Khalil eyes the big time

Mohammad Khalil relates his story to that of another left-arm quick bowler of his generation: Irfan Pathan. Khalil, one of the new breed of fast bowlers in the Pakistan team, feels that he is following the same path that the Indian took before becoming Indian's new-ball sensation.

Emerging from a net session under the eyes of his coach Bob Woolmer, he says, "He (Pathan) had toured Australia where he did well, and then he cememted his place on the Pakistan tour last year. This time I did well in Australia and am now touring India. So, I too will perform well." His demeanour suggests plentiful confidence, and he goes on to add: "Inshallah, I will do it much better."

Pathan gave notice of his talent in Australia in 2003-04. Though he took only four wickets, he showed that he had the heart of the fast bowler. He took the next step, and gave further evidence of that heart, in Pakistan, where he was the pick of the pace bowlers on either side, with 12 wickets.

Khalil, then, has a job on his hands if he wants to outperform his Indian counterpart. So far the results have been good, without raising too many eyebrows. Khalil played one Test, on the fast WACA pitch at Perth, but went wicketless in his 25 overs. If his debut was subdued, he stoked a few fires in the subsequent one-day VB Series, playing three games and accounting for five victims.

Interestingly, all five of his wickets were left-handers. If he gets picked for the Tests against India, he can think of at least two batsmen to aim at: Sourav Ganguly, the captain, and either Gautam Gambhir or Yuvraj Singh.

Unlike his pace-bowling compatriots, this left-armer isn't enthused by speed. He hails from the state of Punjab, and is happy to visit Mohali, whose people he feels are similar to back home. "Khoon to ek he hai [the blood is the same]," he says, as he signs autographs.

Though he doesn't plan to break any speed barriers, Khalil can generate enough pace with his height (5ft 10ins) and physique. Watching him bowl from a short run-up in the practice nets, he has enough to keep batsmen on their toes. "I have bowled in the 140s [kph], but I would like to stick to about 136," he says. Though he took advice from Wasim Akram, a legend and the last left-arm quick to play for Pakistan, Khalil would like to emulate the discipline of Glenn McGrath.

"Look at McGrath," he says. "He keeps on bowling around 132kph, hitting the right line and length, and look at the number of wickets that process has earned him." Line and length appear to be imprinted on Khalil's state of mind.

He bowls off a 28-yard run, but so far, the Pakistan think-tank has only allowed him to come on as first change to the new-ball pair. But that decision could be based on the fact that he is more adept at moving the ball both ways, and reverse-swinging the old ball. Khalil also feels that the Indian wickets will suit his bowling, since they are similar to the ones he has played on in Pakistan.

He injured his shoulder at the end of the Australian tour, but now reckons he is perfectly fit. "I played a two-day game for my company Pakistan Telecom and then attended the two-day camp organised by the Pakistan Cricket Board before this tour. And I felt good." The Pakistan trainers have looked at him, and the signs are good that he would be declared fit.

Pakistan will almost certainly play Naved-ul-Hasan, Mohammad Sami and Abdul Razzaq as their three main fast bowlers. As for the fourth quick, that will depend on the pitches the Indians serve up. Khalil stands a good chance at Mohali, which in the past has thrown up green surfaces.

Khalil is unperturbed about his chances, but keeps polishing his strategy. He is also something of a technology buff. "My brother and another friend have an internet café and they feed me the required technical data that I require to get my wickets," he says. When asked if he knows that some of the Indian batsmen have been susceptible to left-arm pace - Sachin Tendulkar against Pedro Collins, and Virender Sehwag against Nathan Bracken - Khalil has a wry smile on his face. "Yes, I know," he says. "I have done my study on them."

He has his strategy organised for the Indian batsmen, and says, "Rahul Dravid, who is a matchwinner, will be a prized wicket in the Tests, and both Sehwag and Tendulkar in the one-dayers."

In the absence of Shoaib Akhtar, who is likely to return for the ODIs, Khalil knows that sizable contributions are needed. In this evolving age where fast bowlers, normally considered rabbits with the bat, are scoring gritty half-centuries, he knows that he has to do more than just bowl. Woolmer has already set him a benchmark: "Considering that he is a bowler, I would like him to bowl first and then come in handy with the bat. If he can hit sixes like Shahid Afridi, I wouldn't mind."

So now Khalil has two roles to aspire to - the fast man who can swing it like Pathan, and a six-hitting cavalier like Afridi.