Danish isn’t using his brain at all, says Qadir

To the cricketing gentry he’s the master crafter who revived the art of leg-spin, but to the masses, Qadir has always remained the entertainer. “I know I have a legacy to match up to. I know what the people expect of me when I take the ball in my hand. I think I can still recreate some of that old magic. I am like a setting sun — I have a little spark left in me, yet and hopefully I can still reel off some of those wrong ‘uns and big leg-breaks,” he says, sitting in the lounge of the team hotel, and simultaneously satisfying his fetish for pakoras and green chutney.

Qadir, who is leading the Pakistan Veterans’ team against India, arrived in the Capital Wednesday evening, en route to Udaipur, where they play their first match on February 23. “This cricket is relaxing, much more friendly,” he says, fading into memories of 1987, and a chuckle marks his return.

“Those were bitterly-fought matches, but that was also a beautiful era of cricket. You see, India had Gavaskar, Amarnath, Vengsarkar, Viswanath, Ravi Shastri, Kapil, Binny, Madan Lal — I have plenty of those memories, some dismissals that I had.

“It was a great challenge to bowl to them, and when we played for Pakistan, there was lots of pressure on us. This is not an official tour, so it’s more relaxing. Today, it’s more about exchanging relations between two countries and acting as a balm for the political divide,” he says, playing a perfect ambassador.

“However when we take the field the cricket will be just as competitive. It’s a nice challenge to bowl to someone like Azhar and Prabhkar — I have played against them and am sure the public will love to watch me bowl to them.”

Qadir wouldn’t talk anything about the present Pakistan team, the controversies surrounding it, but couldn’t resist discussing Danish Kaneria. “Danish has got plenty of potential and talent but he’s not using his brain at all while bowling. I call it ‘gur’ (skill) and he lacks in those. He just keeps on bowling, without having a definite plan to get the batsman out.

“I must say that Danish is very fortunate that he keeps bowling from one end unchanged. He needs to have more variation in his bowling, he doesn’t know how to use the crease. Waiting for the batsman to make the mistake is fine, but that cannot be your only strategy. Mustaq has been the assistant coach on the tour to South Africa and he could have advised him, but nowadays youngsters don’t care too much about advice.”

He also took a mighty swipe at coach Bob Woolmer, questioning his knowledge about leg-spin. “What can he potentially teach Danish? He doesn’t even know a leg-spin grip. Woolmer has played 16 odd Test matches for his country as an opner, and ironically he’s still to solve the opening problem for Pakistan. That should sum up everything.

“We Asians have something physiological about English people and on use of laptops. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka have produced the best batsmen, fastest bowler, best spinners, yet we look out in search of outsiders to coach. I can’t fathom any reason for that.

“If India wants to produce fast bowlers, they can ask the PCB or request Imran or Akram, if Pakistan wants good openers, they should call Gavaskar. There should be mutual exchange and that would be more beneficial to all of us.”

Qadir strongly feels a system or a sort of law should come into place to protect spinners from extinction. “One-day cricket has taken its toll and I feel, it’s about time that every association makes it mandatory that one leg-spinner, one left-arm spinner and one off-spinner has to be part of the team. That way we can cultivate spinners. Every initiative has to have a complete backing of their respective board,” he concludes.