'The mother of all games'

People talk about the extra pressure in India-Pakistan matches, don't they?
There's always pressure when you're playing international cricket. But Pakistan-India matches are the mother of all games. The whole country is relying on you to perform. You know everyone is watching what you do out in the middle. But, don't forget, the pressure is the same on the Pakistan players too. So it's not something we worry too much about.

Did you watch India-Pakistan matches with great interest as a kid?
Oh yeah. I remember every India-Pakistan match that I watched. The one I remember most clearly is when we scored 287 and beat them in the World Cup. I remember bursting crackers and really enjoying myself as soon as we won that game. And to think that now it's me who's playing for the country ...

Did you think then that one day you would be touring Pakistan?
Not at all. Back then I was a kid. But now, thinking about it, it's a dream come true to tour Pakistan. I've spoken to Sachin [Tendulkar] about the time he last toured, and he has some very interesting stories to say. I'm really looking forward to playing there myself.

There has been plenty of speculation about the security situation in Pakistan. Does that bother you?
Obviously there are concerns about the security conditions in Pakistan. That is only natural, as things between India and Pakistan have not been so good in the recent past. The seniors in the team have spoken to the board and that sort of thing, and so we're satisfied. There are no issues with security at the moment.

But will it be difficult to concentrate on cricket with security guards around you all the time?
Security is going to be tight wherever we go. Whether it is at the stadium, at the hotel or on the way, there are going to be security guards with us. Things are going to be a bit tight and it won't be so easy for us to go out by ourselves. People are going to be around all the time so we may not have that much space, but the important thing is to play good cricket and that's what we'll all be concentrating on.

But you're the sort that likes to get out on the town a bit ...
Well, obviously, if you were sitting in a room all day you would get bored as well. It's nice to go out and unwind after a day's work - that's as much true for cricketers as it is for you guys [journalists]. There are a few tourist spots to see in Pakistan and we'd like to visit them if we have the chance.

You've been in good nick recently. You even did well in Perth, where some of the other batsmen struggled. It must be good to have that sort of form under the belt just before a big series
Playing on those wickets was a great experience for me because I like the ball coming on to the bat. When the Test team was there I was really looking forward to getting a good knock. Everyone said the wickets would suit my style of play. But my chance didn't come in the Tests, and I'm looking forward to the next tour.

You've been very keen on playing Test cricket lately. You've even offered to open the innings if that's the only way to make the playing XI ...
Well, everyone can see how hard it is to find a place in the Indian middle order in Tests. The obvious place where you might have a chance is opening the innings. So I decided to open in domestic cricket and give myself a chance. So, yeah, if I get a chance in Tests as an opener I'll certainly grab it.

But you bat down the order in the one-dayers. That's a totally different ball game from opening in Tests, isn't it?
You have to make changes to your approach and technique. There's no doubt about that. When you come in late in the innings in one-dayers you have to go after the bowling right away. In Tests it's more a question of playing the right balls and leaving the right balls alone. You have to see off the new ball and be careful against the short stuff. But no-one can change their game dramatically. I back myself to do well in either form of the game.

Earlier in your career people said you were uncomfortable against quality spin bowling. You got out to Muttiah Muralitharan a couple of times ...
Who hasn't got out to Murali a couple of times? [laughs] But seriously, the point is, when you're batting at No. 6 you have to really go after the bowling, especially in the last ten overs. This is true whether you're setting a target or chasing one. It's often a time when a spinner is just finishing a spell and you go after him. So I have got out a bit to spinners, but it's just one of those things. People are perfectly entitled to make whatever statements they want, but I don't bother too much with that. I think I'm good enough to play spin or pace.