All set for his first full tour of India, flamboyant Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi says he would try to curb his impulse to hit every ball for a six and help his team build a long innings in the Test matches.
"It's going to be my first full tour to India and I am keen to earn honour and glory for my country against the arch-rivals," the hard hitting batsman said.
"I am fully aware that India-Pakistan series will be tension-packed and it will be a hard tour but it's my goal to perform under pressure," Afridi was quoted as saying by APP news agency.
The 24-year-old holds the record for hitting the fastest century in one-day internationals off just 37 balls against Sri Lanka in a triangular series played in Nairobi, Kenya in 1996. Recently, he became the first batsman in ODI history to complete 200 sixes.
But Afridi said he is trying to curb his habit of hitting every ball for a six as Pakistan, which lacked batting experience as compared to India, needed youngsters to complement seniors like Inzamam-ul Haq and Yousuf Youhana.
"Look, they have Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid and V V S Laxman, who can play long innings. Staying at the crease for long periods is the key in Test matches. We have only two good batsmen in Inzamam and Youhana.
"So in this scenario, the young lot like Salman Butt, Yasir Hameed and others have got to be consistent to help in building the innings," he said.
Afridi, whose strike rate is above 100, hoped that his team's batting would click in the three-Test series.
"The Indians will be having a slight edge in home conditions. But if our batting clicks it's going to be an interesting series.
"We have to produce top class performance in batting, bowling and fielding to defeat India on their home grounds."
The Karachi-born player said the recent Australian tour had toughened the team members and they had improved their performance in the latter stage of the tour.
Afridi also rued the fact that Pakistan did not have a top class spinner in their line-up.
"Leg spinner Danish Kaneria is our main spinner," he said, but added that Indian batsmen had a good track record against tweakers on their home grounds.
"Even the world's top spinner Shane Warne has not been very successful against the Indians," he pointed out.
