Laxman Hoping 100th Test Is Special

Indian batsman Vangipurappu Laxman hopes his rich vein of form against Australia will continue when he plays his 100th Test match from Thursday.

"It's a great moment for me and for all the people associated in this journey of mine. I hope I can make it special," Laxman told Indian media on Wednesday.

The stylish middle-order batsman will become the eighth Indian to play in 100 Test matches when he takes the field against the world's top-ranked side in the final Test at Nagpur.

The hosts lead the four-match series 1-0 after winning the second Test in Mohali by 320 runs. Two Tests ended in draws.

Six of Laxman's 13 Test centuries have come against Australia, including a second double hundred in last week's drawn third Test.

"I have always enjoyed playing against them. It gives you a lot of satisfaction to do well against the top side in the world," said Laxman, 34.

"They have always been number one since I started playing international cricket."

An elegant stroke-maker, Laxman took the cricket world by storm in 2001 by making a then Indian Test record 281 against Australia in Kolkata, rallying the team to victory after being asked to follow on and sparking a comeback series triumph.

Laxman, who made his Test debut in 1996, has scored 6,313 runs at 45.41.

He will join Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Sachin Tendulkar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid and Saurav Ganguly in the select band of Indians to play in 100 tests.

Salim Malik Claims He Is New PCB Academy Coach

Former Pakistan captain Salim Malik, who had a life ban for alleged involvement in match-fixing overturned last month, said on Tuesday he had accepted a job as head coach of the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) national academy.

"The board has asked me if I wanted to be head coach at the national academy and I have given them my consent," Malik told reporters in Lahore.

"I am itching to renew my ties with cricket which has given me so much and this position allows me to pass on my expertise to youngsters," Malik said.

A PCB official said the board would issue an official statement on Wednesday.

"Look, nothing is final as yet; the chairman only had some discussions with Malik that is all," the official said.

PCB chairman Ejaz Butt declined to comment. "I have nothing to say now on this," Butt said.

Malik, who played 103 tests, was banned by the PCB in 2001 on the recommendation of a judicial inquiry which carried out an 18-month investigation into allegations of match-fixing made against Pakistani players.

The inquiry commission recommended a life ban for Malik and fines for other senior players including Wasim Akram, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis.

Malik challenged his punishment in the courts and it was lifted last month, when a civil court judge said imposing the ban had been beyond the PCB's powers.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has yet to ratify the court's ruling and officially allow Malik's return to cricket.

"The court has cleared me and vindicated my position that I am innocent of these match-fixing charges," Malik said.

Harbhajan: India Not Distracted By Ganguly Retiring

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh does not believe that the retirement of former captain Saurav Ganguly will affect India's performance in the fourth and final Test against Australia in Nagpur.

The match, Ganguly's 113th and last, begins tomorrow with India taking a 1-0 series lead into the match.

"I don't think it will be a distraction. We will focus on cricket, simple," Harbhajan said at a news conference.

"We are looking forward to playing some good cricket, which is what we have been doing in this series, and we are looking to finish this series 2-0," he added.

Harhbajan himself will return to the side after missing the third Test in New Delhi, which was drawn, with a toe injury. The opening match in Bangalore was also drawn before India won by 320 runs in Mohali.

"I am 100 percent fit to play," he confirmed.

Harbhajan is one short of 300 Test wickets and will take over the mantle as senior spinner following the retirement of Anil Kumble.

"It (Kumble's) will be very big shoes to fill," Harbhajan said.

"We all know his contribution to Indian cricket and the number of matches he has won," he said of test cricket's third highest wicket-taker.

"At the same time there are young bowlers, like Amit Mishra, who now have a chance to claim a permanent place in the team. They are good bowlers and are doing well."

Mishra took seven wickets on debut in Mohali when he replaced the injured Kumble. The Nagpur Test will also be the 100th Test for VVS Laxman, who scored an unbeaten 200 in New Delhi.