The latest edition of The Weekly Comment focuses on Umar Gul, who despite being the mainstay of the Pakistani pace attack for almost a decade does not receive the plaudits enjoyed by his contemporaries.

By Nasser Khan (28th January 2012)

Despite being in the Pakistani line-up for almost a decade, give or take a career-threatening back injury in between, Umar Gul has rarely been able to generate the respect his peers enjoy despite being a virtual ever-present at Pakistani cricket’s most successful moments since his debut in 2003. Inzamam’s heroic 138 not-out as he steered Pakistan home for a final-wicket win against Bangladesh in the final Test of the series are well-remembered, but what isn’t as well remembered is Umar Gul’s eight wickets in his fourth International match. Or his 5/31 which ripped thought the much-vaunted Indian line-up and drew Pakistan level in the three-Test series in 2004. He suffered three stress fractures in his back after that Test, an injury many bowlers struggle to come back from, but Gul returned stronger and fitter.

Perhaps it’s his understated demeanour, his lack of penchant for the limelight but coach after coach, captain after captain, administration after administration, even in the PCB’s fluid selection policy, have seen fit to select Umar Gul as part of the Pakistani bowling line-up. In the chaos, he’s been a near-constant.

It’s not just fans who underestimate Umar Gul. As recently as the 2012 whitewash of England in the UAE, a series in which Gul’s outstanding performances are largely left by the wayside, Sky’s Charles Colville referred to him as “the factor which England wouldn’t have countered for.” Anderson and Broad received the plaudits for being able to extract movement on those pitches in the desert, but Gul was as good, if not better. He took 11 wickets in three matches and as the South Africa series begins, Umar Gul will again be a key component of Whatmore and Misbah’s bowling line-up.

Despite his intermittent success with the new ball, Umar Gul is not an opening bowler. Where there have been more suitable performers available, he’s dropped down to first-change where others would have considered it an affront to their dignity, and when those same bowlers have departed from the side for self-inflicted wounds, Umar Gul has been willing to take the new ball with little fuss. When Younis Khan chose Fawad Alam to bowl the 15th over in the World T20 semi-final against South Africa in 2009, which would mean potential bowler-of-the-tournament Gul wouldn’t complete his full quota, he walked back to his fielding position with little argument, returning in the next over with six seemingly laser-guided yorkers. A bigger team man is difficult to find anywhere in the world, let alone in Pakistan and this approach will be vital as Pakistan embark on a tough tour of South Africa. He’s already scored a 49 to rescue the innings in the warm-up game, and picked up a couple of wickets.

It’s Pakistan’s lack of depth, mostly due to the indiscipline of his fellow quicks which has thrust Umar Gul into the position of new-ball bowler, when he has the skill to be the quintessential third seamer in Tests. In ODIs and T20s he is still one of the best death bowlers. That’s not to say he’s without weakness, the most significant being his reliance on rhythm rather than a more metronomic approach. When it clicks, there is no better sight in world cricket. When it doesn’t, Gul looks like he has dislocated knees, elbows and ankles.

The rhythm issue is also not isolated, it’s directly linked to his career-long struggle with adapting to the three different formats – Tests, ODIs and T20s - Umar Gul has generally been good only at one of these formats at any given point. After his glorious run in the 2009 World T20, in which his yorkers had Wasim Akram gasping on commentary, he was unable to carry this into the Test side despite his significant experience in the longer format of the game. With better and more management, this lack of adaptability could have been addressed.

His skill with the old ball is also prodigious, second to none in Pakistan. It was Umar Gul’s reverse swing which led Darrell Hair to claim the ball had been tampered with; it was Umar Gul’s spell of reverse swing against New Zealand in the 2009 World T20 which had Daniel Vettori befuddled enough to claim underhand tactics in his post-match interview.

Umar Gul does have weaknesses, his Test average is testament to that. However, he’s also an honest fast bowler who has virtually single-handedly maintained Pakistani respectability after one fast bowler after another disgraced the team, fans and nation. No steroids, injuries, lack of fitness, fixing, drugs in wallet or chucking and a significant level of skill, Umar Gul deserves more respect for his services, his continued service, to Pakistani cricket.

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