It was announced in early January 2004 that India would tour Pakistan in March that year.[1] After India's team management and players expressed security concerns in Pakistan,[2] the Board of Control for Cricket in India sent a three-member team in February to assess the situation and reported that they were "satisfied with the (security) measures being planned by Pakistan".[3] Happy with their report, the Indian government gave a go-ahead to the tour after a few days.[4]
India entered the Test series never having won a Test on Pakistani soil.[5]
India's 15-man squad for the Test series was announced on 22 March 2004. Yuvraj Singh, rewarded for his consistent performances in the domestic circuit, and spinner Anil Kumble and medium-pacer Ajit Agarkar, who recovered from injuries, were included. The squad comprised seven batsmen, four medium-pacer and three spinners.[9] The Pakistan Test squad was announced three days later. Batsmen Shahid Afridi and Younis Khan were dropped, and leg-spinner Danish Kaneria was included.[5]
India's captain Sourav Ganguly was ruled out of the side due to an injured back before the First Test. Rahul Dravid, who had previously led India only once, was named the stand-in captain.[10] Ganguly returned for the Third Test as player and captain. Also, Ashish Nehra was brought in the side in Ajit Agarkar's place for that Test.[11]
Virender Sehwag (Ind) became the first batsman for India to score a triple century in Tests. It was also the second fastest in Tests, in terms of balls faced (364).
This was India's first Test win on Pakistani soil.
Rahul Dravid (Ind) faced 495 balls for his 270 runs, the most deliveries faced by an Indian batsmen in a Test innings, beaten in 2017 by Cheteshwar Pujara (525 balls).[13]
