Spinners will play a big role in World Cup, says Ajmal

KARACHI: Pakistan’s former spin wizard Saeed Ajmal on Wednesday said that off-spin was an art and no one could wipe it out, urging off-spinners to work hard and not think that they could not come up.

“People say that doosra could not be bowled without chucking. I can tell you that it can be done,” Ajmal told reporters here on Wednesday. “If someone has medical issue, it is a different thing. You cannot wipe out the art. Every variety (off-spin and doosra) can be learnt.

“Don’t think that off-spin cannot be done without chucking. It’s wrong; we should not say it. The off-spinners should work hard and they should not think that they cannot come up. A good bowler can go anywhere,” the 41-year-old Test spinner said.

In 2014 Pakistan faced a huge blow when Ajmal was banned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) from bowling in international cricket after his action was deemed illegal.

He was, however, cleared in February 2015 to return with a remodelled bowling action. But with the new action Ajmal was not effective and his illustrious career came to an end.Ajmal got 178 wickets in 35 Tests and 184 wickets in 113 One-day Internationals. He also took 85 wickets in 64 T20 Internationals.

He said that spinners should be part and parcel of Pakistan team in every format, including the coming World Cup.“Pakistan needs spinners in every format. If you are going for the World Cup then England, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa are teams that are not good against spinners. The Asians bat well against spinners but still, in my opinion, a spinner or two should be there in Pakistan team in every format,” said Ajmal, who is serving as spin-bowing coach of the PSL franchise Islamabad United.

He endorsed the views of Test opener Ahmed Shehzad that selection in Pakistan team should not be made on the basis of the performances in the PSL.“In my view Pakistan’s domestic cricket is more important. PSL is also there but it is the shortest format. First-class cricket in reality tests the temperament of a batsman or a bowler. It also tests players’ physical fitness. If you are to keep a player for T20, it’s okay. Select a T20 cricketer for T20 format. In Test a cricketer of a four-day format should be selected,” Ajmal said.

He was quick to add, however, that selectors were more experienced and that they must have considered everything.“In my opinion the standard of our first-class cricket should be higher than T20,” he said.

About resting a few players for the one-day series against Australia in the UAE later this month, Ajmal said: “It is their own affair. Some want to take rest, but some don’t. Some fatigue is also there and of course pressure is always higher in international cricket than in domestic.”

To a query, he said Pakistan should boost its first-class cricket in order to achieve good results. “In Tests, I think our team is not that bad. But we should slightly improve our first-class standard and we should hunt players out there,” Ajmal pointed out.

He said batting pitches should be prepared. “We should also make such pitches which are suitable for the batsmen. If pitches are good, batsmen will play long innings. In big cricket Pakistan faces batting issues. If we prepare better batting tracks it will also provide an opportunity to the spinners to learn.

“Our reverse swing has finished. If a bowler bowls with all his energy then it will improve his pace. We don’t have time. Such things should be implemented as quickly as possible,” Ajmal added.

“Now we have a prime minister who is a sports lover and wants Pakistan to be a leading cricketing nation. If we all work together then I am hopeful the things will improve. There is a huge gap between our domestic and international cricket,” he said.

He said that Islamabad United were missing Misbah-ul-Haq. “He is a senior player and he has a good cricketing mind. Definitely, we miss him,” he said.