Franklin excited to bowl at Indians in Test series

Kiwi all-rounder James Franklin, whose return to the team has bolstered the New Zealand pace attack, is excited at the prospect of his maiden encounter with the Indian batsmen and hopes to make life tough for them with his ability to swing the ball.

The Kiwis believe his enterprising batting and ability to swing the ball would be handy against the tourists in the Test series, starting March 18.

"My international career has been going for eight years now, but I am still to come up against the Indian batting line-up, which I am looking forward to," said the 28-year-old.

"I bring a little bit of variation as a left-arm bowler. I can swing the ball, so it will be a different angle of attack for the batsmen to come up against."

The sprightly all-rounder, who has been in good nick this season, running up scores of 92 (against England A) and 156 not out (vs Central Stags), said he would try to deliver whatever his captain asks of him.

"I just do whatever job is asked of me by the captain and the team. If I do bat at 6 or 7, it will be great. I know there is responsibility there to score runs in that position.

Does he see himself as a batsman who bowls or a bowler who bats?

"I would like to think I can do the job both with the ball and the bat. I have had a good hit over the last three days at Wellington and Napier. It is nice to get a few runs and wickets under my belt."

"I am in a position where if I miss out on one, I have got a chance to make up with the other. I will be trying very hard to show that I can perform with both the bat and the ball," Franklin said.

He also held the Indian team in high esteem for their brilliant batting and bowling line-ups.

"They played really well in the last couple of weeks in the one-dayers and have shown that they are a powerful batting line-up. We have got to be at the top of our game in the Test series."

"Zaheer Khan is a wily old fox and he has been bowling very well of late. Ishant Sharma, has been bowling fantastically in Test cricket since last year. Then there is Harbhajan and Mishra as well. It is going to be a tough task, but I think we are well and truly capable of playing up to."