We can chase down any total set by Pakistan: Harbhajan

New Delhi, Nov 24 (UNI) Agreeing that dropping danger man Misbah-ul Haq could be the deciding factor of the match, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh today, asserted that with the quality and experience of their frontline batsmen, Team India can chase down any target set by Pakistan in the first Test here.

''Misbah's drop catch was crucial. If it were taken, we could have cleaned up their batting line-up today itself,''Harbhajan said.

''But at the end of the day you can't blame anyone (Jaffer) for this. What we can do from here is to concentrate on our game now.

What has gone is past,'' he told reporters after third day's play.

Misbah, who saved Pakistan from the blushes in the first innings, was dropped by Wasim Jaffer at short-leg off Kumble while on one towards the close of the day's play.

Stating that the wicket was getting better as the game progresses, the 27-year-old Punjab Police DSP said after a day of bright sunshine today, there was no ''menace'' on the wicket.

''I don't think the wicket has changed. It's just getting better and better. Hopefully, it will remain the same tomorrow as it behaved today.'' ''And if it behaves the same way, we are ready to chase any sort of target,'' he said.

He even went one step further and added that the Indian tail may not require to come to the crease in the fourth innings.

''We all can bat. Our team has got plenty of quality batsmen and we (tail order) might not require to bat in the fourth innings,'' Harbhajan asserted.

Bhajji was also surprised by the way the wicket behaved when Pakistan openers Salman Butt and Yasir Hameed put on a chanceless 71-run partnership for the first wicket.

''We have good chance of winning the match. The wicket is playing very well. When Salman and Yasir were batting today, it didn't seem that they were playing on the same pitch,'' he said.

The 'Turbunator' also lavished praise on his skipper and partner-in-hand in spin department, Anil Kumble, for his bowling display here.

''Anil has always played well here. His first two wickets in the Pakistan second innings were crucial.'' The Feroz Shah Kotla has always been a happy hunting ground for the 'Jumbo', as it was here that he claimed his ten-wicket haul against the same opponents in 1999. He has taken seven wickets so far in the match, getting past fifty wickets at Kotla.

UNI