Bangalore: India?s highest Test wicket-taker Anil Kumble Tuesday said exerting pressure on Pakistan early in their upcoming tour would be the key to winning the series.

?If we can keep the pressure early on, I think that?s the key. We played well against them when we went to Pakistan. So, I think we will take that confidence forward,? the leg-spinner said at the inauguration of a photo exhibition on the tsunami disaster.

Another factor that might work in favour of India was the fact that Pakistan have struggled on the Australian tour.

?It?s going to be a tough series although you can take the fact that Pakistan have struggled in Australia. That?s a plus point for us,? he said.

On reports that Shoaib Akhtar could miss out on the tour of India, Kumble said the home team would like to play the best side that Pakistan can put out on the field. ?We would like to play the best side. We would like to beat the best side,? he said. ?But if somebody is injured there is not much you can do about it.?

Kumble sought to downplay India?s poor record against Pakistan in the one-dayers recently while noting that the Tests were slated to precede the ODIs.

?If we can win the Test series, we can take that confidence into one-dayers. I don?t think we need to look at one-day loss and consider that they (Pakistan) have an upperhand in the Test series.? (PTI)