'Pace is my primary weapon'
Rapid pace, a smooth action, and good control have made Mohammad Sami a leading fast bowler in world cricket after only 12 Tests and 41 ODIs - at the tender age of 20
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Mohammad Sami in full flow © AFP |
My bowling has more or less remained the same right from the beginning, especially from the time I started playing cricket seriously at school level. Today I take a run-up of 24 yards, which has varied over the years depending on the conditions and the wicket. Otherwise my action is natural.
I didn't need a personal coach, as my father worked hard with me when I was young. As I graduated to higher levels there were coaches who gave their inputs. When I started representing Pakistan I had the opportunity to work with Daryl Foster, who was hired as the bowling coach for a short stint. He didn't have any problems with my action, but we worked on my run-up which was causing me to bowl too many no-balls. The jump I was taking was forcing my front foot to land a bit over the crease. But now I am improving steadily.
In 1999, I attended Rashid Latif's cricket academy at Karachi. It was like a finishing school, where I fine-tuned my skills in all departments of the game.
I am an attacking bowler, so my main plan is to attack the opposition to buy the wicket. And if, in the process, it costs me a few runs, I don't mind. But one should be sensible enough to not give away too many runs just for the sake of attacking.
Speed doesn't matter a lot - taking wickets and helping your team win is more important. During the match I won't look at the speedgun but, later in the evening, it feels nice to see yourself record big speeds consistently. It gives me an idea of how fit I am and how much I need to strengthen my body to keep up that momentum.
Definitely. Pace is my primary weapon and if I add some extra pace it will trouble the batsman. So it is a plus point.
It's about power and not the muscle. With my bowling action I don't need to worry much about the muscle. I know I am not completely fit, but in a couple of years' time I will be at my peak.
The same that any fast bowler has under his belt. The one that comes naturally, and that I excel at, is the outswinger.
It's nice to bowl in tandem with the fastest bowler in the world. We discuss things in the build-up to the match and talk a lot during the game to work out strategies.
I have never thought about that. I like to keep things simple and achieve only one thing - taking wickets.
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'I thrive on pressure' © AFP |
You need to be more professional out there and do things on your own, and that helps you become more responsible. Also, bowling five days a week makes you aware of many things about your bowling, based on which, you can work to improve further.
The time I was there, the county season was nearing the end, so the wickets were dry and they were not that helpful. But when I returned to Pakistan the conditions were similar and it was easy for me to adjust.
Yes, fortunately. I twisted my ankle while fielding in a county match. Initially, we just thought it was a minor ankle injury, but it turned out to be a stress fracture. As I had suffered a stress fracture three years back, I was well aware of the dangers that come along with it, so I didn't want to risk anything this time. The rehab period extended to about five months, and now I don't have any problems.
I thrive on pressure.