Mohammad Asif: “I enjoyed the challenge that the likes of Virender Sehwag and Adam Gilchrist presented and whilst I knew that they had the ability to play incredible shots and could hit me around a bit, the fact was that I had that knowledge and self-belief that sooner or later I would get them out”
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Pakistan seamer Mohammad Asif said he knew he could get legendary India opener Virender Sehwag and iconic Australia wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist out even though they “could hit me around a bit”.
Asif noted that his confidence in dismissing them stemmed from the fact that he had the knowledge and self-belief to do it.
He added that he had a lot of patience, which is something he feels is “lacking in many modern-day bowlers”.
“My philosophy as a bowler always was that if you don’t quickly work out a batsman, then he will work you out very soon, and that you always had to be one step ahead of the batsman and had to outsmart him,” the 38-year-old told Wisden as quoted by PakPassion.
“I always prepared ahead of a match and came into a match knowing the strengths and weaknesses of my opponents, and I didn’t like leaving anything to chance.
“I enjoyed the challenge that the likes of Virender Sehwag and Adam Gilchrist presented and whilst I knew that they had the ability to play incredible shots and could hit me around a bit, the fact was that I had that knowledge and self-belief that sooner or later I would get them out.
“Patience was important to me as a bowler and that is something that I feel is lacking in many modern-day bowlers. They want to bowl six magic deliveries an over, forgetting that you have to set-up a batsman and sometimes lull them into a false sense of security, and then strike when the batsman least expects it.”