Inzamam-Ul-Haq’s dead-pan humour laced answers to the trickiest of queries makes an interaction with him far more serious business.
The former Pakistan captain says he was surprised by Indian selectors’ decision to leave Rahul Dravid out of the ODI squad
NEW DELHI: Inzamam-Ul-Haq’s dead-pan humour laced answers to the trickiest of queries makes an interaction with him far more than the serious business that most cricket press conferences usually are.
At the same time they reflect the earthiness of the man who despite being one of most talked about Pakistan cricketers in recent times has still not lost his head to the heady trappings of fame.
Inzy, who will be hosting Junoon 2007 for Zee News for the extent of the Indo-Pak series, was candid enough to admit that since he is now out of the ICC’s ambit of control he could say things the way they really are.
The Hair episode
“I have seen that sub-continent players are treated more harshly and umpires and match referees do not favour us as much,” he said while elaborating on the Darrell Hair episode during the September 2006 fourth Test against England at the Oval.
“We never intended to forfeit the match. We just wanted to send a message by delaying our return to the pitch that the umpire cannot take decisions contrary to the rules. He is meant to inform the captain before docking us for five runs, Hair did not.”
Dismissing the speculation that perhaps former Pak players may have influenced his decision at the time Haq elaborated: “There was no external influence. The decision was entirely mine but I did take the team into confidence before making it.”
Seniors versus juniors
Haq is quite sure that India will feel the absence of Rahul Dravid in crunch times. “An experienced player knows how to handle things in a high-pressure series.
I was surprised when Dravid was not named in the squad. At some stage in this series India will miss him.” Haq also feels that the debate about senior players making way for the youngsters is redundant.
“It is a typical sub-continent fixation. We are always talking about preparing for the next World Cup instead of focussing on the present. The decision to retire should only hinge on two factors — fitness and performance. I retried at 38, Imran (Khan) at 39. Your senior players are still far from that age.”
The series
“Each match will be exciting given the history between the two countries. Since pitches here favour batsmen we will see high scoring games. India has the edge of being a more experienced side. The first few matches will dictate the course of the subsequent ones as the pressure for the losing side will build up.”
Asked to pick the most crucial player in each side Haq chose Sachin Tendulkar and Shahid Afridi. “These two can change the course of a match at any time.”
Haq is also looking forward to the role the two young captains play. “Both (MS) Dhoni and (Shoiab) Malik are positive and aggressive,” he said while pointing out that both lack experience.
On Shoiab Akhtar who has a chequered history with Haq, he said laconic: “If he keeps playing, he will make a big difference.”
The loss of Mohd Asif will make a difference but Haq felt Pak still had the pace power to compensate. He is sure that the Pak reverse swing potency will not be blunted on account of the ball change in the later part of the innings.
“In our conditions the ball weathers faster and reverse swing will be there to extract.”
Haq was non-committal on just which league — ICL or IPL — he would be playing in.
“I am trying to play in both,” he joked. When pressed on whether he had got his kit along as the ICL begins later this month he added:
“No, but I can go back and get it.” Haq was also non-committal on the charge that he had brought religion into the Pak squad.
“It made no difference to the team. Namaz has got nothing to do with cricket that’s what a Muslim is expected to practice.”
Giving a hint of just why he could not have continued without being captain he said, “It is difficult coming back as a regular player. That depends on individual motivation and goals. In my case all the new players were so much younger than me. It was not comfortable.”
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}