by Suliman Baig

23 August 2011

I'm delighted to present an interview with one of Pakistan's most popular and humble cricketers, Saeed Ajmal.

A world class off spinner, Saaed has enhanced his reputation with consistent performances in all formats of the game since his introduction to international cricket.

His doosra is considered one of the most effective deliveries in modern day cricket and he has recently completed a successful stint at Worcestershire.

Ajmal's next challenge is the upcoming tour of Zimbabwe and he will undoubtedly also be a key component for Pakistan in later series' against Sri Lanka and England this winter.

PakPassion.net: Saeed, first of all I'd like to thank you for your time in doing this interview for PakPassion.

Saeed Ajmal: It's not a problem, you are most welcome anytime.


PakPassion.net: My first question is in regards to your season with Worcestershire. A lot of good players have played for Worcestershire over the years and it's a very well known County side. How do you feel things went for you at Worcestershire?

Saeed Ajmal: I really enjoyed it. We had a lot of young players in our team. Most of the batsmen were very young and inexperienced. That obviously has an impact on the results of certain matches but I think they'll improve over time. The young players will improve as they gain experience and the more exposure they get at this level.


PakPassion.net: You played quite a lot of county cricket this season against various teams. Did you come across any young English spinners that impressed you?

Saeed Ajmal: I really didn't come across any new impressive spinners during my time in England. The likes of Monty Panesar are impressive but he's not someone new. One name however that does come to mind is Adil Rashid. He really has some potential, he's a good all round spinner.


PakPassion.net: You had the opportunity to play with Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan during your time at Worcestershire. I noticed that you were giving him some advice before one of the matches. What do you make of Shakib's bowling?

Saeed Ajmal: We were discussing how to bowl to the opposition batsmen and discussing what their approach to our bowling would be. Before the start of the match we like to get together and come up with a plan for the opposing batsmen. We discuss who should be bowling at what point in the match and just sharing some ideas before the start of play. Shakib is a good bowler and is in the top 10 when it comes to the rankings. 


PakPassion.net: The doosra is a very difficult delivery to bowl and is just as difficult for the batsmen to pick up. The wicketkeeper also plays a big role when it comes to bowling the doosra because he too has to pick it up and read it. Which wicketkeeper has impressed you the most when it comes to picking all of your variations?

Saeed Ajmal: The young guys that are coming through are good keepers. Mohammad Salman was impressive behind the stumps on the recent tour of the West Indies and was able to do a great job with the gloves. The wickets in the West Indies for the test series were very difficult for wicketkeepers, as there was a lot of turn and bounce, but Salman did an excellent job out there.

Adnan Akmal is also a very impressive and tidy wicketkeeper. These guys are doing very well behind the stumps and are very competent wicketkeepers.


PakPassion.net: We spoke to you before the World Cup and you had mentioned that you were working on a new type of delivery. Did you actually bowl that delivery during the World Cup or did you put it on hold?

Saeed Ajmal: I didn't bowl it because I wanted to stick with my best and most reliable deliveries in such a high profile tournament. I just never got the chance to experiment with it, but I'm still working on it and am hopeful of bowling it soon.


PakPassion.net: Will we see it in the Zimbabwe series?

Saeed Ajmal: No. I'm saving it for the series against England



PakPassion.net: Can you tell us a bit about the delivery? What kind of variation is it? Or is it a secret at this point?

Saeed Ajmal: It's top secret.


PakPassion.net: Spinners like any bowler can have off days and go for boundaries. However, good spinners are able to put a boundary or two behind them and concentrate on the next delivery. What's the knack of being able to concentrate on the next delivery and forget a previous bad ball?

Saeed Ajmal: Twenty20 cricket has become very popular theses days and batsmen are looking to take on the spinners and give their figures a beating in that format. Even in test cricket, batsmen are looking to take on the bowlers and score quicker than in the past. However, good bowlers are always able to adjust and succeed in any format. If bowlers want to survive and become the best and play at the top level for a long time then they must make the appropriate adjustments to their bowling. Bowlers also need to ensure that they have the variety of deliveries to confuse and dominate their opponents.


PakPassion.net: Batsmen now have access to videos of all the bowlers. They can study your action and all your variations very closely and gain some sort of advantage from the video analysis. How important a role does preparation also play for spin bowlers?

Saeed Ajmal: Just like batsmen assess the opposition, look at video analysis, I also spend a lot of time studying videos of all the batsmen. I try to work out and pinpoint the weakness of batsmen by analyzing a lot of video footage. So batsmen and bowlers have very similar preparation but it all comes down to concentration when your in the field and applying that pre match analysis and carryin the preparation onto the field. 


PakPassion.net: It must be difficult finding the weaknesses of certain players.

Saeed Ajmal: All I focus on is to get my delivery right. If you bowl it in line then you can have success. If a dellivery is not in line and according to the gameplan then it's unlikely to trouble the batsman.


PakPassion.net: During the West Indies tour, some commentators criticized the bowling actions of Mohammad Hafeez and yourself. They hinted that your actions were somewhat illegal and said that it should not be allowed. How would you respond to that?

Saeed Ajmal: They can say what they want but the ICC has cleared our actions and of course umpires and referees are there too. It's within the rules.

As far as Hafeez is concerned, he does not even bowl the doosra. He bowls a very good delivery that goes straight on and batsmen find hard to read. Commentators can say all they want, but all those who have been cleared by the ICC are still bowling. Harbhajan and Botha have had their actions queries in the past and are still bowling. I really don't know why they keep targeting us.


PakPassion.net: As far as your concerned, you have no problems with your action?

Saeed Ajmal: Absolutely not. I've been tested and cleared by the ICC and am allowed to bowl.


PakPassion.net: Pakistan had a successful run in the World Cup earlier this year. You performed well against India in the semi final and had them very much on the back foot. Furthermore, what truly stood out in that match was how much Sachin Tendulkar struggled when he had to go up against you. You had him totally confused as he seemed lost at the crease. Tell us a bit about that experience?

Saeed Ajmal: Sachin Tendulkar is a world class player and going up against him was a challenge. That was the first time we came up against one another. He was having a really hard time picking my doosra. You can study videos as much as you want of a bowler, but going up against a new player on the field is always a different challenge. There's a world of difference between what you see on videos, and what you encounter when facing someone for the first time. As I say, he's a world class performer and I thank the Almighty that on the day I did well against him.


PakPassion.net: Sachin was really struggling when he had to face you. Did that come as a surprise to you?

Saeed Ajmal: I was definitely surprised. Sachin is an extremely talented player and I was not expecting him to struggle so much against me. I thought he would quickly pick up on my variations. However, I worked really hard in that match and thankfully, I was able to succeed. 


PakPassion.net: Let's talk about the LBW decision that was overturned following the DRS challenge. It looked absolutely plumb with the naked eye and the outcome was quite surprising. This must have shocked you as well? 

Saeed Ajmal: Absolutely. The on field umpire quickly gave it out and well, it did look out. However, the decision was overturned after the challenge and that was a bit surprising. I guess you can write this off as one of those things that are simply a part and parcel of the game. 


PakPassion.net: There has been some improvement in your batting ability over the past year or so. You also have a Test match fifty to your name. Are you beginning to take your batting ability a bit more seriously now? 

Saeed Ajmal: I've been working hard on my batting. Shahid Aslam, who was serving as the assistant manager and batting coach has worked with me on my batting. We've been working very hard during practice and it's beginning to pay off. Here at Worcester too, I've been working on my batting with the coaches and hopefully, we'll continue to see an improvement. 


PakPassion.net: Spin bowlers are beginning to play a much more important role in ODIs and T20s. In spite of this, there are very few spin bowlers who can bowl well when the fielding restrictions are in place and towards the end of an innings. You are one of those few bowlers, but how difficult is it to bowl when the fielding restrictions are in place?

Saeed Ajmal: Bowling towards the end of the innings is very difficult and there is a lot of pressure on the bowler. Every delivery that you bowl can end up in the stands because the batsmen are going for the runs and big hits. At that point, it's very important that you work with the captain and bowl to a plan. The field placements have to be right and you have to bowl well and keep your concentration all of the time. I'm thankful for the success that I've had when bowling in such situations. 


PakPassion.net: You seem to be one of the more popular cricketers within the Pakistani team now. It seems that you get along very well with all the teammates. Still, who's that one player that you would consider to be your closest friend in the current setup?

Saeed Ajmal: All of my teammates are my good friends.


PakPassion.net: You had a very good relationship with David Dwyer. He was very close to all the players. Do you miss him now that he is no longer with the team?

Saeed Ajmal: Absolutely. David was an international trainer and he got along with everyone and had a very good rapport with the players and fellow coaches. He was able to create an excellent atmosphere for the guys to work in. However, Saboor Ahmad is also a very good trainer and has done a great job since taking over.


PakPassion.net: There are a lot of youngsters coming into the Pakistani team these days. Do you think Pakistan can become one of the top teams in the next few years?

Saeed Ajmal: We've been playing some very good cricket over the past 18 months. We might not been winning much, but we are not losing as much either. There has been some improvement. I'm sure that the young players will continue to improve and inspire the team.


PakPassion.net: There seem to be a lot of young spinners coming through the Pakistani domestic circuit. Raza Hasan, Usman Qadir, and Yasir Shah are just some of those talented bowlers. Have you seen much of them and been impressed by their performance?

Saeed Ajmal: Absolutely. These guys are very talented and are improving. Yasir has been a part of the "A" team for a while now and will be with the team in Zimbabwe. Hopefully he will do well in Zimbabwe and we'll help him as much as we can.


PakPassion.net: You are now 33 years old. You seem to be in great shape but have you ever thought about how long you'll continue? Or is retirement completely out of your mind for now?

Saeed Ajmal: I've not given retirement any thought at all. My aim is to become Pakistan's best bowler and also, to be the top bowler in the world. Only after that will I consider retiring from the game. 


PakPassion.net: You want to be the best bowler in Test cricket, Twenty20's and ODIs as well?

Saeed Ajmal: God willing I want to top the bowling rankings in all formats.


PakPassion.net: A lot of cricketers have plans for their post-retirement. Some turn to coaching while others are involved with commentary and some cricketers totally remove themselves from the game. What are your plans? Have you ever thought about coaching or running an academy once your playing days are over?

Saeed Ajmal: I plan on creating an academy for youngsters in Faisalabad. I want to give something back to cricket and give young players an opportunity to learn the game and refine their skills. I want to do something for the upcoming players and children in my home city of Faisalabad. 


PakPassion.net: You seem to have a very cool and laid back demeanor when you're on the field, always smiling and rarely angry. Have you ever felt the necessity to sledge an opponent?

Saeed Ajmal: No. When you're playing cricket my philosophy is that you should concentrate on the game. Cricket is a game that has to be played with a cool mind. To help myself relax and concentrate, I often tend to recite some prayers when on the field to help with my concentration and focus.


PakPassion.net: Saeed, it is always a great pleasure speaking to you, whether it be cricket or other things. You have a lot of fans on PakPassion and around the world. Do you have a message that you'd like to say for your fans?

Saeed Ajmal: All I'll tell them is to keep on following PakPassion and pray for the betterment of our country. Pakistan Zindabad.