Will discuss my future with selectors: Pak spinner Ajmal

Image
IANS Lahore
Last Updated : Sep 03 2015 | 6:22 PM IST

Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal on Thursday squashed reports of retirement and said he would sit with the selectors to discuss his future.

The 38-year-old's career took a nosedive ever since he was banned from bowling in international cricket in September last year.

He is now bowling with a remodelled action that was cleared by the International Cricket Council (ICC) but his deliveries have lacked its earlier venom.

"I never wanted to retire in obscurity as I have done enough for Pakistan to win matches single-handedly," Ajmal was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

"I want to retire with respect and honour. I will definitely sit with the selectors and discuss my future plans with them," he said.

But Ajmal says he needs some time to settle down with his action.

"Obviously I needed some time to settle down with my bowling action," the 37-year-old said.

"I could have persisted for the national selection earlier but it might have been a risky case as we have seen (Mohammad) Hafeez is reported again after been cleared. So it's a matter of getting things right and wait for the right time."

The offie, who made his One-Day International (ODI) debut at the advanced age of 31, insisted he is not bowling well because of the lack of confidence and is hopeful of getting it back soon.

"Regardless of being reported, there were odds that I might have faced a dip in form, could have struggled taking wickets with previous action as well and then what? Actually it's not really a case that I am not effective, it's a matter of form and confidence that I just need to hit and I have started to get flow," he said.

Ajmal also believes that he can still be effective in the shorter format of the game and would prove it in the upcoming tournaments.

"I know I am not able to get wickets in four-day cricket maybe because the pitches (in England) are green, soft and it rains a lot but at the same time I am still a better limited-overs bowler and taking wickets in the shorter format."

"I was assured that I will be considered and won't be discarded. I also understand that Yasir (Shah) and Zulfi (Zulfiqar Babar) are doing very well and I don't want to dislodge their place but I think there is some room for me in limited-overs cricket and I will prove that in the T20 cup in Pakistan," he said.

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Sep 03 2015 | 6:12 PM IST

Next Story