Saeed Ajmal keen on becoming Pakistan’s spin-bowling coach

Pakistan bowler Saeed Ajmal expressed his interest in working as a spin-bowling coach for the side.

“I can say with hand on my heart that should this offer be made by Pakistan and head coach Misbah-ul-Haq feels that my services are needed for the country then I will make myself available without fail as I am ready to give my all for Pakistan,” Ajmal said in an interview with PakPassion.

“It is my aim to complete all qualifications necessary to become a coach. I have already completed Level 2 coaching qualification in Pakistan and from England, now I am looking to complete Level 3 which was supposed to have been done in April of this year but has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“So, whenever the Level 3 coaching course is available again, I will look to complete it so that I am eligible for a coaching position.”

The off spinner stated that his coaching stint with two-time Pakistan Super League champions Islamabad United and his experience as a player can land him the job.

Speaking on the bowling ban handed to him by the International Cricket Council (ICC), the spinner said that he should have taken legal action against the sport’s governing body for doing so. “If I had gone to court against the ICC to question their use of technology to assess the legality of my bowling action, then I would have won that case. From what I understand, the location of the computer chip which is installed on the body of the bowler can determine if the player passes or fails his bowling action test. The location of the chip on the bowler’s body can mean a difference of five or six degrees in terms of permissible straightening of the elbow joint which places a big question mark on the whole process.”

He said that the restrictions that were enforced on teammate Mohammad Hafeez had a negative effect on him. “Yet we have others, non-Pakistanis, who are bowling freely whilst our guys are being banned for illegal actions.”

Ajmal, who called Pakistan’s performances in Test format below par, said that he does not see the situation improving for a year or so.

“It will take some to build replacements for the likes of Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan. We have Babar Azam who seems to have found his feet in Tests, and alongside him, we have Asad Shafiq and Azhar Ali who are well-established batsmen, but the same cannot be said of our fast-bowlers or spinners.

“So, it will take time to build a new side and this is what Misbah is looking to do but I am convinced and hope that he will be successful in that aim.”