Shoaib's absence will help Pak: Maninder

"He is a player who is very difficult to handle. And if he is not in the team, it is in the interest of Pakistan," the former Indian spinner said.

Former Indian Test spinner Maninder Singh on Monday said Shoaib Akhtar's absence would actually help Pakistan during the Test and one-day series against arch-rivals India.

HT Image

"Akhtar is a player who is very difficult to handle. And if he is not in the team, it is in the interest of Pakistan," the cricketer-turned-commentator told reporters on Monday.

"They were not able to rein in Akhtar's antics and to control him here will be a very difficult task for them," he said adding that Shoaib's absence is not going to make much difference for India.

"We had no problems in tackling Akhtar earlier and Indian batsmen always enjoyed an upperhand above him," Singh, who made his international debut against Pakistan, said.

Maninder said India enjoyed an upperhand in the series as Pakistan is fielding an inexperienced side.

Echoing his sentiments that Pakistanis are "inexperienced", former batsman K Srikanth said, "But India cannot be complacent. They are known fighters and they will not take anything lying down."

Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid will be the key players for India, he said adding that "but the man to watch is Virender Sehwag".