Once upon a time there was an off-spinner Saeed Ajmal in the Pakistan team who won many matches for his side. He was an essential part of the team for all three formats of the game. But now he is nowhere.

Recently Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) awarded new central contracts to players in different categories and Saeed Ajaml was demoted to category "B" after an unimpressive performance against Bangladesh in April.

After getting his bowling action cleared, Ajmal came back to Pakistani squad for Bangladesh tour but his performance was unimpressive and he failed to produce his magic with the new action. He managed only one wicket for 123 runs in two ODIs, conceding 6.47 an over, much higher than his career economy rate.

PCB advised Ajmal to regain his rhythm by playing county cricket but he failed to prove himself there as well. He played his last Twenty20 for Worcestershire against Hampshire on August 14, 2015, conceding 38 runs in four overs without any success.

In eight first class matches, he took only 16 wickets with a high average of almost 50.

In the last season he had claimed 63 wickets in nine matches which helped Worcestershire to rise from Division Two.

After a disappointing Bangladesh tour, Saeed Ajmal was dropped for Sri Lanka tour. Yasir Shah replaced him wonderfully and played an important role in Pakistan Test series win.

Disappointed with this situation, Ajmal started thinking of retirement and asked PCB to make it clear if it has him in its future plans.

But later he decided to sit with the selectors to discuss his future. He said that he was positive and confident of gradually improving performance and that he was not ready to leave without a fight.

The 37-year-old Ajmal was at the top in the ICC ODI bowlers raking till March 2015, but his deliveries have lacked the earlier magic and batsmen are facing no problems in handling his deliveries.

No doubt Ajmal is facing a difficult time, but we must remember that he was a match winner for Pakistan for a number of years.

Ajmal played 35 Tests and took 178 wickets at an average of 28.10. He was more effective in ODIs with 184 wickets in 113 appearances, averaging 22.72. In Twenty20 Internationals his economy rate of 6.36 is impressive with 85 wickets in 64 matches.

"I was assured that I will be considered and won’t be discarded. I also understand that Yasir Shah and Zulfiqar Babar are doing very well and I don’t want to dislodge their place but I think there is some room for me in limited-overs cricket and I will prove that in the National Twenty20 Cup in Pakistan," the off-spinner had said. But in the National Twenty20 Cup, Ajmal’s hopes were shattered as he failed miserably.

In four matches he played for Faisalabad Region, he claimed only two wickets after conceding 124 runs with a high economy rate of 7.75 per over.

Consequently Ajmal was not considered for the Zimbabwe tour for any format.

Chief selector Haroon Rashid said that not a single quality off-spinner was available in the domestic circuit and 26 bowlers had suspect bowling action. He said Ajmal was a world class bowler and an asset for Pakistan and that PCB would not ask him to retire.

Fans want to see Saeed Ajmal in action again. Finding out the replacement of great Saeed Ajmal is not an easy task. The board should support and encourage him so that he could get back his confidence and could serve Pakistan again effectively.