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Shifting gears
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Cricket Pakistani spinner Saqlain Mushtaq is exploring chances of playing for England
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DOOSRA MAGIC Saqlain Mushtaq, right, with Shoaib Malik
Former Pakistan off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq says that may be it is time he should explore chances of playing for England since the Pakistan Board has not evinced any serious interest in his career. “I am available to anyone who needs my service
s. In England, people keep asking me when are you playing for us? But in Pakistan no one seems to be interested ,” says Saqlain, who played 49 Tests taking 208 wickets.
This 32-year-old off-spinner, acclaimed to be the first one to master the art of bowling the ‘doosra’, believes that playing for England seems to be more logical since his family has also been staying there and considering the fact that he is a regular player in English county cricket, first with Surrey and now with Sussex.
However, Saqlain is a little worried about the possibility of the England Board too slapping a ban on those playing in the ICL. The wily spinner says that something is wrong with the Pakistan cricket. “Too many changes in the Board could be one of the major factors. But there is plenty of talent to be groomed,” Saqlain pointed out.
What went wrong with his career? “Perhaps, the injury in 2004 when I was on crutches for six months was the turning point for the worse, as far as playing for Pakistan is concerned,” says Saqlain.
How did he start on the ‘doosra’? “It started when I was playing for Pakistan International Airlines with Moin Bhai (Moin Khan) as captain behind the stumps. He used to repeatedly shout at me – isko doosra daal (bowl the doosra to him). That continued and commentators picked it up from the microphone and since then it was popularised. I enjoy the credit for mastering it,” says a pleased Saqlain.
On Sri Lanka’s Muralitharan, the Pakistani says that it is sheer jealousy on the part of those who say that his action is illegal. “No words can describe his feats. Like Sachin Tendulkar, he is an amazing cricketer,” complimented Saqlain.
The Pakistani, who has scalped 288 victims in 169 ODIs, feels he should be good enough for the Twenty-20 format too having played it for the first time when he was 14 in Pakistan domestic cricket. “In English county tournaments too, we play a lot of it,” he says. “This format actually makes you a complete bowler for you should be prepared to take on the best in a very short time.”
Saqlain welcomes the concepts of ICL and IPL which benefits the cricketers. “Let us think of cricketers like Mohd Zahid whom Brian Lara rated as the fastest bowler he had ever faced, but who later faded away into oblivion.
Every cricketer needs money to support his family,” the off-spinner emphasised.
V.V. SUBRAHMANYAM
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