Lahore, July 10: Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has advised various captains around the world to take a leaf out of Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s book and heaped praise on the Indian skipper’s calm approach even in trying conditions.
Akhtar, whose career has been plagued by controversies and injuries, said Dhoni was his favourite captain and it was essential for any skipper to keep his cool and be humble to his players, particularly fast bowlers who are match-winners for any team.
”One of my favorite captains is (India’s Mahendra Singh) Dhoni. The captain should be cool and humble especially with fast bowlers because you win matches due to them,” Akhtar said of Dhoni.
However, in a yet another revelation, the maverick pacer said he considered taking legal action against Pakistan’s cricket management for publicly announcing his skin ailment which forced him to miss last month’s World Twenty20.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) surprisingly made a pre-tournament announcement on the nature of Akhtar’s condition when it removed him from the T20 squad.
”I kept quiet because I have a central contract and didn’t want to offend the Pakistan Cricket Board, but I could have sued the Pakistan team management,” Akhtar said in an interview.
”I didn’t want Pakistan team to suffer because my news is published all over the world,” he was quoted as saying by ‘The News’.
But Akhtar’s absence was hardly felt in the World Twenty20 as Pakistan went on to win the title in England last month.
The injury-prone speedster also claimed that he still had enough cricket left in him and said his fast-paced delivery were good enough to trouble the most potent batsmen in the world. Akhtar last played a Test match against India in 2007 before he was sidelined for 14 months due to fitness and disciplinary problems.
”There’s still three-four good years left in me. I am the fastest bowler in history of cricket and it’s not possible for everyone to bowl at 150 (kph),” he claimed.
Pakistan’s former coach, the late Bob Woolmer, advised Akhtar to shorten his long run-up to prolong his cricketing career, but Akhtar said he cannot do so.
”It doesn’t suit me,” he said adding, ”My run-up is my speed, previously (in cricket) nobody has bowled as fast as I have bowled.”
—–Agencies