MIG
16th April 2011, 20:14
If there is one person who can be described as the very personification of the term Gentleman Cricketer, one would have to look no further than a soft spoken Pakistani by the name of Asif Iqbal.
Born in Hyderabad, India, Asif migrated to Pakistan in 1961 to begin an illustrious career with the national team as a medium pacer and a top quality batsman. Although his bowling career was somewhat curtailed by a back injury, he focussed his attention on batting and earned the title “man of crisis” for his repeated and unflustered one-man rescue acts to save Pakistan from certain defeats. With an average of 38.85 spread over 58 test matches, Asif was noted for footwork and cover drives of exquisite nature. However, what really stood out from his career was his physical fitness and speed between wickets, which remained consistent even in his older years - a skill matched only by a young and upcoming Javed Miandad, who was to assume the mantle of Pakistan’s saviour in the coming years.
Whereas his glorious career as a cricketer may be part of cricketing history, Asif Iqbal has transitioned into one of the most well balanced and respected voices of experience to comment on this great game.
PakPassion.net had the distinct pleasure to speak with Asif to ascertain his reactions to a variety of topics connected with Pakistani cricket.
PakPassion.Net: Quick overview of the World Cup – how did Pakistan do in it – disappointed or satisfied with their performance? How did you rate Afridi as a captain?
Asif Iqbal: To start with, we had a tremendously successful world cup because for a team that hasn’t had a great last year and starved of International cricket, playing in alien conditions and to finish up in the top 4 is a huge achievement and also to top the table and make it to the semi final was a huge success. Unfortunately, when 2 teams play one has to lose and in the semi final the team that played well and eventually went on to win the World Cup beat Pakistan. So really, we shouldn’t be thinking that we didn’t have a good world cup.
Afridi was very inspirational and motivated the players. He had some excellent qualities such as taking the team along with him with players responding to him well. Lots of positives but unfortunately, he did make a few grave errors which could be described as errors of judgement – errors that I suppose, every captain makes while captaining a side and paid penalty for that.
In terms of errors, persisting with Umar Gul when he had lost his confidence in the early overs after bowling to Sehwag and not trying to rotate the batting as it was required. There were times when he could have easily – well probably not himself as he wasn’t in the best of nicks – but change the batting order and put in a striking batsman between Younis and Misbah who could have struck the ball and hit a few boundaries. This is all in hindsight, ofcourse but by and large he did well.
PakPassion.Net: Looking ahead to the tour of the West Indies – what are your thoughts on the team selected in particular the exclusion of Kamran Akmal and Younis Khan? Do you have any thoughts about the new keeper [Salman]?
Asif Iqbal: I cant comment on Salman as I haven’t seen him but obviously there was a great need for change. Kamran Akmal was being selected in the side purely because he could bat. He was more of a batsman who could keep wickets because technically he has huge faults and the team was playing him due to his batting. I think the time has come after giving him so many chances that they should look for a wicketkeeper. If he can bat, then that is a bonus otherwise a specialist wicketkeeper is needed at a minimum. I believe this boy can do that – although there is another boy I have read about – Sarfraz – who is spoken off highly in Pakistan as he has a good keeping and batting record. He was the other contender who was not selected – not sure what the reasons were for that.
As for Younis Khan, well he has been dropped. I think its nice of the selection committee to say that they are “resting” senior players but in effect he has been dropped. Given the amount of services these players have given to the country and amount of cricket they have played, it’s always nice to hear that instead of saying that they have been dropped or dumped; the selectors and the board are saying that they have been rested which is a nice thing and should be appreciated.
However, I think both Misbah and Younis should be regular features in test cricket rather than in one days. I am a little disappointed that Misbah is in the One Day squad whereas really he should have been excluded. It would be totally unfair now if he goes ahead and scores lots of runs whereas in the much needed situation in the world cup, he didn’t deliver! A youngster should have been given a space in his place.
PakPassion.Net: Pakistani team management – how do you rate Waqar as a coach – is it time for him to be replaced or should he continue with an eye towards the next world cup?
Asif Iqbal: I see no reason why he [Waqar] should be replaced because the credit that has gone to the team for reaching the semi final must also go to the coach. When a team doesn’t too well, the team management are criticized but when the team are doing well, the credit for that success must first go to the players then to the coach and then to the selection committee as they chose the right team. For me, these three departments should get the accolades when the team is doing well. Conversely, when the team isn’t doing well, then its this group that needs to be changed. Whereas the management of the board, which includes the chairman of the board and administrators have nothing to do with the performances of the team. If the team does well then its got nothing to do with the chairman or administrators to wear garlands at the airport and give statements because, they have achieved nothing! Its not them who have done well because it’s the players who report to the selection committee and team management.
Regarding Waqar, he should continue although I am not too sure having two coaches who are specifically bowling oriented is a good idea. Obviously, Waqar is the all round or head coach but he is primarily a bowler so it would be nice to have instead of another bowling coach [Aqib], they should have a specialist batting and a fielding coach – that is what is required.
PakPassion.Net: Although Javed Miandad has refused the appointment, what are your thoughts on Javed Miandad as a batting coach? Do you agree with the idea of appointing a batting coach?
Asif Iqbal: First of all Coaching is a specialized position – you have to be qualified to be a coach. Just because you were a great bowler in your time doesn’t necessarily make you a good coach. You have to be qualified to be a coach. In coaching, there is obviously the technical aspect as well as man management. It’s not the experience as a good batsman or bowler that makes you a good coach. If you look at the coach of Australia when they were at the top of the world for 10 odd years – Buchannan was his name, I think – you had never heard of him before as a player so I don’t subscribe to the view that you have to be a good player to be a great coach. Infact, Javed Miandad can only share his experience with the batsmen – he can explain the mental side of batting. I think Javed can motivate a player. He is that kind of a player - he is a great motivator. To have him around will obviously be of great help to Pakistani batsmen. But to have him as a coach – well I am not too sure.
PakPassion.Net: County cricket, if a recent Sky program is to be believed is in a financial crisis yet a tournament such as IPL seems to have established itself in a relatively short period of time – what do you make of this idea and how do you feel about the exclusion of Pakistani players?
Asif Iqbal: We shouldn’t really be concerned about how the English Clubs are doing because that is a purely domestic affair. International cricket I think is in a very healthy state. They have hundreds and millions of dollars in the kitty – ICC and the cricket boards as well ECB are all very rich. If the clubs are not doing well it’s not because International cricket is doing well, its probably because they are not good value for domestic cricket.
As for IPL, Its again a form of domestic cricket. Just like in England you have Premier League which is raking in millions of pounds in revenue, likewise IPL is doing the same. Its less cricket and more money. That’s how I describe IPL.
I think the exclusions of Pakistani cricket has nothing to do with cricket. I am absolutely sure that many Indians and franchises would like to have these brilliant cricketers – the Pakistani cricketers in the Afridis, the Abdul Razzaqs and the Umar Guls and Umar Akmal. The problem is in the availability of players. In that you can bracket the security concern, availability due to International commitments. For all those reasons they have been excluded.
[In terms of it being unfair to Pakistani cricketers] As I said, it has nothing to do with cricket and really no one can be blamed for that.
PakPassion.Net: Given your experience in such matters, is there any potential for such a tournament in the UAE where Pakistani players can take part as well?
Asif Iqbal: I think they will struggle purely because of the availability of players. I believe there is talk of some kind of Twenty20 League in the UAE that will be organized. My only question is what time frame they are looking at as International cricket is being played all year round and International teams hardly have players available for these private enterprises.
PakPassion.Net: Many thanks for your time.
Asif Iqbal: Thanks
Born in Hyderabad, India, Asif migrated to Pakistan in 1961 to begin an illustrious career with the national team as a medium pacer and a top quality batsman. Although his bowling career was somewhat curtailed by a back injury, he focussed his attention on batting and earned the title “man of crisis” for his repeated and unflustered one-man rescue acts to save Pakistan from certain defeats. With an average of 38.85 spread over 58 test matches, Asif was noted for footwork and cover drives of exquisite nature. However, what really stood out from his career was his physical fitness and speed between wickets, which remained consistent even in his older years - a skill matched only by a young and upcoming Javed Miandad, who was to assume the mantle of Pakistan’s saviour in the coming years.
Whereas his glorious career as a cricketer may be part of cricketing history, Asif Iqbal has transitioned into one of the most well balanced and respected voices of experience to comment on this great game.
PakPassion.net had the distinct pleasure to speak with Asif to ascertain his reactions to a variety of topics connected with Pakistani cricket.
PakPassion.Net: Quick overview of the World Cup – how did Pakistan do in it – disappointed or satisfied with their performance? How did you rate Afridi as a captain?
Asif Iqbal: To start with, we had a tremendously successful world cup because for a team that hasn’t had a great last year and starved of International cricket, playing in alien conditions and to finish up in the top 4 is a huge achievement and also to top the table and make it to the semi final was a huge success. Unfortunately, when 2 teams play one has to lose and in the semi final the team that played well and eventually went on to win the World Cup beat Pakistan. So really, we shouldn’t be thinking that we didn’t have a good world cup.
Afridi was very inspirational and motivated the players. He had some excellent qualities such as taking the team along with him with players responding to him well. Lots of positives but unfortunately, he did make a few grave errors which could be described as errors of judgement – errors that I suppose, every captain makes while captaining a side and paid penalty for that.
In terms of errors, persisting with Umar Gul when he had lost his confidence in the early overs after bowling to Sehwag and not trying to rotate the batting as it was required. There were times when he could have easily – well probably not himself as he wasn’t in the best of nicks – but change the batting order and put in a striking batsman between Younis and Misbah who could have struck the ball and hit a few boundaries. This is all in hindsight, ofcourse but by and large he did well.
PakPassion.Net: Looking ahead to the tour of the West Indies – what are your thoughts on the team selected in particular the exclusion of Kamran Akmal and Younis Khan? Do you have any thoughts about the new keeper [Salman]?
Asif Iqbal: I cant comment on Salman as I haven’t seen him but obviously there was a great need for change. Kamran Akmal was being selected in the side purely because he could bat. He was more of a batsman who could keep wickets because technically he has huge faults and the team was playing him due to his batting. I think the time has come after giving him so many chances that they should look for a wicketkeeper. If he can bat, then that is a bonus otherwise a specialist wicketkeeper is needed at a minimum. I believe this boy can do that – although there is another boy I have read about – Sarfraz – who is spoken off highly in Pakistan as he has a good keeping and batting record. He was the other contender who was not selected – not sure what the reasons were for that.
As for Younis Khan, well he has been dropped. I think its nice of the selection committee to say that they are “resting” senior players but in effect he has been dropped. Given the amount of services these players have given to the country and amount of cricket they have played, it’s always nice to hear that instead of saying that they have been dropped or dumped; the selectors and the board are saying that they have been rested which is a nice thing and should be appreciated.
However, I think both Misbah and Younis should be regular features in test cricket rather than in one days. I am a little disappointed that Misbah is in the One Day squad whereas really he should have been excluded. It would be totally unfair now if he goes ahead and scores lots of runs whereas in the much needed situation in the world cup, he didn’t deliver! A youngster should have been given a space in his place.
PakPassion.Net: Pakistani team management – how do you rate Waqar as a coach – is it time for him to be replaced or should he continue with an eye towards the next world cup?
Asif Iqbal: I see no reason why he [Waqar] should be replaced because the credit that has gone to the team for reaching the semi final must also go to the coach. When a team doesn’t too well, the team management are criticized but when the team are doing well, the credit for that success must first go to the players then to the coach and then to the selection committee as they chose the right team. For me, these three departments should get the accolades when the team is doing well. Conversely, when the team isn’t doing well, then its this group that needs to be changed. Whereas the management of the board, which includes the chairman of the board and administrators have nothing to do with the performances of the team. If the team does well then its got nothing to do with the chairman or administrators to wear garlands at the airport and give statements because, they have achieved nothing! Its not them who have done well because it’s the players who report to the selection committee and team management.
Regarding Waqar, he should continue although I am not too sure having two coaches who are specifically bowling oriented is a good idea. Obviously, Waqar is the all round or head coach but he is primarily a bowler so it would be nice to have instead of another bowling coach [Aqib], they should have a specialist batting and a fielding coach – that is what is required.
PakPassion.Net: Although Javed Miandad has refused the appointment, what are your thoughts on Javed Miandad as a batting coach? Do you agree with the idea of appointing a batting coach?
Asif Iqbal: First of all Coaching is a specialized position – you have to be qualified to be a coach. Just because you were a great bowler in your time doesn’t necessarily make you a good coach. You have to be qualified to be a coach. In coaching, there is obviously the technical aspect as well as man management. It’s not the experience as a good batsman or bowler that makes you a good coach. If you look at the coach of Australia when they were at the top of the world for 10 odd years – Buchannan was his name, I think – you had never heard of him before as a player so I don’t subscribe to the view that you have to be a good player to be a great coach. Infact, Javed Miandad can only share his experience with the batsmen – he can explain the mental side of batting. I think Javed can motivate a player. He is that kind of a player - he is a great motivator. To have him around will obviously be of great help to Pakistani batsmen. But to have him as a coach – well I am not too sure.
PakPassion.Net: County cricket, if a recent Sky program is to be believed is in a financial crisis yet a tournament such as IPL seems to have established itself in a relatively short period of time – what do you make of this idea and how do you feel about the exclusion of Pakistani players?
Asif Iqbal: We shouldn’t really be concerned about how the English Clubs are doing because that is a purely domestic affair. International cricket I think is in a very healthy state. They have hundreds and millions of dollars in the kitty – ICC and the cricket boards as well ECB are all very rich. If the clubs are not doing well it’s not because International cricket is doing well, its probably because they are not good value for domestic cricket.
As for IPL, Its again a form of domestic cricket. Just like in England you have Premier League which is raking in millions of pounds in revenue, likewise IPL is doing the same. Its less cricket and more money. That’s how I describe IPL.
I think the exclusions of Pakistani cricket has nothing to do with cricket. I am absolutely sure that many Indians and franchises would like to have these brilliant cricketers – the Pakistani cricketers in the Afridis, the Abdul Razzaqs and the Umar Guls and Umar Akmal. The problem is in the availability of players. In that you can bracket the security concern, availability due to International commitments. For all those reasons they have been excluded.
[In terms of it being unfair to Pakistani cricketers] As I said, it has nothing to do with cricket and really no one can be blamed for that.
PakPassion.Net: Given your experience in such matters, is there any potential for such a tournament in the UAE where Pakistani players can take part as well?
Asif Iqbal: I think they will struggle purely because of the availability of players. I believe there is talk of some kind of Twenty20 League in the UAE that will be organized. My only question is what time frame they are looking at as International cricket is being played all year round and International teams hardly have players available for these private enterprises.
PakPassion.Net: Many thanks for your time.
Asif Iqbal: Thanks