‘Not enough leggies in Pakistan’
Former Pakistan leg-spinner Abdul Qadir has shown great concern over the lack of leg-spinners in the country and stressed that importance needed to be attached to the art of wrist bowling.
Pakistan, once the powers of leg-spin, now have very few emerging prospects and while there are off-break bowlers waiting in line, Qadir feels the leg-spin talent is not being represented enough at the Fast Track Coaching Programme.
Qadir, along with another former spinner Tauseef Ahmed, is training spinners at the National Cricket Academy and said that the presence of only a few leg-break bowlers was a worrying sign for the future.
“I’ve only seen three to four leg-spinners here,” Qadir told reporters. “I’m sure if we look around we can find more. We are the pioneers of leg-spin so we can’t let the art die.”
‘Issue needs to be addressed’
Qadir said that while there was backup ready in the form of fast-bowlers and off-spinners, the same was not the case for wrist spin. He said that the issue would be presented to the Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ijaz Butt.
“I’ve already realised that there is a lack of leg-spinners and there should be a backup ready. I’m definitely discussing the issue with the PCB chairman. As far as my expertise is concerned, I’m ready to tour the entire country to hunt for talent.”
Qadir, who played 67 Test matches and 104 One-Day Internationals, was hailed as one of the finest leg-spinners in the history of the game. A distinct run-up and a great variety of deliveries defined his bowling, traits that earned him praise from all over the world including former Australia leg-spinner Shane Warne who termed Qadir the reason for taking up the art.
The 55-year-old said that leg-spin bowlers needed to be mentally tougher and aggressive in their approach. “What I’ve seen is that these spinners need to concentrate as leg-spin requires a lot of mental work and strength. They need to understand the variation as that plays a vital part.
“They might have taken wickets at the regional level but they lack basic skills. So I had to work right at the basics for them.”
Qadir also pointed out three bowlers, one of them being his son Usman, who he said had the potential to make it to the top.
“Fortunately my son is also a leg-spin bowler. He was very successful at the under-19 level and he’s making his own way to the national side. Apart from him there are two bowlers, Saad Nasim and Yasir Shah who have a good attitude.”
261
Danish Kaneria, Pakistan’s highest wicket-taking spinner in Test cricket, has led the country’s spin attack for a decade but a row with the PCB has sidelined him from national selection. The leg-spinner has claimed 261 wickets in 61 Tests and while stats favour him, critics have often argued if he is the best leg-spinner the country has produced
236
Abdul Qadir was a pioneer of his time. The leg-spinner defined the art and inspired many to follow including Australian legend Shane Warne who has showered immense praise on the Pakistani. An aggressive bowler, who finished with 236 wickets in 67 Tests, was the backbone of the Pakistan attack until when he retired
185
Before the emergence of off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, Mushtaq Ahmed was Pakistan’s ruthless weapon when it came to slow bowling. The leg-spinner, who is now an England bowling consultant, took 185 wickets in 52 Tests and was the support of legendary fast-bowlers Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis needed
Published in The Express Tribune, July 21st, 2011.
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and what about mansoor amjad? the kid can bat , has a good head on his shoulders and spins it a yard.