Whereas the previous India skipper is second solely to Sachin Tendulkar within the record of most worldwide a whole bunch with 75 tons, Babar has to this point scored 28 worldwide centuries throughout all codecs. However one has to keep in mind that Virat scored his worldwide century in 2008, seven years earlier than Babar obtained his first Pakistan cap.
Former Pakistan star all-rounder Abdul Razzaq spoke TimesofIndia.com In a current unique interview and likewise overrated Virat’s health as in comparison with Babar.
One in all Pakistan’s greatest all-rounders, Razzaq performed 46 Assessments, 265 ODIs and 32 T20Is for his nation between 1996 and 2013.
Abdul Razzaq (Twitter photograph)
Talked about dashing hard-hitting all-rounder India vs Pakistan Bilateral collection, Virat vs Babar debate, Pakistani gamers in IPL, all-rounder Hardik Pandya, and far more…
You might have scored 1025 runs and brought 51 wickets in opposition to India throughout codecs. What’s your favourite reminiscence of enjoying vs India?
I’ve two favourite reminiscences of enjoying in opposition to India. The primary was the Mohali Take a look at match (in 2005). We have been 6 down. The fourth day’s play was happening. And we saved drawing take a look at matches. The opposite was the Hobart ODI (Carlton and United collection in 2000) when Pakistan have been 160-something in 40 overs. I got here in and scored a half-century and helped Pakistan submit complete (262/7) after which took 5 wickets.
Each these matches will all the time be near my coronary heart. Within the yr 2000, the Indian workforce was very sturdy at the moment. He had all the celebs. Massive names like Tendulkar, Sehwag, Ganguly, Zaheer and plenty of extra. We performed with them. In fact there was stress. Every time there’s India vs Pakistan, there’s all the time stress.
Other than the India vs Pakistan stress, there was stress (on us) from these gamers as effectively. These gamers created a lot stress, we’ll plan what and the way to bowl to Sehwag and what and the way to bowl to Tendulkar. We labored onerous and tried to dismiss each of them.
You might have been a star all-rounder for the Pakistan workforce. What’s your opinion about all-rounder Hardik Pandya?
My earlier assertion on Hardik Pandya was taken wrongly. I didn’t imply that. As a cricketer, I simply mentioned that there’s room for enchancment in him (Pandya). I did not touch upon a participant who’s from India, England or Australia. I solely spoke as a cricketer. If Kapil Dev says that he desires to advise Abdul Razzaq, then I’ll take this assertion positively.
AP photograph
The perfect factor about Hardik is that he’s very sturdy each mentally and bodily. he’s match. It propels him ahead. He hits the ball cleanly. He takes wickets at essential instances. You ship him to bowl, he’ll take wickets. You ship him out to bat and he’ll rating runs for you. He’s a match winner. nobody is ideal.
He can work on just a few issues which based on him are areas of enchancment – foot pace, bat pace and the way to decide a ball earlier than bowling. That is what I already meant. As a former all-rounder, he was only a assertion. Individuals took it the mistaken approach and criticized me too.
Hardik is an entire all-rounder. However no person is ideal. All want enchancment in some areas. I additionally lacked just a few issues once I was enjoying. Wasim Akram was the identical, Imran Khan was the identical, Kapil Dev was the identical. However nonetheless we take into account all of them as nice gamers of the sport.
As somebody who has talked about Hardik prior to now and seen his progress, how would you describe the rise and rise of Hardik Pandya?
He’s undoubtedly cricketer. I actually like him. He hits the ball cleanly. He’s a really clear hitter. I used to hit like Pandya does. I like his bowling too. He’s an influence participant. If you end up representing your nation, you want to carry out exceptionally effectively in order that the workforce begins believing in you.
You actually cannot make an efficient all-rounder in a single day. What does it take to be an efficient all-rounder? Additionally, how a lot further stress does an all-rounder really feel in entrance of batsmen and bowlers?
Individuals typically say that batting is troublesome. I say if batting is troublesome then bowling can be troublesome. These are completely different abilities, and each are troublesome. The batsman says issues are powerful for him. The bowler says issues are powerful for him too. They’re each specializing in one factor at a time. However an all-rounder ought to sort out each the departments. He tackles each batting and bowling with out criticism.
An all-rounder must work onerous on his bodily coaching. Issues can get actually powerful for an all-rounder. He has to self-discipline himself and attempt to obtain perfection in each the departments. Being an all-rounder is just not simple in any respect. This isn’t an in a single day journey. it takes a very long time.
(Picture by Pankaj Nangia / Getty Photographs)
When a batsman scores 100 or 200 runs, he would not have sufficient vitality left. However even when an all-rounder scores a 100, he ought to nonetheless have the vitality to return again and bowl and take wickets for his workforce.
In India, IPL has performed a giant function. This event is creating new gamers. In Pakistan, we have now Pakistan Tremendous League (PSL). The primary goal of those leagues is to showcase new skills, groom them and provides them an opportunity to play for the nation primarily based on their efficiency.
Now we have star all-rounders like Lance Klusener, Jacques Kallis, Wasim Akram, Chris Gayle, Imran Khan, Kapil Dev. I hope we see an all-rounder like him quickly.
The following version of IPL is not far away. Now we have seen Pakistani gamers like Sohail Tanvir, Shoaib Akhtar, Shoaib Malik, Umar Gul, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Asif in IPL in 2008 version…
From a cricketing perspective, if we bury the variations then every part must be out within the open. We would like our gamers to play in IPL. Indian gamers ought to play in PSL. Cricket will get a lift, individuals will get pleasure from watching Pakistani cricketers in IPL. This could occur in order that the sport will get a lift.
Your opinion on India vs Pakistan bilateral collection?
If I can touch upon Hardik Pandya, clearly I would love that (India vs Pakistan bilateral cricket collection). As a participant, I’ve commented on Hardik Pandya. India and Pakistan ought to play. This offers loads of enthusiasm. Individuals get pleasure from it. Cricket is promoted. There may be loads of stress in India vs Pakistan matches. You (the cricketer) get pleasure from it extra. The entire world is watching you. You may as well create good gamers from these matches.
Which Indian batsmen and bowlers did Pakistan plan essentially the most throughout your enjoying days?
Virender Sehwag was essentially the most harmful participant. Then Sachin Tendulkar. Pakistan used to plan in opposition to Sehwag and Tendulkar. Our plan was like this – if we get these two wickets – Sehwag and Tendulkar – we’ll win the match. In bowling, our batsmen used to plan in opposition to Zaheer Khan. Irfan Pathan additionally stayed for a while. Harbhajan Singh was These have been the massive names who performed massive matches and carried out for his or her nation.
AFP photograph
Yuvraj Singh was one within the center order. Sehwag, Tendulkar, Yuvraj have been massive names. After we used to get him out, we used to say sure, we have now taken massive wickets as we speak. These have been the gamers in opposition to whom Pakistan had severely deliberate.
The plan consisted of determining how and what to bowl, sure areas to bowl to them, area settings, and attempting completely different bowlers and balls in opposition to these batsmen. That is how our batsmen deliberate in opposition to bowlers like Zaheer, Harbhajan and Irfan.
Virat Kohli Vs Babar Azam Debate. Your choose…
Virat Kohli and Babar Azam (AFP Picture)
Virat is an excellent and sensible participant. The perfect half is that he takes his workforce alongside. His intention is all the time optimistic. He makes use of his abilities very effectively. The particular factor is that his health is world class. Babar Azam’s health is just not like Virat Kohli. Babar must work extra on his health.
Babar is the primary participant of Pakistan. Babar is definitely the No. 1 batsman on the earth (ODIs). Be it any format of the sport, be it Take a look at, ODI or T20, he has been doing constantly effectively. Each nation has a participant like him (Virat and Babar). We needn’t examine them. It is like asking who’s better- Kapil Dev or Imran Khan? This comparability is just not good. Kohli is an effective participant of India. Equally Babar Azam is an effective participant of Pakistan. Kohli is a world class participant, so is Babar. However Kohli’s health is significantly better than Babar.
