‘Saeed Ajmal can be a match-winner with little variation,’ says ex-Pak spinner

KARACHI - Former Pakistan cricketer Tauseef Ahmed reckons that off-spinner Saeed Ajmal has the capability to become a match-winner if he works on certain aspects of his game.

Tauseef said that Ajmal would be a better bowler if he masters the art of spinning the ball regularly into the right-handers.

“At the moment Saeed relies heavily on doosra, but if he could be more dangerous if he begins working on using the index and middle fingers to impart spin on the ball from outside the off-stump,” The Dawn quoted Ahmed, as saying.

“Presently, Saeed uses his third finger to bowl off-spin which itself is a remarkable thing because generally one doesn’t bowl in this manner. But there is always room for improvement, and I’m sure Saeed will work harder to achieve that,” he added.

He even rated Ajmal as a better bowler than England off-spinner Graeme Swann, who took a career-best 6-65 in Pakistan’s second innings of the Edgbaston Test.

“Comparatively speaking, I regard Saeed a better bowler than Swann because he bowls the ‘doosra’ which is a potentially a wicket-taking ball. However, Swann has a great loop that enables him to become more effective and his track record proves that,” he said.

In his six Test matches, the 32-year-old has claimed 27 wickets at an average of 42.28. (ANI)