PakPassion: Saeed, we'll start off by discussing the upcoming series against South Africa. The South African team is a strong one and has always given Pakistan some trouble. What planning has been done for the South African series?
Saeed Ajmal: Our bowling has been our strength and we'll continue to rely upon the bowlers. The bowlers did very well in all three formats in England. Our batting was a bit troublesome during the England series, and could also trouble us against South Africa. Inshallah, the batting will also be sorted soon.
PakPassion: Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif will not be with the team during the upcoming series. Don't you think the bowling will not be as good as it was in England?
Saeed Ajmal: Aamer and Asif are our strike bowlers and we'll obviously miss them. Asif wouldn’t have been part of the team any way due to the restrictions against him. But we'll definitely miss Aamer and Asif as they are world class bowlers.
PakPassion: People often say that the South Africans don't play spin very well. Let's talk a bit about you. What are your goals for the upcoming series? Which South African batsman will be the greatest threat for the Pakistani bowlers?
Saeed Ajmal: The South Africans have some good players. Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla are very good Test batsman. The rest aren't extraordinary and I think we can get them. I want to be the top wicket taker in the series.
PakPassion: Inshallah, we also hope that you'll be the top wicket taker. Which South African player will you target during the upcoming series? Who is their main player that you would like to get out?
Saeed Ajmal: I've gotten Kallis out a few times in the past and I'd like to get him out again. He plays his cricket in a very mature fashion, so I'll target him. Hashim Amla also plays very well and I'd like to get him as well. I'll target them all because what I really want is to get all of them out by myself.
PakPassion: The UAE wickets will obviously assist the spin bowlers. Do you think a spin combination of you with either Danish Kaneria or Abdur Rehman can be very useful there?
Saeed Ajmal: Whatever the combination is we'll do well. We'll win these matches with our bowling, regardless of the combination.
PakPassion: Let's talk a bit about how you got into the game of cricket. Who was the cricketer that you followed the most when you became interested in the game of cricket?
Saeed Ajmal: I got into cricket in 1990. I played school cricket at that time, but I really became interested in 1992, the year in which Pakistan won the World Cup. After Pakistan won the World Cup my interest in the game grew even more. That was the time when I decided I should leave tennis ball cricket and start playing with the hard ball. In 1992 I attended an Under-16 camp which was supervised by Imran Khan. At that time I got an opportunity to meet Imran Khan and even had a picture taken with him. I really wanted to be like Imran Khan as he was very famous and a World Cup winner. So I have to say that I'm playing cricket right now because of that. I've also been inspired a lot by Saqlain Mushtaq, so I've followed those two the most.
PakPassion: Did you learn the doosra from Saqlain Mushtaq or did you learn it by yourself?
Saeed Ajmal: I've learned the doosra by myself. Obviously you pick up tips from other bowlers, but I learned the doosra by myself by watching videos of Saqlain Mushtaq's bowling.
PakPassion: While you were in England you had an opportunity to meet with Saqlain. What tips did he offer you at that time?
Saeed Ajmal: One thing I wanted to learn was how to get more turn. So that was one thing we talked about. Another thing he told me was that my doosra is very good and I should never abandon it. He also told me that I should bowl my over with plenty of variation and let the batsmen know that I can bowl a variety of deliveries at any given time.
PakPassion: Let's now talk about the domestic cricket in Pakistan. Do you think it's competitive or are there too many teams at the domestic level?
Saeed Ajmal: Departmental cricket is very important in Pakistan because the departments give salaries to cricketers all year long, as well as the match fee for playing. If you only play cricket three months a year then it's hard to survive based solely on the match fees. The salary by the departments makes it possible for the cricketers to continue their cricket and improve. Regional cricket is also good but it lacks when it comes to money. The more money there is the better chance there is for better cricketers to play. If the money isn't there then the families of young players won't let them get into cricket.
PakPassion: What you have said is absolutely correct, but are you satisfied with the domestic structure in terms of the competition? There are about 21-22 teams during the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, do you think that the competition in the domestic circuit is diluted?
Saeed Ajmal: If we cut down the number of teams then there are many Pakistani cricketers that won't have the chance to play. The players that will be left out of the team will at some point just give up on the game so cutting down the number of teams won't help.
PakPassion: You came into the Pakistani team at a relatively older age. You were 30 years old when you made your debut, why did it take you so long to get a chance to play for Pakistan?
Saeed Ajmal: I was ready to play for Pakistan earlier than that but there just wasn't a place in the side for me. Up until 2003-2004 Saqlain was still part of the team. Then after that Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi were the main spinners in the team. So there just wasn't an opportunity for me to play at an earlier time.
PakPassion: When you made your debut for Pakistan, there were many reports out there that Misbah-ul-Haq had a significant role in your selection to the national side. Is that true?
Saeed Ajmal: That is true. I played under Misbah's captaincy in domestic cricket so he knew me. He had asked the board to give me a chance a few times before as well but like I said, there just wasn't a spot in the side for me. So when Misbah became the vice-captain he was able to convince the selectors to give me a chance and get me in the side.
PakPassion: You've played a lot of cricket since making your debut. At this point, what do you think is your greatest moment or the best wicket that you have taken? What is you greatest achievement in international cricket at this point?
Saeed Ajmal: I think that moment came in the 2009 T20 World Cup. It was the wicket of Jacques Kallis in the semi-final. Getting him out at that point was very important because he was in good touch and we knew that if we got Kallis out then we would have won the match. Getting him out at that point was the peak of my happiness. That was the turning point of the match. My performance in that world cup was very good. I did well in the last World Cup as well but there was that shock that came in the semi-final against Australia.
PakPassion: Since you brought it up, let's talk about the shock from that semi-final. If you had to do that over again and had the chance to bowl at Hussey once more in the last over, would you do something different?[/B]
Saeed Ajmal: Since that match I've had the chance to bowl to Hussey in two T20s and he hasn't been able to hit a single boundary off me. If you make a mistake once then you shouldn't repeat it again.
PakPassion: Do you think the results would have been different had you bowled outside the off-stump?
Saeed Ajmal: At that time he was in great touch. He was hitting the ball everywhere so he would have done the same no matter where I bowled to him. There comes a time when you feel almost helpless.
PakPassion: Is there anything that you would like to change about your career so far?
Saeed Ajmal: One thing that I'd like to do is to add more variety to my bowling. With more variation I'll become an even better bowler.
PakPassion: Can you give some information on what sort of variety you are looking to add to your arsenal? Any specific delivery?
Saeed Ajmal: I can't tell you anything about it right now. Once I've gotten it fully under control and bowl it in a match, I'll speak more about it.
PakPassion: So how long will it take before we can see you bowl that delivery?
Saeed Ajmal: Inshallah you'll see me bowling it at the World Cup. I'm really working hard on it right now there still is some work left to be done. Inshallah it'll be done by that time.
PakPassion: Let's talk about the differences in the white and red ball used for Tests and ODIs. In your opinion, which ball is better for an off-spinner?
Saeed Ajmal: The red ball gives you a greater chance of turning the ball but you need to be very patient. It requires long spells and your stamina needs to be very good. You need to bowl at a good line and length. Patience is the key when bowling with the red ball because you have a lot of time to set up the batsman. The white ball requires a lot of variation to be successful. The white ball gets harder as the match goes on, so variation is the key.
PakPassion: Saqlain Mushtaq or Muralitharan, who was the better bowler?
Saeed Ajmal: Saqlain Mushtaq is our legend and I'd have to pick him over Muralitharan. Muralitharan is a great bowler, but Saqlain is the one who came up with this variety. People always talk about the doosra and it was Saqlain who introduced us to the doosra in the first place.
PakPassion: During the recent series against England, the doosra was a popular topic amongst the commentators. Bob Willis, one of the commentators, said that no bowler can bowl the doosra with a legal action. How do you respond?
Saeed Ajmal: If no English cricketer can bowl the doosra then does that mean that no other bowler can do it with a legal action? If an English bowler was bowling the doosra then it would be considered a world class delivery. The same things were said about reverse swing. Reverse swing was introduced by Pakistani bowlers, the googly was introduced by Abdul Qadir, and the doosra was introduced by Saqlain Mushtaq. They will never accept it unless an English bowler can bowl it. The English have been playing cricket for more than a 100 years, why can't they come up with such variation? Our country is small but we've been blessed with great talent. We don't have the resources that other countries have but we make up for it with talent and hard work.
PakPassion: Why do you hold the bowl at a cross-seam position when you bowl the doosra?
Saeed Ajmal: I do it sometimes to add more variation and to confuse the batsman. Sometimes I bowl my conventional off-spinner from a cross-seam position as well so the batsman can't tell if I'm bowling the doosraor the off-spin. During the tour of Australia, the Aussie batsmen thought I bowled the doosra with my thumb up so now I don't even point the thump up when I bowl. It just adds to the variation and confusion.
PakPassion: Which captain have you felt the most comfortable with since starting you international career?
Saeed Ajmal: That's a very leading question!
PakPassion: Alright, then we'll leave it at that. Which opposing captain do you think is the best?
Saeed Ajmal: Ricky Ponting. He never accepts losing and he's able to motivate his players to do the same. They'll play just as hard for the last run as they do for the first ball of the match. That all comes down to the captain. That's the difference between us and the Aussies. We start thinking that we've won or lost the match when there are still 10 overs left in the game. That's the mistake that we make.
PakPassion: Every cricketer comes to a point when they aren't in great form. Who do you go to for advice when there is something that is bothering you or if you aren't bowling as well as you would like?
Saeed Ajmal: You can get advice from a lot of people. The national team coaches, the captain, and even the wicket-keeper can give you advice. But one of the coaches I turn to is Waqar Ahmed Khan, he's the coach of my cricket club. Whenever I am having any issues with my bowling I turn to him for tips and he gives me very good advice.
PakPassion: Which international batsman is the best at reading your variation?
Saeed Ajmal: I'd have to say that it's Michael Clarke. He is a very talented batsman. Clarke has very good footwork and he keeps his eyes on the ball. He gets out of his crease but doesn't always go for the big shot. He can pick up the variation very well.
PakPassion: Do you plan out your bowling before the match or do you just bowl based on the match situation?
Saeed Ajmal: Usually we have a plan for each batsman that we are going to be facing. We work on the batsman's weaknesses and set up a plan according to that. But sometimes we have to alter our plans based on the match situation. At that time the senior players get together and decide on what changes need to be made.
PakPassion: It seems that your off-break does not turn very much. If you were able to turn it a bit more then it will also improve your doosra. Do you agree?
Saeed Ajmal: Yes. I'm working right now on trying to get the off-break to turn a little more. I have a front arm bowling action so that's why it doesn't turn as much. I'm working on adjusting my wrist position so I can get more turn on my off-break.
PakPassion: You usually bowl from around the wicket to right-handed batsmen and we've seen Muralitharan do the same. What's the reason behind this?
Saeed Ajmal: Bowling from around the wicket is very beneficial, especially for bowlers that can bowl thedoosra. By bowling from around the wicket I'm able to pitch the ball around middle stump. This helps thedoosra and also brings LBW into play. I learned this from Muralitharan. He gave me a few tips and said I should try bowling from around the wicket. It's been very helpful.
PakPassion: So have you had a chance to seek more advice from him?
Saeed Ajmal: Yes. Muralitharan is a very nice person. He's a world-class bowler but he's an even better person. He speaks very sweetly and is always very helpful. A very down to earth person.
PakPassion: How would you compare your bowling with the English off-spinner Graeme Swann?
Saeed Ajmal: Swann has a lot of variation but his best delivery is his off-break. I rely on the doosra but he usually bowls the off-break. Another difference between us is the drift with which he bowls. I really don't drift the ball when I'm bowling. Swann is a very mature bowler. He gets more turn because of the drift but I get more bounce which helps the doosra.
PakPassion: Danish Kaneria didn't have a good series against England. His performance was very poor. Why do you think this happened?
Saeed Ajmal: Every cricketer goes through rough patches in their career. Bowlers go through their bad times as well. Danish is one of our great bowlers. He has over 250 Tests wickets, which is the mark of a great bowler. He was lacking form and bowled some poor deliveries.
PakPassion: We've noticed that even though he has taken a lot of wickets he has a habit of giving up a lot of runs. Do you think he gives up too many runs for a good bowler?
Saeed Ajmal: He bowls with a lot of variation so the runs do come for the batsmen. But sometimes you have to have to give up runs in order to pick up wickets. He's a very good bowler.
PakPassion: Let's talk a bit about players that haven't played for Pakistan yet. The first cricketer I'd like to ask you about is the young left-arm spinner Raza Hasan. How do you rate him?
Saeed Ajmal: He is a very good bowler. He just needs time to mature but I think he will be a very good bowler for using the future. I expect a long career for him.
PakPassion: Do you think he has the variety to be successful?
Saeed Ajmal: He has the variety and the talent to succeed. I expect him to play for Pakistan for a long time.
PakPassion: The next cricketer I'd like to ask about is Usman Qadir. He's the young leg-spinner, the son of Abdul Qadir. How do you rate him?
Saeed Ajmal: I've seen him bowl a few times and I think he's a good bowler. He's very young, but has the talent. Usman needs time to mature and he's getting better with experience. It'll take another 2-3 years before he's ready.
PakPassion: You have been playing domestic cricket for a long time and must have seen some good players. Which young batsmen do you think can help the national team in the near future?
Saeed Ajmal: Young players like Azhar Ali and Umar Amin have done well at the domestic level and were able to get a chance to play for Pakistan. I think they are good enough to play for Pakistan. Khalid Latif is also a good player and could help the team in the future as well.
PakPassion: How would you rate Naved Yasin, the left-handed batsman from Multan? Is he technically correct?
Saeed Ajmal: He's very good. He's a good technically capable batsman. He reminds me a lot of the young Asad Shafiq. Both of them are very similar.
PakPassion: Speaking of Asad Shafiq, we've noticed that he's very comfortable against spinners. He's able to get out of the crease and play really well. He has good footwork and plays the ball very late. Does he remind you a bit of Michael Clarke?
Saeed Ajmal: He has the ability to play the ball late. He's similar to Mohammad Yousuf and a few other batsmen. He's got a wide range of shots and the most important thing is that he's very confident. Confidence is the key at the big stage. If you can handle the big crowds and pressure then you will enjoy your cricket. Asad Shafiq is a very confident young player.
PakPassion: There are two more players that I would like to ask you about. Shehryar Ghani of Karachi and Aamer Sajjad of Lahore. How do you rate them?
Saeed Ajmal: Aamer Sajjad is a very mature and a very good batsman - he definitely needs to be given a chance. Shehryar is also a good batsman. We need to prepare these batsmen to be able to step in and play at the international level. The problem is that most of our young players don't have the confidence to play at this stage.
PakPassion: Our bowlers have done well over the past few series by taking early wickets. The bowlers pick up 3-4 early wickets, but then we start becoming defensive. The field is spread out and the pressure on the batsmen is reduced. As a bowler, do you try to change the captain's mind and be more aggressive?
Saeed Ajmal: I try and convince the captain to set a more aggressive field. I ask for a leg-slip or have the fielders come closer in the circle but you have to listen to the captain. The captain sets the field.
PakPassion: But a bowlers is a very important figure in the middle. Don't you have a say when it comes to field settings?
Saeed Ajmal: You can ask the captain for a specific filed settings but then you have to be very careful with your bowling. If you ask for a certain fielding placement then you have to bowl to it. If you don't bowl to that setting then the captain will not trust you. I try and get the job done for the team regardless of the field settings. The priority is to pick up wickets but if that doesn't happen then I focus on restricting the runs.
PakPassion: We wish you all the best for the upcoming series against South Africa. Hopefully you guys will be victorious and will bring a smile to the faces of the Pakistani public. Good luck and thank you for your time.
Saeed Ajmal: You're welcome. Inshallah we will win.
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