Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Asif: “When I had bowled for an hour to one batsman, the next one would be ready. It was searing heat and it felt as if my back was going to break”
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Pakistan seamer Mohammad Asif has revealed that during his first international tour with the national team, he felt his back would break as he was bowling for hours in the nets in the searing heat.
Asif was in Australia with the Pakistan team in 2004/05 and ended up making his debut in the 3rd Test in Sydney in January 2005.
Despite having toiled in the nets, he went wicketless in the match, which Australia won by nine wickets.
“On my first senior international tour in Australia in 2005, there weren’t many coaches with the team and as a junior bowler I was the one who was given the duty of doing a lot of bowling in the nets,” Asif told Wisden as quoted by PakPassion.
“When I had bowled for an hour to one batsman, the next one would be ready. It was searing heat and it felt as if my back was going to break.
“It was no surprise that when my chance finally came for my debut in Sydney, I ended up with figures of 0 for 88. Nowadays touring squads have so many coaches with them which means that the junior bowlers are well looked after, but back in my day there was no hiding place as a young bowler when you were looking to make a name for yourself.”
Asif took 106 wickets in 23 Tests at an average of 24.36, 46 wickets in 38 ODIs at an average of 33.13 and 13 wickets in 11 T20 Internationals at an average of 26.38.