General

Kaneria 's guile a threat to India

While Inzamam-ul Haq took most of the batting plaudits in Pakistan's victory over England before Christmas and Shoaib Akhtar dominated the bowling stats, the performance of Danish Kaneria should not be overlooked and he could be a key factor to the forthc

Simon Cambers
Danish Kaneria is sure to be a danger to India's formidable top order © Getty Images
While Inzamam-ul Haq took most of the batting plaudits in Pakistan's victory over England before Christmas and Shoaib Akhtar dominated the bowling stats, the performance of Danish Kaneria should not be overlooked and he could be a key factor to the forthcoming series against India.

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Just as Mushtaq Ahmed emerged to take the place of Abdul Qadir, so Kaneria has come through to be Pakistan´s top spin bowler, and if he performs well, then even the might of India's batting order will not find it easy to score runs.

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Just turned 25, Kaneria could easily have another ten years of Test cricket ahead of him - fitness and form permitting - but he is already more than a handful and his record to this point is up there with the best of them. In 31 matches, he's taken 143 wickets, and while they have been a touch expensive at just over 30 apiece, he has taken five wickets in an innings on 11 occasions, which is a pretty good ratio.

He has been even more productive on home soil - as you might expect, taking 75 wickets in just 15 Tests in Pakistan. What is more, they have come at an average of just under 27, which is not half bad for a leg-spinner, as their more varied flight and drift than off-spinners mean that they are traditionally quite expensive.

With Mushtaq also in the squad and a couple more leg-spinners coming through, Kaneria knows he will have to stay at the top of his game if he is to retain his place and that is bad news for India, who, despite their prowess and experience against spin, cannot count on him becoming complacent.

Karachi, the venue for the third Test, appears to be his favourite ground in Pakistan. In just two appearances there to date, Kaneria has taken 18 wickets at 23.94, helping his side to victory in both matches, against Sri Lanka and England.

Please note that odds are correct at time of publication and are subject to change.

Simon Cambers is Cricinfo's new betting correspondent