Veteran Kumble fires warning for Pakistani batsmen

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KOLKATA, March 18: Indian leg spinner Anil Kumble who is expected to torment Pakistan in the Kolkata Test says that the Eden Gardens wicket would deteriorate further and the last day would be difficult for batting. Kumble who took three wickets in the innings after not being able to get any on the second day, remarked that a spinner could not make things happen on day two of a Test.

“Although we will try and bat through the sessions on the fourth day, I know that even a score of 150 would be hard to get on this pitch.”

“We are back in the game and now would definitely want to get into a position where we can attack,” he said after Pakistan were bowled out for 393 replying to India’s first innings score of 407 to concede a lead of 14 runs.

“It was just a matter of picking up two wickets today and Inzamamul Haq’s wicket was crucial.”

Pakistan vice captain Younis Khan and Yousuf Youhana had helped Pakistan gain an edge on Thursday with centuries as they posted 203 runs in a third wicket partnership which they could barely extend to 211 on Friday.

“I think Younis and Youhana did really well and it was their wicket that really mattered and we were able to put pressure on them and get them out and also Harbhajan Singh got the crucial scalp of Kamran Akmal.”

“It is important for us to put up a good score and I hope that (Rahul) Dravid and (Saurav) Ganguly can do that tomorrow.”

Dravid stroked his 37th Test fifty in his 88th Test and was going strong at 54 not out at the close.

With him was Saurav Ganguly who was four not out.

He refused to comment on Sachin Tendulkar’s dismissal which seemed to upset the batsman after umpire Steve Bucknor gave him out caught behind late on the third day.

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