Not strange for home team to ask for helpful wicket: Grame Swann

He was non-committal about the pitch for the final game at the VCA Stadium here in Jamtha from December 13.

"I don't know, I haven't seen the pitch yet. We went straight out to the nets. It doesn't matter what you believe because the pitch is going to be the pitch. I am sure the management and coach will look at it and they will assess it.

e play on it whatever comes on Thursday. It is normally a good pitch here and I am expecting it to be that," Swann said.

"Whatever the pitch is, we have to try and win the game. So come Thursday morning it will be about winning the first session something which we have managed to do in the last two Test matches and that is why we have gone on to win the match," he noted.

Asked to compare India's situation (1-2 down in the series) to their own against South Africa recently, Swann predicted the hosts would come out with all their guns blazing to square off the rubber here.

"I am sure India will come out actually fighting because they have to win the game. I am sure we will approach the game because attack is our best form of defence and that has been proven in the last game," he said.

"It is tough (for India) but sometimes it is a good position to be in. If there is only one possible result you can get then you can go all out fighting," he added.

Asked about the turn-around in the team's fortunes after the comprehensive nine-wicket defeat to the hosts in the series opener at Ahmedabad, Swann said every team member was told that Mumbai, venue of the next game, was the place to bounce back.

"After losing the game in Ahmedabad and also knowing our previous results in India which is not at all good it is very easy to get into the rut of losing games, travelling around, losing another one and you can't wait to go home at the end of it rather than focusing on winning the next game. It was made very clear that Mumbai was the chance to level the series and anyone who didn't see it that way wasn't sort of welcome in the dressing room."

... contd.

ALSO READ

I am looking forward to play in Mumbai, says Shane Watson

BCCI get Asian countries backing over Siva's appointment

Sachin Tendulkar unveils special gold coin on Akshaya Tritiya

South Africa must plan for uncertain future