PESHAWAR, Sept 28: Pakistan hope to make amends on Wednesday when they go into the third hockey Test against India bidding to take lead in the eight-match series currently tied 1-1.

Like Sunday morning park players, Pakistan were an aimless lot in their 1-4 defeat in the second Test on Monday in Quetta that allowed the touring team to pull level in the series.

As both teams arrived in Peshawar on Tuesday, they went through their paces under the watchful eyes of their imported coaches. India, without some of their key players including the exciting Dhanraj Pillay, surprised even themselves by scoring such a convincing victory.

"Yes indeed that win has boosted the morale of my players and we hope to continue in the same vein although we have a young and inexperienced side," Indian captain Dilip Tirkey told reporters. But India's coach Gerhard Rach said he was surprised the way the Pakistani players fared. "Their body language showed they were not keen and motivated." Penalty corner specialist Sandeep Singh, the top scorer at last year's Asian Junior Championship in Karachi, fired in a brace as he made his team's intentions clear.

Two more were later added by Ignace Tirkey and Tushar Khandekar with the home team's face- saving goal being put in by Ghazanfar Ali, a minute from time. Pakistan's Dutch coach Roelant Oltmans felt that his team had still not been able to forget the Olympic experience where they could not make the semifinals and finished fifth, ahead of India who were seventh.

"I think the players have not been able to regroup after the Olympics while the Indians are playing with more spirit perhaps because they have nothing to lose having left out senior players," Oltmans said.

He agreed that Pakistan were wasting too many opportunities in front of goal and that was something that needed to be rectified. Akhtar Ali and Dilawar Hussain were the culprits, missing some good scoring chances on the run of play and to make matters worse, penalty corner ace Sohail Abbas went goal-less.

Needing five more goals to overhaul Dutchman Paul Litjens record of 267, much would be expected from Sohail who dismissed the impression that he was under pressure. "I try to do my best in every match, it is just that you win some, you lose some," he said.

Refusing to blame any individual for Monday's defeat, Oltmans made it clear that his team was capable of bouncing back. "I have spoken to all the players and I hope that they will put up an improved performance tomorrow."

Waseem Ahmed, appointed the captain for the series after Muhammad Nadeem quit following the Olympics, praised the rival team for putting up such a fine performance. "They played really well and won but we now have to look ahead."

Meanwhile, team manager Samiullah Khan admitted that Pakistan had played poorly not only in Quetta but also in the first Test in Karachi on Friday which his side won 2-1.

"We have been trying to analyse and rectify our mistakes and I am confident they will do well tomorrow and in the matches ahead." "It will be good to go into the fourth match 2-1 up as that will provide us a psychological advantage," said Same.

Both teams are playing this "Doosti Series" after a gap of five years, four matches of which are in Pakistan and as many in India. The fourth Test of the Pakistan leg is to be played in Lahore on Friday while India host their share of matches in New Delhi, Chandigarh, Amritsar and Hyderabad.