Shoaib Malik towers on the top rung of the dark metal staircase leading up to the players room at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore.
He is tall and wiry. Complete in the team dress code -- the official cricket whites and Pakistan cap, which is strapped tightly.
Pakistan are close to winning the third Test and Shoaib is genuinely happy for his teammates. But he could have been there, egging on the bowlers with his sharp fielding, throwing his arms round his mates every time a wicket fell.
Instead, he had his arms on the cushioned chair. He readily settled for a chat with rediff.com in the dingy corridor outside the dressing room.
"I want to go out there and play the game."
Shoaib isn't very good at hiding his disappointment. It is not a 23 year old proud of his obvious talent with bat and ball, but a bowler missing his art. Scratching off-spin from his possessions is like cutting off an arm.
| |||||||||||
"When you are an all-rounder you have the confidence that even if you fail in one area you can compensate with the other. Now I am concentrating completely on my batting.
"Now I do everything in the nets. I do pace bowling, off-spin and even keep wickets. I have to develop another talent," he informs.
The tone is serious and urgent.
Shoaib was reported to the International Cricket Council last year for an illegal bowling action.
As he couldn't clear himself of the charge, the ICC banned him from bowling. He was picked for the India tour as a genuine batsman.
"I can't straighten the arm less than the prescribed limit because of a floating piece of bone in the elbow. After this series I am going to South Africa to meet Dr Knotts. He is one of the best orthopedic surgeons and will let me know if the arm can be completely straight after the surgery."
Knotts -- who is a doctor approved by the ICC -- will submit his report directly to the ICC. (Photograph alongside: Shoaib Malik in action during a test on his suspect bowling action at the University of Western Australia)
"This will also be a bio-mechanics exercise. It is also a more reliable test because bowlers can change their action in the labs. They also bowl at much lower speed, which is not taken into consideration, to get their action cleared. Once the ICC clears them they come and bowl in the match in full sleeves."
Shoaib thinks the main reason for more subcontinent bowlers coming under the chucking net is because the cricket boards are not "strong enough" to get them out of the ICC wrangle.
The off-spinner, who has an action identical to fellow Pakistani Saqlain Mushtaq, is banking on the pivotal number three position in the batting line-up in the one-day series against India to find his belief.
"First I was confident because of my bowling. Now it will be a make or break situation with the bat. It has been very frustrating sitting out during the Tests. I want to make up for all those days in the one-dayers."
Shoaib started his cricket in the narrow lanes of Gujranwala as a batsman. It was during the Pepsi Coaching Clinic, conducted by Imran Khan, where he tentatively put his hand up when part-time bowlers were called for.
Ten years, four World Cups (under-15, under-17, under-19 and senior in 2003) later Malik is going back to be a full-time batsman.
"My teammates have supported me through everything," he says, looking at the closed players' room door. "My captain, coach, everyone has been very supportive."
"Our coach has made a very big difference," he says. "He is the best coach in the world. He taught us 'never give up'."
Bob Woolmer, the coach, also worked on his batting technique. Shoaib used to shuffle a lot at the batting crease; Woolmer asked him to cut that out so that the head remains still and he could get on top of the ball as the wickets in the subcontinent have low bounce.
"The coach and, more so, Inzamambhai had a role to play in promoting me up the order. I played one or two down for my club (Pakistan International Airlines) so I was used to it. The captain also knew my batting well."
Photographs: Getty Images
Headline image: Imran Shaikh
© 2024 Rediff.com -