Youhana feels it?s for him, too, to lead from the front

Karachi: Pakistan middle-order bat Yousuf Youhana Friday said that he believed India were the favourites in the forthcoming series because their side was more balanced, experienced and mature.

?If you compare player-to-player, you will find that India have a very experienced team. And naturally recent victories have given them more confidence and self-belief,? Youhana said from Lahore.

?But we have won four straight matches against India and that too by big margins in one-sided contests. So that gives us the advantage. The tour of India will be difficult as always but I believe that the team playing better cricket on those playing days will emerge winners.?

Youhana, looking back at the 1999 tour, said he had just stepped into international cricket and was ?lost? in the company of legends like Saeed Anwar, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Saleem Malik.

?In those days, I was in a different orbit ? playing with these stalwarts was like a dream come true. But now, I feel I have the same role as they had on that tour ? lead from the front and by example. Inzamam-ul-Haq and I are the senior-most players and have to shoulder most of the responsibility but the youngsters cannot be absolved of their responsibilities.

?Cricket is a team game in which everyone is expected to perform or contribute. There will be one or two major innings or bowling spells but rest of the players will have to rally around those performances and make useful contributions to earn domination in the match,? he said.

Youhana dismissed suggestions that Pakistan will be looking to avenge their last year?s defeat in Pakistan. ?It?s just a sport and we would like to keep it that way but yes, we would like to win all the eight international matches and we think we have a realistic chance of doing that.?

Youhana played down his ?rivalry? with Indian fast bowler Irfan Pathan which may dominate the forthcoming series. ?As far as I am concerned, there is no rivalry between me and Irfan but I can?t say for him. Yes, he got me a few times when India were in Pakistan but that doesn?t mean that the forthcoming series will be a tussle between Yousuf and Irfan,? the Pakistani vice-captain said.

Youhana became Pathan?s bunny last year when the left-armer had the stylish batsman thrice in five one-day Internationals, once in Peshawar and twice in Lahore. Later, in two of the five Test innings, Youhana fell to Pathan in the second innings in Multan after hitting 112 and in the second innings in Rawalpindi after scoring 13.

?Like any committed cricketer, Pathan likes to take wickets while I try to make runs. That?s our job. Sometimes Pathan will succeed and sometimes I will dominate. I think it should be kept this way instead of labelling the series as a battle between Youhana and Pathan,? he said.

Youhana felt Abdul Razzaq has recently had Indian maestro Sachin Tendulkar on more regular basis while Saqlain Mushtaq, during his playing days, made many cricketer his bunny.

?Pathan troubled me with his inswingers because he was in good form (in Pakistan) and the conditions were also in favour of his type of bowlers. But the coming series will be a new series, will be played under different conditions and with SG balls. So I would like to leave it right here,? Youhana said.