India beatable at home, says Woolmer

Bob Woolmer: 'Pakistan is ready for the India challenge' © Getty Images

Bob Woolmer, the Pakistan coach, said that his team stood a good chance of beating India at home, and that they could draw inspiration from Australia and South Africa, who have each won a series in India in the new millennium.

"It would be a challenging tour to a country which is regarded as one of the second-best teams in the world but in recent years Australia, Pakistan and South Africa have beaten them and that would be an inspiration," said Woolmer, quoted by AFP. "A home team always starts as a favourite but this Pakistan team is maturing and is ready for the India challenge."

Pakistan arrives in India on February 28 with the first Test scheduled for March 8 at Mohali. It will be their first tour in six years, and only their second since they edged a tight series 1-0 in 1987.

Woolmer added: "They (India) are a better all-round team now than in 1999 and 2000 and it would be a challenge to confront the likes of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh." On their last tour, Pakistan beat India in two of the three Test matches - one was played under the banner of the Asian Test Championship - under the captaincy of Wasim Akram.

Imran Khan, the former Pakistan captain, had said recently that India were vulnerable against pace. Woolmer agreed, saying: "Don't think about getting India out on spin, they played Shane Warne with consummate ease and I tend to agree that they are more vulnerable on pace."