Will the real Saqlain please stand up?

Saqlain has had a rough ride with the selectors and those who, in the past, constituted the think-tank. I have heard it said that he had an ‘‘attitude’’ problem, whatever that means.

Opinion was divided over whether he was an attacking bowler meant to take wickets or a containing bowler supposed to keep one end bottled up. When he failed to take wickets, one school of thought felt vindicated. When he gave away too many runs, the other had their worst fears confirmed. I would imagine that this left Saqlain confused as to what his role was.

The outcome was that he ceased to be an automatic selection and has been in and out of the team. He was a member of Pakistan’s squad for the World Cup 1996 but did not play in the crucial quarter-final against India at Bangalore. Similarly, he was in the World Cup 2003 squad but inexplicably was dropped for the crunch match against India and many feel, including this writer, that it was the mother of all errors. To play a vital match without your best spinner was mind-boggling.

To put it politely, he has had a chequered career though Surrey, the English county he plays for in the English summer think the world of him and keep renewing his contract. He is the inventor of the dusra, the ball that spins away from leg to off, and has to his credit a Test century made against New Zealand.

Wasim Bari, the chairman of the selection committee, believes that while Saqlain may not play in the first ODI, his presence in the squad will be helpful, keep him engaged and motivated and hungry for the Test matches.

So absorbed are we with India’s tour that not much attention was paid to the Under-19 World Cup that was played in Bangladesh and the Pakistan’s team progress created only ripples and not much excitement. Until it suddenly dawned on us that Pakistan had reached the final. And then came the news that Pakistan had won and were the Under-19 world champions! I don’t think we have quite appreciated the enormity of the achievement even now.

PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan has sent a congratulatory message and considers the win a good omen for the forthcoming series against India.

In his message, he gently chides the senior team and says that they should gain inspiration from the outstanding performance of the youngsters.

This is reversing our culture, where we are exhorted to learn from the elders. But it’s not bad advice. The Pakistan team will need inspiration from whatever source that provides it. So too will the Indians for the two teams are so evenly matched that something ’extra’ will be needed to separate them.

The Under-19 cricketers have taken their first step on a long road. Many hurdles lie ahead, many rough and dusty patches and indeed many heart-breaks. Some will fall by the wayside, others will get diverted by detours, the pursuit of different ambitions. But a few will make it.

Playing cricket at the highest level is a career, a full-time job and it needs unfaltering dedication and most of all hard work. It augurs well for Pakistan cricket that it has such a strong base.

I don’t know how it will fit with the stringent security that will be in place but it won’t be a bad idea if the Under-19 team is paraded and does a lap of honour before the start of the first ODI in Karachi. The best way to reward them is to make them feel special. Senior players of both teams will also get the message that the torch can easily be passed to a new generation.