Skipper Anil Kumble is confident that Sachin Tendulkar's pursuit of the test run scoring record will not distract his Indian lineup on the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka.
Recovering from a groin injury that prevented him surpassing West Indian Brian Lara's world record during the series against South Africa in March-April, Tendulkar heads into the three-test series needing 172 runs to move into top position.
Tendulkar has amassed 11,782 runs in 146 tests, placing him second behind Lara's 11,953 from 133 matches in the all-time rankings.
"It will be a huge achievement not just for Sachin but also for Indian cricket," Kumble said Monday on the eve of the Indian team's departure for Sri Lanka.
"We always feel proud that one of our teammates is going to cross a landmark. Sachin is confident, fully fit after recovering from the groin injury and feeling really fresh in mind."
But, Kumble said, the main priority is to beat the Sri Lankans, who thrashed India by 100 runs in the final of the Asian Cup limited-overs tournament earlier this month.
"Winning the series is on top of everybody's mind," he said. "We're looking forward to the challenge. It's not going to be easy, but we have the potential to win."
