'This is the Mother of all series' - Kaneria

Kaneria: 'I think my experience with Essex would help me in the series against India in more than one way' © AFP

Billed as Pakistan's trump card against India, Danish Kaneria has said it will be a new and tougher challenge for him but he is determined and motivated to play a leading role in the upcoming series at home.

"The series will be tough for me in several ways, like different balls to be used in the series and tough weather conditions in which the Tests would be played," Kaneria said. "But the bottom line is that it will be a new series and we as a team will not try to live in the past glories and would try to extend our success run."

Kaneria, 25 - who took 19 wickets against India last year - said the Tests would be played in the chilli Punjab weather which could make it difficult for spinners to bowl.

"The fingers take time to warm up," he said, "and sometimes you struggle to properly use the wrist. I think my experience with Essex would help me in the series against India in more than one way."

Kaneria added that he was getting adjusted to playing with different types of balls; he bowled with SG balls in India and Australian Kookaburras against England at home.

"The SG balls have lifted seam but after 15 overs or so, the seam softens whereas the Kookaburra balls don't have lifted seam at all," he said. "I know different bowlers prefer to bowl with certain balls but I am a professional who would like to be equally good with whichever ball I bowl with.

"I mean in England (with Essex), I bowl with Dukes. In professional circuit, you should know how to ball with different balls because there is no excuse in international cricket (sic)."

India arrive on Thursday for their second tour of Pakistan in three years and play Pakistan in the first Test at Lahore, followed by Tests in Faisalabad and Karachi. Kaneria was diplomatic when asked which Indian batsmen he would be targeting but revealed he would like to grab frontline players.

"There is no specific Indian batsman I would be targeting," he said. "India has a strong batting line up and to win a Test, we will have to bowl them out. I would be more than happy to grab as many frontline batsmen as I can.

"On paper, India has the strongest batting lineup in the world. We know that and we are chalking out strategies to counter that. I will be regularly talking and consulting my captain and coach because their experience and advice will surely help me.

"There is nothing like winning and the victories in tough games and from crunch situations has given us the confidence that we can beat any team from any situation. Each player is bubbling with confidence and I am sure like me, all the players are waiting for the series against India to start. This is the mother of all series."