Zeecric Bureau
Bangalore, Dec 12: India very nearly pulled off a 2-0 series victory against Pakistan as they held the visitors on the mat with seven wickets down before bad light stopped play. Though the match ended in a draw, the Indians still won the series, marking their first series victory against Pakistan on the Indian soil in 27 years.
Sourav Ganguly was declared the man of the match for his 330 runs and 2 wickets, which nearly won the match for the home team. Ganguly, who scored 534 runs and took four wickets in the series, was also named the player of the series.
"It (performance) was fantastic as most of the players were injured. I have been in this situation before, but it is special to stand up when Sachin (Tendulkar) and (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni were not playing. It`s been a good year for me and the team," he said.
Asked if he was disappointed for not being able to enter the elite club of batsmen who scored a double century and a century in the same test match, Kumble replied,"Yes, a little bit. It could have been a very good hundred, perhaps the best knock of the series because the wicket was difficult to bat on."
Pakistan captain Younis Khan, although disappointed, was all praise for young Mibah-ul-Haq.
"We had troubles in bowling. Players were unfit but guys like Misbah played well. I had always asked for Misbah (from the selectors). He is a team man. It was a dream debut for (Yasir) Arafat. He is also a fantastic guy."
Younis said his side would use the experience gained during the series in their upcoming tournaments.
"In India-Pakistan series, you learn a lot. In Misbah we have found a batsman who is capable and we would like to use him in the future series," he said.
India captain Anil Kumble, who won his maiden Test series as skipper was especially pleased with his team’s performance and described it as a special moment in his cricketing career. "It`s a great feeling. When you win against Pakistan it`s special and it has come at my home ground so it is really very special," Kumble said
"It was a team effort. But it was brilliant batting by Ganguly and Yuvraj (who scored 169) in the first innings and then Ishant came up with five wickets. Ganguly did well with both bat and the ball. He was really special (in the series)," he said.
On his own fiver, Kumble said he bowled fast after a long time in his career.
"There was nothing in the wicket. I have not seamed a ball in last many years. I never realised that I`ll have to seam at my home town," he said.
The Indian captain looked confident for the upcoming Australian tour.
"We definitely have the batsmen, who can score and if there are enough runs on the board we have bowlers who can take wickets," he said.
Kumble also showered praise on Pakistani batsman Misbah-ul-Haq, saying he played a major role in the visitor`s stiff resistance to Indian attack. "Misbah was the one guy who did not give us a 2-0 victory in Kolkata. He is a great potential. He showed the character," Kumble said
