Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak is a bit surprised at the emphasis that India will lay on the fast and seam bowling department. Streak has recently read in some of the newspapers and web sites that India would be touring Zimbabwe with five medium pacers. He feels that things may not work in India's favour even with five fast bowlers.

In a telephonic interview to a vernacular daily in Kolkata, Streak has said, "This time we are going through a prolonged winter. The weather is very dry. So the Indian seamers will not get the help that they had received during their last tour and India will not be able to achieve anything with their medium pacers."

Even though Henry Olonga proved to be a match winner in the last Test India played in Zimbabwe in 1998, Streak has no idea as to what the pitches will be like. "We will be playing two Test matches, one at Harare, and the other at Bulawayo. The Board officials and the groundsmen will decide on the nature of the pitches. However, we will not be dependent solely on our pace bowlers. We would prefer to have a balanced attack that can trouble all the Indian batsmen," said Streak. He also added, "We know that India have always suffered against the fast bowlers on tours. Even then, this time they have a very competent batting line up. So we would prefer an attack with variety."

Streak is well aware that the Indians after their Test series win against Australia are gunning for their first overseas victory since 1993. However, he points out, "The series will be very tough for India. They should not forget that they will be playing in conditions that are familiar to us. The matches will be hard fought and we are not going to give in a single inch." The Zimbabweans have watched India's ace spinner Harbhajan Singh quite closely during the series against Australia and are not worried. They feel that Harbhajan will not be able to repeat the Australian performance against Zimbabwe. "First of all, Harbhajan will not be able to derive the same amount of turn that he did against Australia as the pitches are quite different from what he has bowled on so far," said Streak. He also added, "In the last few years, we have played quite a significant number of matches in the sub-continent. Our batsmen have become quite adept at handling spin bowling. Moreover, there is Andy Flower and Alister Campbell, two players who have always played the Indian spinners quite well."

Streak also informed that even though they are the underdogs against India, he was very hopeful of putting up a good show. "Some new players have come up and they have the capability to deliver the goods."

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