On Thursday when he breezed in to bowl the second over against Pakistan, he didn’t show any signs that have till now kept him out of the squad.
The Gujarat bowler was cooling his heels in Shimla when he was called to replace the injured bowlers RP Singh and S Sreesanth. Having been neglected for the ODI series, he was literally pulled out of cold storage to a smoggy Delhi. Despite his injury-induced absences, he has delivered when fully fit, writes Abhishek Ghosh
The first thing that strikes the mind when one thinks of Munaf Patel, is a promising fast bowler lying in the fringes. On Thursday when he breezed in to bowl the second over against Pakistan, he didn’t show any signs that have till now kept him out of the squad.
However, his return to the squad itself is as puzzling as his exclusion. Picked up ahead of the in-form Irfan Pathan, he kept the selectors’ and the captain’s faith in him, taking the wicket of Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik, who if his last innings is an indication, was in good form.
Munaf was cooling his heels in Shimla when he was called to replace the injured bowlers RP Singh and S Sreesanth. Having been neglected for the ODI series, he was literally pulled out of cold storage to a smoggy Delhi.
Another reason why he was selected ahead of Pathan was, and this is conjecture, that he was the perfect complement for the left handed Zaheer Khan. With Sreesanth injured, the selectors could well have wanted to go for a left-right combination on the first day of the Test match and Munaf was the ready answer.
Chief of the selection committee, Dilip Vengsarkar had once famously said that “Munaf may be a mystery but his bowling is not history.”
The mystery aspect of Munaf’s illness is the most befuddling. His repeated breakdowns due to injuries were not only frustrating but also left with a feeling of desertion when the captain turned to him. “Munaf was a big disappointment. He developed a shoulder injury and I see it more of a mental problem than physical,” said the then India A coach Sandeep Patil in 2004.
Despite his injury-induced absences, he has delivered when fully fit. His big performances at the international level is still to come, but going by his exploits in the domestic placid pitches of India, his past coaches are confident that if he keeps up with the discipline and rigour his day in the sun is assured.
In the past he has been heaped upon with praise from former selector Kiran More and TA Sekhar. There have been however faint murmurs of his attitude not being that of a pace bowler. On Thursday, these misgivings were put to rest as he plodded on for 20.4 overs, four balls more the other workhorse and now captain, Anil Kumble.
The first session of the second day will be a true test of his mettle. Misbah-ul-Haq and Mohammad Sami, have unbelievably fostered a frustrating partnership of 58. It will be expected of both the frontline bowlers to strike early and Zaheer is sure hoping for some help from Munaf to partner him in the hunt.
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