BOMBAY, 26 December 2005 — Indian batsman Vangipurappu Laxman plans to practice on pitches similar to the ones in Pakistan in a bid to score his first century against the team during next month’s tour.
“They will probably give us seaming tracks,” Laxman told Reuters adding he intended to play on pacy pitches in the next few days in his hometown of Hyderabad.
“In 2003-04, I got 71 in the third Test in Rawalpindi. This time, I intend converting 60s and 70s into hundreds,” the 31-year-old said.
India arrive in Pakistan on Jan 5. for three Tests and five one-day matches. They play a three-day warm-up match in Lahore, starting on Jan 7. Laxman has scored 428 runs, averaging 30.57, with four fifties, in nine Tests against Pakistan over three series in 1998-99 (home), 2003-04 (away) and 2004-05 (home).
“I thought I batted really well in the last series. But I was left stranded on 79 in the third Test in Bangalore and was ninth out for 58 in the first Test in Mohali,” said Laxman.
Pakistan won the final Test in Bangalore in March to level the three-match series 1-1. They went on to clinch the six-game one-day series 4-2, after being 2-0 down.
Fortunes have improved for India and Laxman since then. The wristy strokeplayer scored a 140 against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in September, ending a 14-Test century drought. He added another against Sri Lanka last week to help India to a 2-0 home series victory.
Pakistan come into the matches against India having beaten England 2-0 in a Test series and 3-2 in one-dayers. But Laxman was encouraged by the depth in batting of India’s Test squad.
“As a middle-order batsman, you definitely feel much more secure that you have got partners with you and that you won’t get stranded like I have on more than one occasion,” he said.
Jayasuriya Hopes to Hit Form on Trans-Tasman Tour
In Colombo, Sri Lanka’s former captain and ace all-rounder Sanath Jayasuriya yesterday said he was hoping to make a mark during upcoming one-day series in New Zealand and Australia.
“New Zealand is a nice country. I made my debut there 15 years ago so obviously I have fond memories,” said Jayasuriya, recalled to the national side after missing a Test series in India. Sri Lanka will play four games against New Zealand from Dec. 31, a continuation of last year’s five-match series that was called off after the Dec. 26 tsunami.
They will then participate in a tri-series in Australia from Jan. 13 which will also feature South Africa. Jayasuriya was dropped from the Test squad after Sri Lanka were thrashed 6-1 by India in a preceding one-day series. But the 36-year-old left-hander forced his way back with a prolific run in domestic games.
