Saeed Ajmal: “Shadab is an excellent bowler but I would like him to bowl in a more attacking fashion”

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Former Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal believes that spin-bowling all-rounder Shadab Khan needs “to bowl in a more attacking fashion”.

Shadab recently captained Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and finished as the fifth-highest run-scorer with 263 runs in nine matches at an average of 37.57 and a strike-rate of 159.39.

He also took eight wickets at an average of 29.37.

While Ajmal, who was Islamabad United’s bowling coach, has been really impressed with Shadab’s performances, he feels the 21-year-old “rushes” when bowling and has a tendency to bowl too short at times.

“Shadab is an excellent bowler but I would like him to bowl in a more attacking fashion,” Ajmal told PakPassion. “He is a young talent and a brilliant bowler. He’s been made captain at Islamabad United so that he can build his confidence and is able to take good decisions in pressure situations. He can also build his skills so that he can be a back-up captain for Pakistan in the future if needed.

“Whilst his batting has really improved in Twenty20 cricket as we saw in PSL 5 where he played in an attacking way, his bowling needs improvement as he rushes and I feel he bowls a little too short at times. I have advised him to take his time when bowling and also to bowl slower as that will give him time to think and work out the batsman as well. We are working on some of these issues with Shadab so that in future he will turn out to be a good all-round option for Pakistan.”

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