LAHORE, March 10: Skipper Saurav Ganguly and coach John Wright believe India stand better chance to win One-day International series against hosts Pakistan. The tourists take on Pakistan in the first ODI at Karachi on Saturday.

"Pakistan have many junior players while we have an experienced and a well-knit unit which did well in Australia. Therefore, I see better chances for our success," Ganguly told a news conference on Wednesday.

He was joined in the conference by coach John Wright. "The Pakistan team is still (in the process of) gaining maturity and though the tour is a challenging one, my boys are capable to win," Wright added.

The Indians, on their first full of Pakistan for more than 14 years, play five ODIs and three Tests. Commenting on the fact that they have not yet won a series in Pakistan, Ganguly said: "Forget the past. I am looking forward and see this is the time to change the tradition."

Asked whether he had any special strategy to face the world's fastest bowler, Shoaib Akhtar, he said he had no special plans for him. "We will play according to the ball and that is our strategy," he said.

When asked again how he planned to derail the "Rawalpindi Express", Ganguly said: "We will pull the chain to stop the express." About former Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar's remarks that his country's batsmen were chokers, Ganguly said: "Gavaskar is a revered cricketing figure of India and I can't comment on his remarks.

But, let me remind you that these batsmen helped India qualify for the final of the last World Cup where many strong teams even failed to qualify for the second round."

Pakistan also failed to enter the second round of the world Cup held in southern Africa in 2003. When asked to identify the grey areas he had noted in Australia and now wanted to improve them in Pakistan, Ganguly said not winning in Australia was the only grey area.

He said Sachin Tendulkar was fully fit and rejected the impression that his side would be under pressure due to the home crowd and ground advantages to Pakistan.

"We are used to facing big crowds in India so there will be no crowd pressure on us," he said. On the expected bouncy tracks in Pakistan, he said his boys were here after playing on the fast Australian pitches. "Therefore, I have no concern about it."

Ganguly said leg-spinner Anil Kumble would be available for the Test series and stressed that his side did not need long practice sessions or matches since "we are here after playing a tough series in Australia."

Team manager Ratnakar Shetty brushed aside questions about Indian's security concerns saying the chapter should be closed now. "Both the governments settled down the issue before giving the go-ahead, therefore, there should be no security apprehensions."

He termed the tour exciting and said his side wanted to win it. AFP adds: Earlier, a special Indian Airlines plane carrying the 15-member team and officials landed at Lahore's heavily-guarded Allama Iqbal International airport at 1:47pm (0847 GMT).

The team were greeted by officials from the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Lahore city administration. The airport's exit and entry routes were tightly guarded by police and only photographers and television crews were allowed inside to record the team's arrival.

A full security contingent of police and elite force commandoes were assigned to accompany the team in a bullet-proof bus along blocked-off streets to their plush hotel in the heart of Lahore.

Ganguly and his players were seen off at New Delhi's airport an hour earlier by hundreds of fans, after Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee farewelled them personally at his official residence.

"We always travel as ambassadors of the country but people are looking at this tour differently because we are going to Pakistan," Ganguly told reporters before leaving New Delhi.