Wasim Akram, one of the masters of reverse-swing in his heyday, disagrees with Allan Donald’s view that ball-tampering should be allowed to give bowlers a better chance.
Wasim Akram, one of the masters of reverse-swing in his heyday, disagrees with Allan Donald’s view that ball-tampering should be allowed to give bowlers a better chance against batsmen who seem to be dominating the game nowadays.
“I don’t agree with this view and I wonder why he said that,” Akram said at an interaction with the media at the Gatorade Centre for Pace Excellence (GCPE), which he has joined as a coach.
“But there definitely are ways to use the old ball and it is necessary that youngsters get to know them. “I am here to teach players how to bowl on flat pitches, use the old and new balls, how to work on batsmen’s weaknesses,” said Akram, who will also be coaching the Delhi Ranji Trophy team this season.
Akram has had short coaching stints along with his media commitments but admitted he never held a full-time job as coach because he did not have the patience.I have always been willing to help youngsters, irrespective of their nationality. If the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) wants I am willing to chip in more but I can’t go out of my way to offer help,” said the former Pakistan skipper, who finished with an incredible figure of 916 international wickets (502 in ODIs, 414 in Tests) and is considered the best ever left-arm pace bowler.
“I worked in two camps and discovered Sohail Tanveer and Mohammad Aamer,” said Akram, who warned that it would not be easy for Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif to re-establish themselves in the national team.
“I think Pakistan team has some options and with the youngsters getting exposure in the Champions Trophy and other matches this year, they are bound to do well in the coming years,” said Akram.
“It is all about learning from your mistakes and successes. There is not much a coach can do at the international level except warn a bowler about what he is doing wrong,” he added.
){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}