This interview turned out to be huge. This part of the Aqib Javed interview and is about upcoming batsmen, all-rounders, spinners and keepers.
You've been working at the National Cricket Academy as a senior coach for many years now, what's your impression of it?

It's a great place to work with both the current and the future stars of Pakistani cricket. It has up to date facilities and I'd say it's one of the best cricket academies in the world.
There's a lot of the raw Pakistani talent in small villages, what are the NCA doing to tap into this rich resource?

It would be impossible for the NCA to go to every village which is why we have 11 regional academies working under the NCA. The way it works is that these acadamies identify regional talent at a young age and develop it, their job is to groom their local players. They give these youngsters personal development plans and teach them how best to utilise their talent. There is an inter-regional tournament where the best of the best are identified, they're then brought to the NCA. Our job at the NCA is to prepare these players to play at the highest level so that the selectors have a good pool of talented cricketers to choose from. I think the NCA has been doing a very good job.
Everyone we've spoken to about the NCA agrees with you, it's got a very good reputation amongst the players. How do you incorporate unofficial academies like that of Nadeem Iqbal in Multan into the NCA system?

We have an infrastructure in place in every region to deal with the talent in the local area. Under this system anyone who works hard towards helping improve Pakistani cricket has our support.
Well Nadeem Iqbal is now the assistant coach for the Multan region so I guess the system works! How do you think we should tackle the issue of flat lifeless pitches in Pakistan?

People see test matches played in Pakistan and get the impression that we cant make bowler friendly wickets but that's not true. Pakistan domestic cricket has seen some lush green pitches over the last year or so, in fact the pitches were so helpful to the bowlers that there were complaints from the senior batsmen asking for batting wickets to be made instead of green pitches. The winter domestic tournaments are especially good for bowling and bowler friendly wickets but for international matches it's the host nations decision what sort of wicket to prepare. That's why you see so many dead wickets at Test level.
Would it be possible to create bouncy pitches in Pakistan that can replicate Aussie/Saffie conditions?

The difference between our pitches and the pitches in those countries is the clay content in the soil, thats what produces the bouncy nature of their wickets. It would be very difficult to bring the soil over from Australia and use it to create pitches in Pakistan, even if we did then it would be a short term solution. Over time the local climate and conditions would work on the soil and the bounce wouldnt last.
Some of our members want to know why you want to change so many bowlers actions, what's your response?

Do I? I dont think action changing is a good idea because it's not always easy for a bowler to adjust to a new action. There are only 3 reasons that we would change a bowlers action. Firstly if the action was deemed illegal, secondly if the action was causing the bowler to keep getting injured like we did with Talha and to some extent with Aamer. And lastly we would make small adjustments to the runup and landing of some bowlers if they're struggling to control where the ball pitches but that's more about making them comfortable and fully balanced on their approach to the crease than changing their action as such. If someone is getting good speed and control with a legal action then there is no reason to change their action. Action changing isnt a small thing you can just do when you feel like, there has to be legitimate reasons for taking a measure as drastic as that.

(Aqib answers questions on Mohammad Irshad and Yasir Ali's action issues in part 2)

Ok moving onto spinners, what happened to Tariq Mahmood the Pakistani Murali who was in your 2004 u19 WC winning team?
Tariq was a really special talent and had an outstanding u19 World Cup but then he was called on his action and had to go to Australia. I worked really hard with him because changing a player's action isn't a simple thing, the player needs a lot of support to get back to where he was. Unfortunately the change in his action meant that he lost his effectiveness but he's been working really hard over the last two years...

Has he got his effectiveness back?
Yes he has. He's just played 2 seasons in grade II cricket where he's been taking lots of wickets and so we called him up to a recent specialised camp. Inthikab Alam saw him and was very impressed. Tariq is now playing FC cricket again, he's with Sialkot and he's got his variety back so I think he's as effective as he was in 2004.

Is his action completely legal now?
Yes.

What are your thoughts on Yasir Shah?
He's good, I think he'll make it one day. He's still young and improving on a daily basis but I'm concerned about his lack of height. Shorter bowlers struggle to get bounce off the pitch and he will have to work hard on his loop and rotation.

What other spinners do you think have a chance to make the Pakistan team?
I think Tariq has the best chance, we are struggling for quality spinners at the moment.

Who's the next big name in Pakistani spin?
Qadir's son Usman will be the one, he's as good as his father...

Hold on that's a huge claim to make, what are you basing it on?
He's something extra-ordinary. Wait for another 3 to 4 years and you'll see what I mean. He's got very good balance, very strong wrists for his age and a strong grip. He's a natural born talent just like his father was.

What's your opinion of Imran Tahir?
He toured with me when he was playing in the A team, he's a really good bowler. He doesnt bowl big leggies but he's got good variety. The googly is his speciality but he's got a really good slider too. He's a better one day bowler than a 4 day one but still a very good talent.

What happened? Why is he going to play for South Africa?
When he was playing domestic cricket in Pakistan we had a lot of good options like Saqi, Mushy and Kaneria. The competition used to be tough so it wasnt easy for a spinner to get into the team. If he'd been playing regularly in the Pakistan domestic over the last few years then he would have had a good chance to play for Pakistan, especially over the last couple of years.

Would u put him ahead of Ajmal or behind?
It's a tough question. You cant compare the two, one is an offspinner and the other is a legspinner.

Yes but we usually only play one spinner in the team, so which one would get in?
If I had to choose then I'd say Ajmal is a better choice because his doosra makes him more effective and he's very experienced.

What about Mansoor Amjad?
He had an injury which kept him from bowling but he's playing again. I think Mansoor can be a really effective leg spin all-rounder. He has already played for Pakistan but he's a lot like Afridi and so their roles would overlap.

Speaking of all-rounders, what about the 2008 u19 captain Imad Wasim?
Big pause He needs more time, maybe a few years.

Have u heard of Nazar Hussain? How fast is he?
I've seen him, he's ok for first class but I dont think he'll go any further. His speed is in the 130ks.

Any other all-rounders in the domestic?
Anwar Ali is a good swing bowler, is maturing as a batsman and is a brilliant fielder. I think he needs another season or two and he'll become a genuine all-rounder.

What makes you think Anwar Ali is ready for test cricket?
I said that? When?

Well there was an article quoting you saying that.
I dont remember saying that. Ali is a good bowler and can be very useful in favourable conditions but his chances of getting into the Pakistan team are better as an all-rounder. He's a medium pacer so it'll be tough for him to get into the team as a first choice bowler but he has the batting ability to become a very effective all-rounder. That would be his best route into the team.

Moving onto batsmen, last time you gave us an interview you said Nasir would be big. Do you still hold that view?
Yes and he's already played for Pakistan and made good scores so I stand by what I said.

Why do you think Nasir wasnt picked for the Sri Lankan series, he's clearly in good form.
Due to Khurram's good form, Khurram scored 150 and a few other good scores recently. He was with the team when they played the West Indies and I think it's a good strategy to give him a proper chance. We need a few good options in the opening department and we cant get that without giving other players a chance.

What do you think about Khurram Manzoor?
He's very keen, a gutsy batsman, hard working and can overcome his technical flaws by his sheer commitment. Early on he gives a lot of chances, he opens up his body, his technique isnt great and he can look really vulnerable. But once he's settled down, he's the one who can play a really long innings for you.

The first time I saw Ahmad Shahzad batting was in the 2008 u19 WC, I was really impressed. I havent seen a batsman of that quality playing for pakistan in a long, long time. What's your impression of him?
You're absolutely right, he's an outstanding talent. He has a good heart and he's very passionate about his batting. He's already played a side game against South Africa and was on the academy tour of Kenya/Zimbabwe too. He was very, very close to the Pakistan team, everyone was behind his selection but I think after a few good u19 tours he got carried away. He didnt sort out his priorities and at this young age if you want to make it then you have be very focused. Compare that to Umar Amin who was behind him in the selection queue but now Umar is with the team and has a central contract too.

Umar Amin was another one that impressed me during that u19 WC, not as much as Ahmad Shahzad but he wasnt far behind. Your views?
I think he's the ideal player, actually I would say a complete player. He's very focused, has a good attitude, is talented with a great technique and is a student of the game. When you sit down with him to discuss his batting, he's very eager to learn. He really wants to improve and is both interested in and concerned about what he needs to do to improve his game. He's also a great athlete.

Khurram Shahzad?
Long Pause I havent really worked with him very closely.

Umar Akmal had a great season last year but he's struggling this season, what do you make of him?
He's got the talent. He can hit the ball really hard and that's what cricket is about these days. I think he'll make it eventually but first he needs 2 or 3 seasons in the domestic circuit. Once he starts to get runs regularly then he could be ready to play for Pakistan.

And Azhar Ali?
He's improved his game a lot, the last time I worked with him he was a legspinner...

He started out as a leg spinner?
Yes in 2000 he was the main legspinner for the Pakistan u15 team but he worked really hard on his batting. He's a real hard worker and is very close to selection for the Pakistan team.

In a recent interview England's Bilal shafayat (currently captaining Pakistan Customs in the QEA) said that one of his batsmen Rameez Aziz is known as the Pakistani Brian Lara. Do you know Rameez Aziz?
No, I havent heard of him.

What about Shahzaib Hasan?
Who?

Mohammad Shazaib Hasan Khan, he plays for Karachi. He's only played a handful of FC games so far but has an impressive strike rate.
No I havent heard of him either, he must be a new guy. It's easier to predict which bowlers will make it because if a bowler has pace or turn then it's a good indication but for batsmen it can take a few seasons.

Any other batsmen who might make their names in next few years?
Only the ones I've mentioned like Azhar Ali, Umar Amin and Ahmad Shahzad. I think Saeed Bin Nasir also deserves to be selected as he's a mature batsman who's paid his dues.

I had a couple of questions about Fawad Alam, I know it's not your responsibility but I'd like your thoughts on it. He averages 50 in FC and 40 in List A. Why is he being treated like an all rounder and why have the team management batted him so low down the order?
Well if you look at the Pakistani team then you have the openers at 1 and 2, then Younis at 3, until recently there was Yousuf at 4 and then Malik and Misbah at 5 and 6. All of them are good established ODI batsmen and first choice selections. Where else would Fawad bat if not after them? Sometimes Kamran and Afridi are sent in before him because at the death you need to send in your big hiters to make the most of your batting options. Pakistan had enough batsmen in the team, the only place available was for an all-rounder to make up the 50 overs so that's how he got in. Fawad is young and part of Pakistans future, it's good experience for him to be around the team and soaking up the atmosphere. As for his non-selection this series, I believe the intention was to make seam friendly tracks and so I think that's why Yasir Arafat was preferred over him.

Whatever happened to Zulqarnain your 2004 u19 wkicket keeper?
He's still there, he's good and for a while was close to selection but has been overtaken by Sarfaraz.

What other keeping options do we have?
There's Sarfaraz who is next in line and then Mohammad Salman who would be a really good choice too. Kamran has been impressive in the camps so far but it's good to have the options available if we need to turn to them.

This is part two of the Aqib Javed interview and is about fast bowling..
In your last interview you said Mohammad Talha was destined for big things, whats your opinion of him now?
It hasnt changed, it's still the same. Talha is very close to being selected for the national team and is currently the fastest bowler in Pakistan after Shoaib Akhtar. We've clocked him at 146kph.

Do you think he'll get faster?
He should do. He's still very young and as his body fills out, adding more power to his frame, I think he could reach 150k.

Last time you told us that Yasir Ali was close to selection but we haven't heard from him again. Do you think it might be because you changed his action?
I didn't change Yasir Ali's action, he had a good action.

But in your last interview you said you were working with Yasir on his action.
I showed him how to use his left arm more effectively, that's not changing someone's action. Yasir has been out of cricket due to several injuries. He has had stress fractures and was involved in a motorcycle accident which he took a long time to recover from. However he's back now and he's started bowling again. He's been doing well this season and still bowls fast.

Tell us about the changes you made to Mohammad Irshad's action. Did the changes make him lose form?
We worked on his runup to make him more balanced on the crease at the time of release. He actually had a fantastic run after leaving the NCA in 2005. He toured with Pakistan A, played against South Africa Academy and featured in lots of side games. He was taking a lot of wickets and bowling really well.

So what happened to him then?
He was a very talented bowler but talent alone can only take you so far. After his good run in 2005, he's had a very ordinary last few seasons. He's also had some very tragic domestic circumstances to deal with. 2 of his brothers passed away and his mother's health isn't very good either. He's always very concerned about his home situation and isn't able to fully dedicate himself to his cricket. I'd say his problems are more psychological than technical. Whenever someone asks him about his poor performance he talks about his domestic situation so it's clearly playing on his mind a lot.

That's depressing stuff, I guess sometimes we forget there's more to life than cricket.
Yes it's very sad.

How fast was he?
He was in the 140k range but not a lot faster than that, also he wasnt very tall and shorter fast bowlers tend to struggle. I tried to work with him to improve his ability of hitting the seam, showing him where to pitch the ball and how to vary his pace. When you work with people, sometimes you succeed and sometimes you fail. If you ask me honestly then I dont think he matured as a bowler the way he should have, he didnt impress the people he needed to impress and his performance at domestic level hasnt been great. My initial experience with him was very positive, he started out really well but it's all about about how you maintain that initial momentum and whether you can give consistent performances.

You were very positive about Najaf Shah last time. Since then he's been selected but fell off the radar shortly after that, what happened?
If you ask me what I think of him today then I'll still say that he's got the talent. He's 6'4, bowls in the 130k to 140k range and has both conventional and reverse swing in his arsenal. He needs to work really hard on his fielding, he had a frozen shoulder which affected his throwing. If he overcomes these few problems that he has, he can still make it. He took 10 wickets in a recent match so he's still around and still performing. If you ask me about his chances today then I'd have to say that there are a few other bowlers who have overtaken him but if he really wants it and gets himself noticed again then he could be a real asset for Pakistan.

Why doesn't the NCA have a speed gun?
We do, we've had one since around 2001 I believe.

Ok that puts another myth to rest, what's the top speed you've seen clocked on a speed gun.
Shoaib was at the NCA before the T20 World Cup and he clocked 154k, that's the highest I've seen. Then there's Talha who's clocked 146k, Sohail Khan got 145k, Wahab 144k and Aamer 143k

What's the best way to increase a bowlers speed?
It's really difficult to increase a fast bowlers speed, to some extent you can manipulate their speed 4 to 5ks in either direction but even that requires lots of hard work and dedication. Fast bowlers are born not made, you cant create a fast bowler in an academy. It's all natural, the talent and ability has to be there.

I'd like your opinion on some fast bowlers. Their speeds and potential.
Ok go ahead.

Mohammad Ali?
We brought him in from nowhere and he took 40-odd wickets in 10 games last season. He's impressed everyone and looks really good. He was named in the initial 30 man squad for the Champions Trophy and toured Zimbabwe with the academy team recently. He got injured out there and still hasn't recovered. I've seen him clock 139k.

Mohammad Naved
He played with the u19 team last year, he's got pace but I havent clocked him yet. I'd say he's in the high 130k range.

Junaid Khan
Junaid is a medium pacer who gets extra swing from his wrist, he's a very consistent bowler who's got very good control. He's with Faisalabad which helps him because he has a better chance of playing every game and bowling more overs. If he really wants to make it then he needs to get some more variations. When he was last at the academy he worked really hard on bringing the ball in to right hand batsmen but I think he needs more work.

Ali Imran Pasha from the 2004 u19 WC looked to be a real prospect but we never hear about him anymore, why?
He plays for PIA and is doing reasonably well, he has talent and bowls around 140k. The thing is he needs more control over his bowling and he needs to learn more variations. He also lacks in the mental side of the game. If you ask me to compare him to guys like Aamer then I'd say that Aamer is better at reading the game, reading pitches and reading batsmen.

Ok I'll ask you about Mohammad Aamer.
He's an outstanding talent, he has everything a top class bowler should have. Unfortunately he's run into a few issues with his lower back but he's slowly getting back into his bowling. I think he needs 1 more domestic season under his belt, by next year he should be in the team. When he's fit he can hit 143k which is already good enough due to the angle he gets as a left arm bowler. He hits the deck and is a genuine seam bowler who can swing the ball both ways.

We heard that Aizaz Cheema is bowling at 92mph, is it true?
He worked with me in 2002 and yes he is sharp, he's not 92mph but he can bowl in the early 140k range. He's a very short guy, about 5'7 to 5'8 and so he lacks the ability to get good bounce off the pitch. He's very effective with reverse swing but for the top level we have a few better options at the moment.

In the 2006 u19 WC Jamshed Ahmed impressed me the most, more than Ayub and Ali. He also clocked close to 139k, your thoughts on him?
He was very impressive at the u19 level but then many bowlers are, Jamshed is a short guy and as a fast bowler that can work against him at the top level. To make it internationally you have to have something special like express pace, good swing or extra bounce and you have to have it with control. What's not helping Jamshed's chances is that he plays for PIA and they have a lot of fast bowling options which means he doesnt get to play a lot of games.

We've already discussed Ali and Jamshed but what's your opinion of Akhtar Ayub. He clocked several deliveries over 140k during the 2006 u19 WC with a highest speed of 142k.
He took part in the fast bowlers camp that Wasim was involved with and he was clocking deliveries in the 140k to 142k range there as well. He's had a few injuries to contend with and he's another one that is with a domestic team with too many fast bowling options. He's from the Rawalpindi region and has to fight for a place with guys like Sohail Tanvir, Yasir Ali, Mohammad Aamer and Yasir Arafat so he doesnt get to bowl as often as he needs to in order to progress to the next level.

Mohammad Rameez from the 2008 u19 WC?
He was with us at the NCA last year. He clocked around 135k.

Adil Raza from the 2008 u19 WC?
Another one that was at the NCA last year, he bowls in the early 130k range and is a great new ball bowler. He's a very good seam bowler but if he wants to go further then he needs to improve his speed. He's a typical inswing bowler and needs to work really hard on making the ball swing away, he has a chance to make it but it will be difficult for him.

Do you remember the UFONE speed competition and it's winner Khaleeq Ahmed? Whatever happened to him?
Yes I remember it. Khaleeq was a street cricketer, a tennis ball player who'd never bowled with a hard ball. He won the competition and got sent to Australia but he didn't have a professional attitude. After his return he never joined a cricket club or started to regularly play with the hard ball, if you dont join the system and start to play proper cricket then you wont get very far. You can't keep playing tennis ball cricket all the time. You need to have a good attitude and learn how to bowl with and control a hard ball. His speed was between 140k to 144k but he never took to the hard ball.

What about the UFONE runner-up Imran Sabir?
He plays domestic cricket, he's a reasonably good bowler but nothing special. We have better options.

Our two fastest bowlers after Shoaib are Mohammad Talha and Sohail Khan. They were both runners-up in the Pepsi Pace competition. What happened to the guy that beat both of them and clocked 141kph? His name is Kamran Shehzad, where is he now?
He was another tennis ball bowler and like Khaleeq he didn't start playing for any teams. These tape ball players have different lifestyles, different goals and different attitudes.

But isn't tape ball where we get all our fast bowlers from? Recent examples are Tanvir, Talha and Aamer. All 3 of them made the transition to the hard ball.
I'm not against tennis ball players, in fact I think it's good for fast bowlers to bowl with a lighter ball when they're between 10 to 15 years old. It gives them a quick arm action, they learn to rotate their shoulders quicker than would be possible with a real cricket ball. Bowling with a lighter ball helps kids generate pace but at some point you have to let the tape ball go and start playing regularly with the hard ball. We dont play first class or international cricket with tennis balls so you can't make it as a fast bowler unless you learn how to bowl with a hard ball. The reason guys like Talha, Aamer and Tanvir have made it is because they joined professional teams and started bowling with the hard ball.

When I interviewed Talha he said he found it really difficult to adjust to bowling with the hard ball, how hard is the transition?
You need a really big heart, you have to really want it and you must have a good professional attitude too. Fast bowling is the toughest job in cricket, you wont make it unless you're totally dedicated to your bowling. The tennis ball gives you the basics and it encourages you to bowl fast but there has to come a point where you move on to the hard ball.

You've mentioned that 140k+ bowlers like Khaleeq Ahmed and Kamran Shehzad came along, had good pace but didn't make it. What can we do to prevent this from happening with other bowlers in the future?
You have to let people make their own decisions. All we can do is provide them with the opportunity, show them what they need to do and encourage them to make use of their talent and pace. Sometimes we see outstanding players come along at 15 or 16 years of age but they end up disappearing. It's about how much hard work they're willing to put in, fast bowling is one of the hardest disciplines in any sport. At the end of the day you cant live someone's life for them and although it's heart breaking to lose such talented players, what else can we do? You cant force someone to play cricket or to follow your advice.

I never thought about it that way, it's true that you cant force people to succeed.
No you cant.

I'd like to ask you about some urban myths traded between Pakistan cricket fans.
Ok go on.

Tanveer Zeeshan. Did he really exist? When Woolmer was coach and Inzi was captain we read a story about a young bowler who turned up in the nets and impressed everyone with his pace. Waqar, Inzi and Bob were so impressed that they sent him to the NCA, how much is truth and how much is legend?
I know who you're talking about, actually I was the one who called him to the NCA from Islamabad. Zeeshan was very impressive, he had a good strong bowling action and he was clocking speeds in the early 140k range. I spoke to his people in Islamabad about him playing cricket but he was a very good student and he preferred to concentrate on his education. He was doing so well in his studies that he just didn't have any time to dedicate to cricket.

Sometime within the last few weeks Osman Samiuddin of Cricinfo was a guest on BKBH when someone phoned in claiming they knew someone who could bowl at 150kph. Aamir Sohail asked the person to come down to the NCA later that week, do you know anything about this?
I can't believe that there is someone out there who's genuinely been clocked at 150kph and that no-one knows about him, it would be nearly impossible. And no I haven't heard anything about this.

I'd like to tell you about an urban legend of my own. Earlier we spoke about Nadeem Iqbal's academy (in part 1) but are you aware that Nadeem claims to have a 7'2 fast bowler who bowls in the mid-80mph range? His name is Mohammad Irfan.
No, I havent heard of him. If he's that good then he should be in the Multan regional academy.

Nadeem says that Irfan also has a job and isn't able to dedicate much time to cricket because of it. If i give you Nadeem Iqbal's number then can you call him and discuss the possibility of taking a look at Mohammad Irfan?
Ok, give me his number. I'll check him out and find out more about him. (Aaqib takes the number and Mo Irfan's details!!)

Ok thanks for your time Aaqib Bhai, good luck in the Sri Lanka series.
Thank you.