PakPassion Presents an Exclusive Interview with Taufeeq Umar (with audio)

[Saj]

[Saj]

PakPassion.Net: How did you get into cricket?

Taufeeq Umar: My cricket career started in 1994 when I attended a Pepsi Imran Khan coaching clinic. They formed a team called Pepsi Lahore which I was selected for.
Kamran Akmal also started his cricket career from there.


PakPassion.Net: Lahore is a cricket mad city, how did you manage to get yourself noticed among so much competition?

Taufeeq Umar: The clinic was coached by experienced domestic batsmen such as Azghar Khan, Azmat Rana and Agha Zahid. These guys recognised the talent in me and selected both Kamran and I for the final 13.


PakPassion.Net: Were you then selected for any junior or academy tours after this?, If I remember correctly you toured England with the U15s team.

Taufeeq Umar: After that my first tour was with the U15s team for the world cup in 1996 in England. We reached the finals.


PakPassion.Net: You have now played cricket for many years, what do you think about the standard of domestic cricket in Pakistan?

Taufeeq Umar: The standard of Pakistani domestic cricket is very good. Most of the players who play for the departments have been playing for many years and they are all professionals. The facilities provided to the players however are not very good.

PakPassion.Net: You have just participated in the recent Qaid-e-Azam trophy. Have you seen any youngsters who have impressed you?

Taufeeq Umar: The U19s have just toured Sri Lanka and now there is a world cup about to take place so the talented youngsters have been busy there. However there is a young guy named Umar Amin who has performed really well and Ahmed Shehzad is another young talent who has been putting in good performances.


PakPassion.Net: You have mashallah played cricket to the highest level. Who has helped you through your career the most?

Taufeeq Umar: There are a lot of people who have helped me in my career. I started in Lahore Gym Khana club and my manager there was the first person to support and guide, He was my Ustaad (Mentor).
In international cricket Aamir Sohail has helped me a lot, he is like an elder brother to me, I have learnt a lot from him.


PakPassion.Net: When Bob Woomer came to Pakistan as a coach, you were dropped. What was your relationship with Bob Woolmer like? A lot of people said at the time that you were dropped unfairly.

Taufeeq Umar: I made a comeback after one and a half years. PCB recalled me for the England series. I was dropped after just one match. A player can have an unlucky innings or two If you drop someone based on just one match especially someone who is making a comeback then I feel it is unfair. I feel I should been tested for the whole series.


PakPassion.Net: Why hasn’t Pakistan been able to bring good consistent openers since Aamir Sohail and Saeed Anwar?

Taufeeq Umar: I think the biggest problem is that no opener is given a consistent long run. If you look at the likes of Imran Farhat and Yasir Hameed who both have performed well but not been continued with.

Thanks to Allah I still have a test match batting average of 40 after 25 test matches. This is considered a good record in international matches and no other Pakistani opener still has as good a record.

Aamir Sohail and Saeed Anwar are great players and there is no doubt in that but even they didn’t perform in every single match. They were given a proper chance, they didn’t have the fear of being dropped after one bad performance. Not giving proper chances to openers is the main problem with the Pakistani team.


PakPassion.Net: You have opened the batting with many other Pakistani openers. Who did you enjoy opening with the most?

Taufeeq Umar: I scored a test hundred on debut and I was partnered at that time with Saeed Bhai (Anwar). I also opened in the 2003 world cup and it was again with Saeed Bhai. I used to really enjoy playing with him because he used to teach me along the way and he always realised that I was the junior so he used to take all the pressure onto himself. That is a trait of a great player.

Other then Saeed Bhai if I have had a good understanding with someone then that is Imran Farhat. He is from my bank and he has also played a lot of international cricket. Thanks to Allah we have got a record of four international hundred run opening partnerships for Pakistan.


PakPassion.Net: Saeed Anwar was a great batsman, Did you base your batting style on him?

Taufeeq Umar: No this is my natural style, A lot of people have said that it is similar to Saeed Bhai. I have learnt a lot from him and I have watched a lot of his videos to learn more but my batting style is my own.


PakPassion.Net: In the 2004 home series vs India many people claimed that the Pakistani players were really friendly with the Indians. Do you think the lack of competitiveness from the Pakistanis was the reason Pakistan lost?

Taufeeq Umar: On the ground the atmosphere was completely different, all the players were playing to win. The Indian players were in form on the back of a well fought away series against Australia. Their players were experienced and they played the better cricket on the day and that’s why they won.The cricket was hard fought, there were no one sided matches.


PakPassion.Net: Shaun Pollock is one of the greatest bowlers in cricket history but you played him with ease. What were your tactics against him?

Taufeeq Umar: My average is around about or even higher then 80 against South Africa. When I went on the away tour I was the man of the series for Pakistan and when they visited Pakistan I was also the man of the series.

They had the best bowling attack in the world but thanks to Allah I found it easy and I managed to score well against them.


PakPassion.Net: One of your strongest points was that you always knew where your off stump was. I watched the whole of the South Africa series and you left many deliveries which were very close to the stumps. We don’t find this with the current crop of openers.

Taufeeq Umar: A good opener is someone who knows where their off stump is. This is something which you need to practice on as a batsman. On a fresh wicket and in new conditions it is hard to know where your off stump is straight away. This is something which requires training.


PakPassion.Net: Looking at your batting it is quite evident that you were more suited to test cricket. Do you feel that playing ODIs has affected your career? Do you think that your cricket career could have been longer?

Taufeeq Umar: No I wouldn’t say that, I am still playing domestic cricket and I am sure that I will make an international comeback inshallah. I am fully driven to make my way back.

I don’t think that you should categorise someone as a test specialist or a one day specialist. The most important thing for an opener is for him to give a good stand. Nowadays the batting in test cricket is pretty much the same as the batting in one days. The trend in one days has also reversed. You hardly ever score 90+ in the first 15 overs, mostly you only see scores of 50 to 70. The slogging is left for the final overs. Even in one days the trend now is to play steadily in the first 15 overs.


PakPassion.Net: You were in the team when Javed Miandad was coach. How did you find him as a coach. I remember once you were batting and Miandad was giving you signals from the balcony.

Taufeeq Umar: There is no doubt that Javed Bhai was a great coach and a great player. I have learnt a lot from him. He is a whole academy by himself. They say that if Javed bhai spends just a week with one player then that is enough for the player to improve.


PakPassion.Net: Throughout your career who was the most difficult bowler you faced?

Taufeeq Umar: It all depends on the conditions. If the conditions are batting friendly then even the best of the bowlers seem easy. If the conditions are tough then even an ordinary bowler seems very tough.

Overall I feel I have struggled against Brett Lee and Glen Mcgrath.


PakPassion.Net: You played in the ICL. How do you feel it has benefited you? What have you learnt from the ICL and what is your overall impression of the ICL?

Taufeeq Umar: I joined ICL because I wasn’t being given a proper chance up here. We are all professionals and we will play cricket where we can. We weren’t being given games up here so we decided to go and play in the ICL.

We learnt a lot in the ICL because the playing conditions were different to ours and we were playing against players from all over the world.


PakPassion.Net: Pakistan is heading off to Australia, The last three series have been 3-0 defeats. do you feel Pakistan will be able to perform?

Taufeeq Umar: An Australian series is always difficult especially for Pakistan as the playing conditions of the two countries is very different. There is a lot of bounce in the Australian pitches which you don’t find in Pakistan.

There are also a lot of new players in the team so I feel that the team will struggle a bit in Australia but all the players are very talented and if they play as they have been playing then Pakistan will give Australia a difficult time. However I feel that Pakistan will struggle.

[Saj]

My sincere thanks to Taufeeq for his time in doing this interview for PakPassion. A real pleasure chatting to him, even though he wasn't feeling too well the day I interviewed him.

However he was true to his word, gave me a time to speak to him and stuck by that time.

Also many thanks to dblock for adding the interview to youtube and to GA and Wazeeri for scripting the interview.

[srh]

Saj, I have heard that Taufeeq Umar is related to Javed Miandad? Is it true?

[Gollum]

I just can't believe that he is being sidelined in favour of the likes of Farhat, Butt, Manzoor, and others. He should have been in the squad.

[pakmania]

Originally Posted by Saj [b][color=green] PakPassion.Net: Throughout your career who was the most difficult bowler you faced? Taufeeq Umar: It all depends on the conditions. If the conditions are batting friendly then even the best of the bowlers seem easy. If the conditions are tough then even an ordinary bowler seems very tough. Overall I feel I have struggled against Brett Lee and Glen Mcgrath. PakPassion.Net: You played in the ICL. How do you feel it has benefited you? What have you learnt from the ICL and what is your overall impression of the ICL? Taufeeq Umar: I joined ICL because I wasn’t being given a proper chance up here. We are all professionals and we will play cricket where we can. We weren’t being given games up here so we decided to go and play in the ICL. [b]PakPassion.Net: Pakistan is heading off to Australia, The last three series have been 3-0 defeats. do you feel Pakistan will be able to perform? There are also a lot of new players in the team so I feel that the team will struggle a bit in Australia but all the players are very talented and if they play as they have been playing then Pakistan will give Australia a difficult time. However I feel that Pakistan will definitely lose.

god what a terribly negative attitude especially the last sentence and the bit about the ICL,the pakistan cap is more important than the lakh in ICL,the bit about the conditions is also a bad mindset,despite the pitch you have to focus and not go out with an mindset of 'Oh,i'm gonna fail due to the conditions'

[legslip]

Good honest answers from Taufeeq. An average of 40 after 25 test matches for a Pakistani opener is very decent. Hope to see him in the squad soon.

[akafen]

He's related to Pervez Akhtar.

All the players who have represented Pakistan have had talent, and Taufeeq Umar is no different. Hopefully he can cont to perform and come back. Its nice to see him give credit to other deserving players. I agree with his point about being dropped.

Personally Taufeeq Umar should be playing test cricket, unfortunately teh pcb and our incompetent selectors destroyed his confidence by picking and droppng him.

[Juggernaut]

He averages 39 in test cricket. I know it's only one run but every run counts.

Also, I honestly think that if we're bringing players that were long gone back into the squad Taufeeq Umar would be the best choice at the top.

I think he'd be a better choice than Farhat thats for sure.

[Easa]

Taufeeq Umar: There are also a lot of new players in the team so I feel that the team will struggle a bit in Australia but all the players are very talented and if they play as they have been playing then Pakistan will give Australia a difficult time. However I feel that Pakistan will definitely lose.

Originally Posted by legslip Good honest answers from Taufeeq. An average of 40 after 25 test matches for a Pakistani opener is very decent. Hope to see him in the squad soon.

I thought he gave some dodgy answers - he has some very strange views.

He alleges that international teams mostly score 50-70 runs in thae first 15-20 overs of a One Day International. I don't know if he's been watching Nepal Second XI vs Kenya but if a team scores less than 75 runs in the first 15 overs, it is usually termed a 'disappointing' start.

Thanks for the interview, anyway.

[kingusama92]

I have been backing Umar Amin for a long time.

Now even Taufeeq Umar is backing him as a good player.

[Ayyub]

Interview is in punjabi why not in urdu ?

[Saj]

Originally Posted by Ayyub Interview is in punjabi why not in urdu ?

I always ask which language the interviewee would prefer. In this case Taufeeq said Punjabi.

[zaid65]

Originally Posted by Saj I always ask which language the interviewee would prefer. In this case Taufeeq said Punjabi.

Or it could be your preference?..

PS: By the way, I am impress with your Punjabi skills, you speak Punjabi better than English..

[Black Zero]

No doubt, Taufeeq Umar was trated unfairly.

[Omar Malik]

Originally Posted by Juggernaut He averages 39 in test cricket. I know it's only one run but every run counts. Also, I honestly think that if we're bringing players that were long gone back into the squad Taufeeq Umar would be the best choice at the top. I think he'd be a better choice than Farhat thats for sure.

That is so right!

[AZ]

the best thing about Taufeeq was his stickability to the crease...let's hope he gets back in the reckoning for a Test recall

[zaid65]

Taufeeq Umar was the best opener came since Saeed Anwar, but he is right, he was not given a consistent run and was dropped from test team when he failed to perform in one day.

His timing was also bad, when he was not performing well, we found Salman Butt and Imran Farhat, who most people thought were next Langer and Hayden for Pakistan.

It is unfortunate, we are playing Faisal, Malik, Misbah, Farhat, but poor Taufeeq is still in the side line.

[Juggernaut]

Originally Posted by zaid65 Taufeeq Umar was the best opener came since Saeed Anwar, but he is right, he was not given a consistent run and was dropped from test team when he failed to perform in one day. His timing was also bad, when he was not performing well, we found Salman Butt and Imran Farhat, who most people thought were next Langer and Hayden for Pakistan. It is unfortunate, we are playing Faisal, Malik, Misbah, Farhat, but poor Taufeeq is still in the side line.

Who were these people?

[Juggernaut]

Originally Posted by zaid65 You are so predictable. Jug, do you get your answer?

Yep

[Desi]

I was surprised when people said he had a test average of 40, so I checked myself and sure enough it's true. Strange, because all I remember from him is horrid footwork and shuffling that gets him in trouble. But hey, he managed to succeed vs. the likes of Pollock and co., best of luck to this man.

[zaid65]

Originally Posted by Desi I was surprised when people said he had a test average of 40, so I checked myself and sure enough it's true. Strange, because all I remember from him is horrid footwork and shuffling that gets him in trouble. But hey, he managed to succeed vs. the likes of Pollock and co., best of luck to this man.

As I have said that he was quite good and had a sold technique but lost his confidence due to playing him in random one day matches mix with test matches here and there.

Some time I wonder, this could be due to some insecurity from Inzi group as well, because he could have been the next captain and they messed him up big time to destroy his carrier to promote their desired candidates for the captaincy. This phenomena is nothing new in Pakistan cricket.

[d0gers]

nice to hear the interview in Punjabi. hopefully Saj bhai agla jaira interview hoye ga o tussi Pashto ich karo ge.

[Saj]

Originally Posted by srh Saj, I have heard that Taufeeq Umar is related to Javed Miandad? Is it true?

no I dont think that is true.

[zaid65]

Originally Posted by srh Saj, I have heard that Taufeeq Umar is related to Javed Miandad? Is it true?

It could be because, Taufeeq is from Gulberg Lahore and Miandad is from Gulberg Karachi.

[BoomBoomCricket]

It does seem that Pak don't persevere with openers for a sufficient period of time. This results in inconsistency as it never allows one to settle.

[Juggernaut]

Taufeeq Umar got a 100 in the final of the QEA.

Saj, can you congratulate him on PP's behalf next time you speak to him. The rest of his team is falling apart around him but he gets a century and carries his bat.

Well done Taufeeq. Hope he delivers in the second innings as well.

Also looking at his stats over the last few years it looks pretty good.

Averaging 54 in 13 innings this season. Averaged 52 in six innings in 2008. Averaged 43 in 14 innings in 2007. He only played the two innings in the 2008-09 season.

Some good stats and an average of 39 at international level for a Pakistani opener. At age 28 surely he still has time to break back into the sqaud and improve that average?

[zaid65]

Taufeeq Umar got a 100 in the final of the QEA.

Imagine if that 100 would have been scored by " star player", we would have spray of threads on this board to send him to Australia ASAP.

Poor Taufeeq!!

[Wazeeri]

Not just a 100 in the final but the guy has average 54 in the QEA trophy as an opener.

To summarise
Taufeeq is the highest averaging opener in QEA
Taufeeq has an international opening average of ~40
Taufeeq averages 70 on the bouncy tracks of South Africa.

[Juggernaut]

Originally Posted by Wazeeri Not just a 100 in the final but the guy has average 54 in the QEA trophy as an opener. To summarise Taufeeq is the highest averaging opener in QEA Taufeeq has an international opening average of ~40 Taufeeq averages 70 on the bouncy tracks of South Africa.

And he's not in the team.

[Gollum]

Originally Posted by Wazeeri Not just a 100 in the final but the guy has average 54 in the QEA trophy as an opener. To summarise Taufeeq is the highest averaging opener in QEA Taufeeq has an international opening average of ~40 Taufeeq averages 70 on the bouncy tracks of South Africa.

A few major things against him:
Taufeeq's last name is not Butt
Taufeeq is not a Bhanja of a great former batsman
Taufeeq's father-in-law is not a PCB selector

All the talent and performances in the world cannot overcome the above flaws.

[Saj]

Saj, can you congratulate him on PP's behalf next time you speak to him. The rest of his team is falling apart around him but he gets a century and carries his bat.

Text sent to him congratulating him on his century and wishing him the best in the second innings.

Great century, on a very difficult track.

I have a feeling that we may be seeing Taufeeq back in Pakistan colours soon.

[sehsan]

Good to see Taufiq doing well in the current domestic season. I completly agree with him that a player should get a proper chance on his return. He was dropped after 1 test where he didnt make many runs but ATLEAST he took the shine off the ball.

I hope selectors persist with salman and Imran for now and keep taufiq as 3rd option.

Saj bahi: I wish you would have gone in detail about woolmer role with him

[Saj]

'Miandad is a whole academy by himself'

Now on Cricinfo :-

http://blogs.cricinfo.com/surfer/arc...ad_is_a_wh.php

[zaid65]

I have a feeling that we may be seeing Taufeeq back in Pakistan colours soon.

By knowing the IQ of our selectors, Tafeeq will be given chance in upcoming 20/20 in West Indies.

[Saj]

Originally Posted by zaid65 By knowing the IQ of our selectors, Tafeeq will be given chance in upcoming 20/20 in West Indies.

haha.

He's a test player and the selectors need to realise that test cricket is his strength. There is no need to select him in any other form of cricket.

btw the interview was sent to Iqbal Qasim

[Amoeba]

As I've said a number of times he for me is the best Test opener we have out of a very bad bunch admittedly. He at least tries to get his feet and head in the right position whilst the rest don't even try. He can't play jamodis but there is no need for him to do so. He should be our Test No1.

[Juggernaut]

Originally Posted by Saj I have a feeling that we may be seeing Taufeeq back in Pakistan colours soon.

I hope your right.

[pakcric123]

Taufeeq Umar should be in the pakistan team as an opener with Yasir Hameed. These two have the best technique compared to the others and if they are given a fair chance they will be great openers for pakistan.

[Saj]

Saj bahi: I wish you would have gone in detail about woolmer role with him

Sabeeh I dont think Taufeeq would have publicly gone into details about his relationship or perhaps lack of it with Woolmer

[shane]

That was an interesting interview, It sounded like a bit of an ego trip on Taufeeq's part at times, however, it's good to hear that he is motivated about getting back into the team.

[giri26]

This interview features on the surfer page on cricinfo linking to Pakpassion

http://blogs.cricinfo.com/surfer/

well done to PP

[Boi]

Out of all the openers we tried after Saeed Anwar went. Taufeeq was my favourite. He really did well against South Africa and I thought we had found a opener that could do well at the top of the innings for Pakistan. After a few years he has gone out into the shadow and I only recently heard about him when he joined ICL. Thankfully he is back doing well in the domestic arena.
I wish him the best of luck...

[Geordie Ahmed]

This guy averages 39 - thats 10 more than Salman Butt. He didnt have the best of times in the India tour BUT he is comfortably better than the current openers

[Saj]

Many thanks once again to Taufeeq for his time.

It will be interesting to see whether he tours England later this year with the Pakistan squad.