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India can clinch series early: Harbhajan

Suresh Seshadri

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh expects India to wrap up the second Test against West Indies on the fourth day on Sunday to claim the three-Test series.

"We have a good chance now, two or three quick wickets in the morning and we can win tomorrow," he said on Saturday after the hosts took command at the end of day three.

West Indies were 186 for four, only 37 runs ahead, after India had achieved a first innings lead of 149 runs.

India did well to rally from 180 for five to reach 316, but Harbhajan said his side could have added another 30 runs.

West Indies hopes rest mainly on young Guyanese Ramnaresh Sarwan, who is unbeaten on 62.

The hosts will look to Harbhajan and leg-spinner Anil Kumble to wrap up the West Indies innings quickly, the duo having already shared 25 of the 34 wickets to fall in this series.

The 22-year-old Harbhajan, who grabbed seven second innings wickets to inflict an innings and 112-run defeat in the first Test last week, has taken 12 of them.

The off-spinner said the Chidambaram stadium pitch held no terrors and the re-laid pitch was slower and had less bounce.

Harbhajan grabbed 15 wickets the last time India played in Madras to emerge the hero in the series-clinching victory over Australia last year.

"There is less bounce now and it is also tending to keep lower and it is slower. There is not much turn."

Harbhajan, who took three for 56 in the West Indies first innings, lashed 37 as the Indian tail-enders shone on Saturday.

But the world's leading Test wicket-taker this year with 50 scalps so far said batting would remain secondary.

"I try to concentrate on my bowling and do well. If I get 30-40 runs it's a bonus."

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