“Back in my day, there was no hiding place as a young bowler” - Mohammad Asif
Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Asif has lamented the lack of coaching support early on in his international career. According to him, the current crop of cricketers are lucky to have a plethora of coaches to help them out.
Mohammad Asif’s career came to a premature end after he was banned from international cricket for seven years for his role in the 2010 spot-fixing scandal.
In an interview with Wisden Cricket Monthly magazine, as reported by pakpassion.net, Mohammad Asif reflected on his unfulfilled cricketing career. Looking back at his debut international tour to Australia in 2005, the 38-year-old recalled:
“On my first senior international tour in Australia in 2005, there weren’t many coaches with the team and as a junior bowler I was the one who was given the duty of doing a lot of bowling in the nets. When I had bowled for an hour to one batsman, the next one would be ready. It was searing heat and it felt as if my back was going to break. It was no surprise that when my chance finally came for my debut in Sydney, I ended-up with figures of 0 for 88. Nowadays touring squads have so many coaches with them which means that the junior bowlers are well looked-after, but back in my day there was no hiding place as a young bowler when you were looking to make a name for yourself.”
Mohammad Asif regretted the events of 2010, which eventually ended his international career. Asif, Mohammad Amir and Salman Butt were banned for their roles in the spot-fixing scandal during the Lord’s Test. Speaking about the grim days, the former pacer admitted:
“There will always be remorse about what happened and my subsequent ban. I was playing a sport that I loved, a sport that I had always dreamt of playing. I was playing at the highest level for my country and I couldn’t have wished for anything more, but then I threw it away. I made mistakes, I broke hearts, I upset my fans, but we all make mistakes in life and have regrets. I was the main bowler in the Pakistan side, I was at the top of my game and known throughout the world as a dangerous opponent and highly respected by batsmen, but I lost it all. I definitely regret what happened and wholeheartedly apologize to my fans and cricket lovers around the world for my actions and for the hurt I caused.”
2006 Karachi Test against India was vital for me: Mohammad Asif
Looking back at his career, Mohammad Asif remembers the 2006 Test against India in Karachi as a turning point. He picked up seven wickets in the game, including the prized scalps of Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, VVS Laxman, Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar.
“The match that I feel was vital for me and put me on the right path in my international career was when I took 7 wickets in just my third Test match in 2006 against India in Karachi, and which helped Pakistan win by 341 runs. Prior to this Test match I had played 2 Tests and had bowled poorly, taking only 1 wicket and the knives were already out despite being only 23 years old and many felt that I wasn’t good enough for international cricket. During that match in Karachi I took the wickets of Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, VVS Laxman twice, Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar. I feel that this was the match where I showed everyone what I was capable of and when the world realized that Mohammad Asif had arrived,” Mohammad Asif recalled.
Mohammad Asif played 23 Tests, 38 ODIs and 11 T20Is, picking up a total of 165 international wickets.