Sohail Khan credits his five-wicket haul to watching James Anderson's videos
Playing his first Test in almost five years, Pakistan pacer Sohail Khan shed whatever cobwebs there were and broke the back of England’s batting lineup on the opening day of the third match in Birmingham.
When asked about the secret behind his sparkling comeback, Sohail revealed that he learnt the art of bowling in English conditions from watching videos of the skillful James Anderson.
“When I came here after I was named in the squad, I watched James Anderson's videos. He bowls at 80 mph but gets eight to ten wickets every match. I watched him and noticed that he doesn't try to bowl very fast. Mushy (Mushtaq Ahmed) also told me that if you don't bowl (too) fast and give the ball air, it will swing,” quipped Sohail.
He added, “I had played two Tests before and I was bowling in swing mostly. I tried to ball fast, I can still bowl fast. But then I met various coaches and they told me to bowl as per the conditions.”
Interestingly, the right-arm bowler debuted way back in 2009 against Sri Lanka at Karachi. He averaged a whopping 245 from his first couple of Tests and subsequently spent the last few years in wilderness.
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After impressing the selectors and skipper Misbah-ul Haq during Pakistan’s forgettable 2015 World Cup campaign in Australia, he made a case for himself in the Test arena as well.
Looking back on the journey, Sohail felt, “I couldn't bowl well in my first Test in Karachi and some catches were also dropped off my bowling. I got my next chance in 2011 and there too I didn't do well. Now, I have got another chance which I will not let go.”
Taking the new ball alongside Mohammad Amir, he orchestrated a telling spell and ended up with a five-wicket haul to help Pakistan dismiss the hosts for 297 in the first innings. However, the 32-year old did not want to get carried away and instead hoped to build upon his performance.
Sohail believed, “You expect to do well every day but cricket is such a game that it can take you on a high one day and then you go down on a bad day. But if you work hard and bowl a good line and length, then success comes and every day is a good day.”