The cherry charmer

Like in India, every kid in Pakistan also grows up playing cricket. When did you begin to consider cricket as a serious career option?
There was no plan as such. Ever since I was a young kid, I wanted to play for Pakistan. I had played every sport, be it hockey or cricket or soccer or gulli danda! I played everything. I started playing with a proper ball by the time I finished school. Before I was 15 years old, I was playing with tennis balls. And then one day while practising, I was picked up by fluke. I was almost 17 or 18… in the first year of my college. So you see, there was no planning really.

You started playing for the team without much of experience of domestic cricket. Please share the memories of your first international match.
My first class match was against New Zealand. As I had said, I came out of nowhere, got picked for Pakistan, but obviously got a lot of tips and extra elements to my game from people like my captains, Javed Miandad, and Imran Khan. So there were a lot of stages where I learnt a lot. Although getting in was a total fluke, it was a life-changing fluke for me.

Your bowling had improved tremendously under Imran Khan’s leadership. Would you call him a role model?
Oh yes. I always looked up to him. I would have posters of Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Zaheer Abbas and Sunny Gavaskar in my room. But obviously, since Imran was a fast bowler, I wanted to be like him, on and off the field. And I was so lucky to have played with him and be coached under him. He taught me to believe in myself. The other thing I learnt is to work very hard and play hard. He always told me that there are no short cuts. There is no rest. Rest means don’t play cricket, but play other sports.

Imran Khan was known to be a tough captain. Do you think his style of leadership can hope to bring back the lost glory of the team?
Yes, definitely. The reason he was a good leader was because he was not one of those who would tell the team to practice while he sat back with a cup of tea. He was the first one to be out there. He led from the front.

Did he ever lose his temper on you?
No. Whenever I’d play a rash shot and get out, he would tell me that ‘I don’t mind you getting out on a good delivery. But I don’t want to see you throw your wicket.’ Yes, that has happened quite a few times.

Do you also wish to see him as the Prime Minister of Pakistan someday?
Yes, I think like me, every Pakistani wants change and wants him to be our future Prime Minster.

You are known as the king of swing and it’s said that your bowling is the toughest to read. What kind of training goes behind the making of such a bowler?
I think I had a different action and I realised it early on.  My action was a quick-arm action where the batsman couldn’t get the time to adjust himself to the ball. And I was very skiddy off the wicket, which means the ball used to switch and skid. That was natural, but I used to work hard too. And my suggestion or advice to every youngster in the sport would be to try to be the best in everything they do. Yes, I did put in hours and hours of training, but what also helped me early on was that I played for Lancashire a lot. That was when I was 20. Six months on my own, in a different culture playing cricket... That built a lot of confidence in me as a person and this confidence showed in my sport.

Today, who do you think comes closest to being a Wasim Akram?
That’s difficult to say. But a complete bowler – a left-arm one – according to me, right now is Zaheer Khan. He showed the world that you don’t have to be 150 (km/hr) plus to trouble the batsman. He also bowls the reverse swing very well.

Pakistan team was known for aggressive fast bowlers. Do you feel that the team has lost its killer instinct?
It was controlled aggression. It was fun aggression and that is the fun of the sport where you work hard, compete hard, play hard and when it’s six o' clock you go and shake hands with the opposition. You don’t really need that kind of aggression. It’s the fun of the sport that matters when you’re playing against Pakistan. It wasn’t that if someone was a fast bowler, he had to show anger. It’s just one of those things which come with the territory.

What is your opinion about the Twenty20 format?
It’s entertainment, that’s for sure. It can’t judge the calibre or technique or the quality of a player. Test cricket is the ultimate test. Wo kehte hain na, lambi race ka ghoda... that’s what test cricket is. Twenty20 doesn’t really bring out the true potential of a player.

You took KKR to victory this year. What were the major strategic changes that you incorporated in the team?
Actually, our captain was a very positive leader. And on paper, we were a good team. We had good players. We just did the routine stuff, but basically everyone enjoyed it together. Most importantly, they took pride in KKR.

How did your lifestyle change after you were diagnosed with diabetes at a relatively young age?
I was diagnosed with diabetes when I was 29 and I retired when I was 37. So I played for 8 years after being detected with diabetes and took 250 wickets. You have to be mentally strong and believe in yourself. You have to take care of yourself and be more disciplined. I made myself more disciplined about diet than anything else. During those days my wife Huma, who was a psychologist, helped me a lot.

Do you feel that the focus and discipline in today’s young players has deteriorated compared to your time?
I think they have become soft. They have a lot of passion, but they don’t know how much hard work goes into the game. Their goals have to be slightly higher.

You are one bowler everyone admires. What is that quality that could make a bowler like Wasim Akram?
See, talent will show, but in countries like India and Paksitan, a lucky break is very important. And then obviously, one needs to work very hard… Simple, simple philosophy!

You and Waqar Younis always competed with each other on field. Tell us about that...
It was healthy competition. We always wanted to get wickets more than each other and that I guess eventually helped our game too.

Who was your best buddy in the team?
I was very close to Ijaz Ahmed.

Do you think being the captain of a cricket crazy nation like Pakistan was the toughest job you’ve had?
Yes, definitely. But then in the end, it’s worth it. I’m getting so much now as well!

Do your sons also want to become cricket players like you?
No! They are 21st century kids with all the distractions at hand... the computer, the PS3, BBM...they’re on BBM right now too.

What is the Wasim Akram quality you see in both of them?
I think they’re very kind and very easy going. That is very important in life.

Apart from cricket, you also made a short stint in Indian television. Are you looking forward to something like that again? Would you like to try out movies?
No no! Movie time is over for me… I am 46. Being a judge is fun, but being in a dancing show... I don’t think I can ever do that! It was something very different from what I do, so I really enjoyed it. I know cricket well, so I think I’ll stick around with cricket only.