Ahmed has been working as a spin bowling consultant with England for the last three years and was recently awarded a new two-year contract by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
He will join the England team in the UAE on January 4 as they prepare for a full-fledged series against Pakistan in Dubai and Abu Dhabi comprising Tests, One-Day Internationals (ODI) and Twenty20 matches.
“England have been preparing hard for this series,” said Ahmed. “I’ve tried to convince them that they must learn to depend on spin if they want to win in the Asian region.
“I see this series as a big challenge for the English and Pakistani spinners and there is going to be tough competition between Graeme Swann and Saeed Ajmal, who are the best off-spinners in the business today.”
Ahmed said the pitches in the UAE favoured the slower bowlers and both teams needed to capitalise on the situation.
“It will depend on what sort of pitches are prepared for the series but I sense they will give assistance to the slow bowlers. But Swann and Ajmal are quality bowlers who can trouble anyone on any sort of pitches. Swann has been brilliant for England in the last two years.”
Ahmed, who played 52 tests and 144 ODIs for Pakistan, said he enjoyed working with the English cricket set-up.
“For me, coaching is a profession and my first job is to see in this series that the English spinners do well. Emotions become secondary when you are working as a professional.” he said.
The two sides play a three-Test match series, as well as a One-Day International and Twenty20 series. The contest is taking place in the UAE due to security concerns in Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 14th, 2011.
COMMENTS (7)
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@LOK: I am yawning already :)
Swann is certainly going to be a threat in the test series. I want to see a good contest in test series, Eng are clear favorites and Pakistanis will have to play out of their skins to be able to beat the #1 test team in the world. England are a treat to watch in test matches, great balance in their side. Wonderful skipper, world's best spinner, very good pace attack and a WK who ( doesn't drop catches and ) bats well. I predict Ian Bell for the man of the (test) series.
Mushi.....you are a professional ...do your business and we will show you what Ajmal, Hafeez and Abdur Rehman can do to England Side...!!!! Pakistan will only lose this series if 1) they succumb to their unpredictable nature and bad fielding 2) if they catch unforeseen injuries 3) if dave whatmore makes selection blunders (provided he is coach...that is why i support Pakistani coach) 4) if English media is able to concoct another controversy because Eng is and never was good enough to beat Pakistan in last 30 years unless and until they were helped by abusive English media to pressurize Pakistan with controversial stuff like Ball tempering(1992 and 2006), umpiring feud (1987), spot fixing (2010)..... so if the series is played in a controversy free and conspiracy free environment then I see 1-0 or 2-0 in Pakistan's favor in test, 3-2 by Pakistan in ODI and 2-1 in t20 by Pakistan.... who knows English media may come up with stories like Ajmal is a chucker and Hafeez is immoral.....just to pressurize....whenever Pakistan is playing eng...they have to play against media and England.....
Spin battle? Really? Wow... amazing insight Mushy bhai! And i've been thinking all this time that its going to be a battle of swing and seam bowling. Thanks for clarifying for the ignorant public.
Mushi join PTI.
mushi do what ever you like but hopefully pakistan will win. And ajmal will do better then swan.