ISLAMABAD: Salman Ali Agha foresaw more turn and purchase for spinners as Sydney Test entered the last three days, saying that spinners could be seen playing an important role in the outcome of the match.
Talking to the media at the end of the rain-marred second day’s play, Salman said that even on the second day there was something for the spinners in the track.
“There was something in the wicket on the second day even. When you pitch the ball in the right areas, you get something out of the wicket. I believe that as the game progresses, there will be more spin in the wicket. Spinners are likely to play an important role in the outcome of the Test. It is all about landing the ball in the right areas.” Salman rated him as an all-rounder rather than a batsman only.
“I always believe that I am an all-rounder, I hardly get a chance to bowl long spells and that is why people believe that I am a batsman only. The fact of the matter is that I want to be remembered as an all-rounder only.”
On his removing D Warner after he was earlier dropped by Saim Ayub at second slip, Salman said this was a massive wicket. “At that time we required a wicket and removing him was a massive breakthrough.”
On repeated drop catches, he said that such a scenario could happen for any team. “If Saim dropped one catch today, I don’t blame him. Second slip is always a difficult position and it is always tough to accept catches but you cannot blame anyone for dropping repeated catches. Even Babar would have dropped that catch.”
The all-rounder praised the tail for coming up to the challenge. “It is not like old times where tail-enders used to play short innings. We have a tail full of runs scoring potential. They have proved that even against the strongest of outfits like Australia. These bowlers want to play big innings with attacking cricket.”
On Babar Azam’s bad patch, he said he was well aware of this. “No one but Babar knows it better as to how to come out of this patch. All the greats have gone through such a period. I am hopeful that he will come out head high from this.”
Meanwhile, three players busy playing Big Bash in Australia -- Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan, Usama Mir -- have left for New Zealand to join other team members reaching from Pakistan while the rest of players busy playing Test cricket in Sydney will depart on January 8. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee Chairman Zaka Ashraf, who was in Australia, also left for home Thursday.