asif Iqbal’s side 2-0 in the six-match series in 1979-80.

India has won only two home series against Pakistan, and came in the maiden Test series in 1951-52. Inzamam can make the match memorable if he helps his team level the series. The 35-year-old would become the fourth Pakistani and 31st in the world to play 100 Tests. India will, of course, have the psychological advantage having won the second Test by 195 runs at Kolkata. The two heroes of the Kolkata Test, Bangaloreans Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble, will have plenty of local support when they step on to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium turf. Dravid scored centuries in both innings at Kolkata and Kumble captured 10 wickets in the match.

Last match for Wright

BANGALORE: New Zealander John Wright will quit as India’s first foreign cricket coach in May, sources told AFP, adding a search had already begun to find his successor. The third and final Test against Pakistan starting on Thursday will be Wright’s last Test in charge of the Indian team, but he will remain on the job until the subsequent one-day series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka in April-May, the sources said. “The process has begun to find his replacement,” an official said, but declined to name any candidates. — AFP

Shoaib to play ODIs?

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani speedster Shoaib Akhtar is trying to see if he can join the national squad for one-dayers against India beginning on April 2. The News reported Shoaib launched his comeback bid on Tuesday by sending down a short burst to test his fitness at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

The 29-year-old bowled a four-over stint with his full run up to test his hamstring, which he injured in Australia in January. He opted to sit out of the Pakistani Test squad touring India citing the injury. — HNS