‘I’d love to help India find a fast bowler, it would be a pleasure … And why can’t Sachin coach in Pakistan?’

Ya, it’s good to know that. It’s great to be here.

I know you had played earlier, but you really made your fame in India in the Test against India in Kolkata.
That was a day, my fourth Test match and there was an opportunity to bowl against Sachin (Tendulkar) for the first time in my life. Getting him out first ball was a pretty amazing dream-come-true. I think it’s one of the biggest days in my life.

But has it quite worked out the same way with Sachin after that?
Well we are just playing a game of cricket, not battling for something. It depends on the day, and Sachin is one of the greatest batsmen in history. He’s legendary. Sometimes he has his day and sometimes I have my day.

But trust me, all it takes for me is one ball to get him out.

That’s true, that’s why bowlers always win at the end of the day. A batsman can hit you for four good shots, score 16 or 20 runs. But one good ball, and the bowler wins.
Well bowlers have more opportunities to bowl and more opportunities to come back harder. But a batsman is just a shot away with one ball.

But Shoaib, are you the fastest bowler in the world?
Well, what do you think? (laughs)

I don’t know. There’s always this thing between you, Brett Lee, Shane Bond. It goes on. But you tell me.
Well I’ve crossed 100 miles per hour. I just never tried to cross it or aim for it because I knew I could bowl 100 mph, I knew it right from the beginning. But most important for me is I am winning games for my country. That’s more important, to perform well, rather than just bowl fast.

How do you compare yourself with other fast bowlers of the times like Shane Bond, Brett Lee …
I don’t know what to say about myself … I’ve played with Wasim Akram and I have learnt a lot from him. I think I am not only a fast but a clever bowler.

You or Wasim?
I think both (laughs), because I learnt a lot from him.

I think you are faster and he’s certainly cleverer.
Well I think I have learnt a little bit of cleverness from Wasim, I know what to do in situations. I am not afraid to apply my mind towards my bowling and towards the game. And I have been winning games for my country.

But sometimes have you made the mistake of going for speed rather than line, length, cleverness? Say in that world cup match against India?
Well you forget that I had played so many matches before that match as well … I think it wasn’t my day, wasn’t my day at all. Because of injuries … I had an injection for my knees, then both knees, I was struggling big-time with my fitness.

I think I shouldn’t have played. If I had an opportunity to play that match again, I wouldn’t play. I would never do that again.

But what mistake did you make? Did you bowl too fast or Sachin just batted too well?
Well I was not fit at all. I shouldn’t have gone to the world cup in the first place because I hadn’t had good match practice.

But there was also pressure to play because that was against India.
I think I should honestly tell you this: let’s just be rivals to other countries. Pakistan is not a rival to India. I am not a rival to Sachin. I am not a rival to Dravid.

But this is the time we should be rivals to other countries. Let’s stick together. I would love to help India, I would love to just come down and get a fast bowler for India. It’ll be a pleasure.

Why can’t Sachin go to my country? Why can’t he coach my young kids? Why can’t I come to India?

And now both countries are saying we will treat each other’s children for free. Bees aapke hum free karenge, bees aapke hum free karenge … Aap bolte hain ke cricket ke bachchon ko kyon nahin train karte. (You are asking for the principle to be extended to young cricketers.)
I am saying that kids are kids. They are the same to everyone, whether Pakistani kids or Indian kids. I would love to help out Indian kids over here, I’d love to help out Pakistani kids out there. Children can come here to India and get treated for free.

Would you like to come to India and teach our kids how to bowl fast?
If the bus service can be opened, the flight service can be opened, if your borders are open, why can’t kids be ambassadors for each country?

So will you come and teach our youngsters how to bowl fast?
Why not? I would like to give my talent to the young kids. If I can help you get a fast bowler and if Sachin can get me two batsmen, I think that’s equal.

And then we can fight the Australians — they are the team to beat, isn’t it?
Of course. I think we should stick together, now is the time to rebuild our relationship once again. It’s the best opportunity.

The funny thing is, in spite of the great rivalry between the two countries, some of the great cricketing heroes in India are actually Pakistanis. I presume the same is true in Pakistan for India.
We are in the Cricket Club of India pavilion in Mumbai. And you see these pictures — three great stars of Pakistani cricket, Javed Miandad, Imran Khan, Hanif Mohammad. One day we’ll have your picture here.

Why not? I’ll be honoured. I don’t understand why this rivalry. Ek doosre ke saath lage rahte hain. (We’re obsessed with each other.) Why can’t we be rivals to Australia or England or someone else?

When you play, against whom does emotion comes out most — against India, Australia or …
I don’t want to lie to you. When I play against Australia, I go all out. They are the best team to beat, they think they are on top of the world. Of course, they have beaten so many teams in so many Test matches.

But why does this emotion come out against Australia particularly? Do they irritate you on the field, because they sledge, they are so aggressive? Or is it that they are such a great team, beating them is special?
I think they are the best team in the world right now, I am more comfortable — even my best performances are against Australia. I think my whole talent, ability comes out against them.

But against India there’s intensity … But maybe not the same …
I am playing a game, I am not in a war. I am just playing a game of cricket — win or lose, it could happen either way.

But you’ve acquired quite a reputation. You are always the angry young man on the field. You’ve been getting suspensions, fines. You look batsmen in the eye …
I think I am a kind of favourite guy of the ICC. I don’t know but somehow I get into trouble anytime … I think I have just started staying away from trouble. I enjoy my cricket.

Shoaib, where did you get this ‘angry young man’ reputation? You are looking the umpire in the eye, you are looking the batsmen in the eye. And sometimes when a fielder drops a catch, you are more than looking him in the eye.
I know, I know. But I always try to be a good team man for my young team. I not a jealous person at all, I am an honest person.

When I go out there, I have passion for my country, I have pride for my country, I try to do well for my country. That’s probably why I am more passionate about cricket.

Give me some examples of when you got angry, when something irritated you on the field.
I think I accuse myself rather than abuse someone else. And people take it the wrong way …

Recently in South Africa it happened with Paul Adams. I was running in and bowling, he came down the wicket, he tried to smash me and cut me and …

Paul Adams? He is not a batting talent?
I know, I know but I said something like ‘Play a proper shot’.

What exactly did you tell him? ‘Play a proper shot’ or ‘Stay put’?
Well, I said ‘Hang on, don’t get scared’.

‘Don’t get scared’? That’s a nice one to tell him …
The tailenders … I try to get them out as soon possible but I don’t try to hit people.

So you told him ‘I won’t try to hit you’.
Ya, I didn’t even say that, I said ‘Play proper shots. If you can’t, then let me take your wicket’. He felt bad and he complained against me. So I got banned for one Test.

But there are teams that sledge. Australians are talked about a lot. How have you found their behaviour on the field?
Australians are famous for sledging. But I think whatever happens out there on the field, after the match it should be finished. I am against offensive sledging.

But has Australia tried offensive sledging with you?
No.

But with your team? After all Australia has got something of a reputation?
I know, I know. They always talk, they always talk.

So what kind of things do they say? Do you remember a couple of things they said to you?
I can’t remember that, because basically I am too busy playing my game. They’ve never said anything to me, so I can’t hear them saying something sitting outside the rope.

No, when you are bowling, somebody comes in and whispers ‘Hey watch your action’. Things like that.
No, no … they don’t say such things. I think we should respect each other. I think Australians are known for their sledging. But I think whatever happens, should be finished off on the ground.

But now what is happening is sides complaining about sides, even managers complaining. It’s so silly.

Like school children …
‘He said this, he did that’, the match referee comes in and he has to take a decision. I think that’s pretty bad. It’s only a game of cricket.

It’s part of the charm of fast bowling in cricket. Look at it this way, how many genuine fast bowlers are left in the world. There are only two who can bowl at over 90 mph — Brett Lee and myself.

Shane Bond too.
Shane Bond has been out of action for quite a while now … but ya, he’s one of them. If we are also stopped …

So you are saying, don’t confuse aggression with sledging …
No, that’s not what I am saying. Let me say something, but not something offensive. What I mean is let me say things like ‘Okay, I can’t see you playing proper shots’.

But fast bowlers can always glare. That should not be held against them.
No, not at all.

If you look at India’s fast bowlers, we have a problem. We never produced genuine fast bowlers. We produced great medium pacers, Kapil Dev, Srinath — Srinath was fast, but he had so much burden on him.
What is the reason? India, Pakistan to ek hi hain (are similar). Why are we not producing aggressive fast bowlers like you?

Our fast bowlers too come basically from Punjab. Mohammed Sami is from Karachi … but I can’t think of other examples.

Fast bowling is basically attitude — so I am just wondering if Indians are a bit lacking in attitude … Just a bit too humble, a little calm. That attitude is not there.

I like Zaheer Khan, he’s a bit aggressive but he is not among the quickest. But he’s right up there, at least someone fast you can see in India.

And Agarkar?
Agarkar, but he’s medium pace … And Ashish Nehra is one of the quickest. He can be very dangerous. In such a big country there should be at least two genuine fast bowlers.

The other thing is, seeing fast bowlers like you, people get inspired in Pakistan. Whether it’s you or Brett Lee — the other team could be 241 for two and then suddenly it’s 244 for five. The match changes.
Like the match changed in Kolkata when you got those two wickets — Dravid and Sachin.

I think we were lucky to have Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Waqar Yunus. They were big stars. I began by watching them. It’s an inspiration for kids.

But how were you spotted?
I was in college and someone came to me asking me to play cricket. And I played cricket. I played against New Zealand under-19 and got seven wickets. Within one year, I was in the Pakistan team.

Tell me about batsmen. I know Sachin is your favourite — if he’s not playing against your team. How do you rate some of the other batsmen? Rahul Dravid, Saurav, the Australian batsmen … Stephen Fleming, Michael Vaughan?
Sachin is a different breed, he is just right up there among the classic players. And I think Dravid is right up there, he’s got a very solid technique and he wins matches for the country.

Even if he misses out on stardom repeatedly, like the centre-half in hockey.
That’s right. And Ganguly is very good with spinners.

That’s a loaded statement, ‘Ganguly is very good against spinners’.
Well, Ganguly can be very effective … I think the Indian batting is very, very strong. Sehwag is doing very well.

But Shoaib, there’s a change in our cricket. You said Indian cricketers are so gentlemanly, a bit quiet. But this new breed — Sehwag, Harbhajan, Yuvraj, Nehra, Zaheer — they are also more aggressive.
Ya, that’s a good thing, because if you’re aggressive, you’re more passionate about your country, more passionate about your cricket. Like us and like the Australians … But it’s a controlled aggression I am speaking about.

But let me ask you one question before we conclude. Remember that incident in Kolkata, when Sachin and you had a collision and there was a run out appeal. When you look back, what do you think about it? Do you think it was a fair appeal?
It was quite a fair appeal, because I did not see Sachin coming towards me, because he turned and banged straight into me. I didn’t see him at all. And I think it was quite a fair decision.

But looking back, would you have let it go … not in the heat of the moment?
Imagine if you are playing in Pakistan in this kind of situation, I think they won’t let us go.

Are you looking forward to more cricket in India now?
Why not? If our children can come across, our hockey team can come across, we can play tennis … why can’t we play cricket and have a good time in Bombay, sorry, Mumbai or Lahore or Islamabad …

Shoaib we are looking forward to seeing a lot more of you.
Thank you very much.

Keep doing better and better and break many barriers.
Thank you.