Jacques Kallis said Thursday South Africa could handle the pace of express bowler Shoaib Akhtar and Pakistan's spinners when the first test starts in this northern city from on Friday.
"It's a tough challenge to face him (Shoaib Akhtar)," Kallis, who celebrated his 28th birthday Thursday, told reporters. "I think you can never count Shoaib (Akhtar) off and Pakistani spinners as well.
"I have played in Sri Lanka and India and our record shows we can play spin. I believe we can counter them in the first test here too," said Kallis, who has healthy average of 49.20 with 4,674 runs in 69 test matches and fetched 151 wickets with his right-arm medium pace.
"I have quite a bit of experience having been to the subcontinent quite a lot of time and we knew we got to tackle their spinners when we come here," he said.
Kallis is in good form despite the fact that he was twice bowled by Akhtar in the five-match one-day series, which the South Africans clinched 3-2. He scored 203 runs in five games and hopes to carry on the form in the test matches.
"It's good to be in form and I hope to contribute in the test matches too," said Kallis, the leading all-rounder in world cricket.
{{/usCountry}}"It's good to be in form and I hope to contribute in the test matches too," said Kallis, the leading all-rounder in world cricket.
{{/usCountry}}Kallis' father passed away during South Africa's tour to England, where he hit two centuries in the limited-overs tri series which also featured Zimbabwe.
"I think you obviously miss your father. He always wanted me to perform for South Africa and I am happy I am doing that."
A bomb explosion in Karachi last month had threatened South Africa's tour to Pakistan, but Kallis was happy with the security arrangements after both Karachi and Peshawar were eliminated from the itinerary.
"Players' security should be of premium consideration, but Pakistan Cricket Board has done well," he said.