PP talks to upcoming Pakistani fast bowler Mohammad Aamer in an exclusive interview!
I'd like to say thank you to Saj's brother-in-law from Kenya for putting us in contact with Mohammad Aamer and to Mohammad Aamer for doing the interview.
I conducted this interview with Aamer before the QEA Trophy 2009.
PakPassion.Net: Who was your favourite player when growing up and why?
Mohammad Aamer: From the very start I was drawn to Wasim bhai because he was a match winner. He always stood out and looked a class apart. I've also had the chance to learn from him twice (so far) and each time it's been an amazing experience.
PakPassion.Net: One of our members wanted to know if you've ever played cricket in Choha Khalsa?
Mohammad Aamer: Yes I used to play tape ball cricket there
PakPassion.Net: How did touring England with the u19 team benefit you as a cricketer?
Mohammad Aamer: The England tour was my second tour with the u19 team, the first tour was of Australia. We played them in 5 limited overs games, it was a very successful tour for me because I took 10 wickets and was the 2nd highest wicket taker on either side. The biggest benefit for me personally from the England tour was that I'd never played a 4 day game before so I learnt about bowling in the longer version of the game. I was one of the highest wicket takers on that tour too, so it was a great experience for me and I really enjoyed myself. The tour presented us with a chance to learn about the conditions, pitches and the weather in England. I got a lot of swing on the England tour and after hearing about the very correct techniques of English batsmen it felt like an achievement to take so many wickets, English batsmen certainly dont give up their wickets easily.
PakPassion.Net: What did you notice about the difference in playing conditions between Pakistan, Australia and England?
Mohammad Aamer: The facilities at the grounds for both fans and players are great over there, everything is so much more professionally handled. There's a big difference.
PakPassion.Net: I meant the way the pitch behaved, ie bounce, etc.
Mohammad Aamer: From a bowlers perspective the wickets in England and Australia are very good, the whole world knows that their pitches are bowler friendly unlike back home in Pakistan. We were told that English players are always in position to play two shots, the cut and the pull. The best things about their pitches is that there is something in it for both batsmen and bowlers.
PakPassion.Net: You first came onto PP's radar during the series in England when you were clocking close to 86mph at only 16 years old, do you consider yourself more of a swing bowler or a fast bowler?
Mohammad Aamer: First and foremost I'm a fast bowler, that's the way I've always seen myself. My aggression is that of a fast bowler.
PakPassion.Net: What's the top speed that you've clocked?
Mohammad Aamer: There isn't always a speed gun there but I clocked 87mph in the T20 cup that just happened.
PakPassion.Net: Do you move the ball both ways and what about reverse swing?
Mohammad Aamer: I can swing it in both ways with the new ball and then I can reverse swing with the old ball too.
PakPassion.Net: Tell us about a spell of bowling when you took wickets with reverse swing
Mohammad Aamer: After lunch during the 4 day game on the England tour, I took wickets when the ball was reversing.
PakPassion.Net: Do you have a fast bowling mentor?
Mohammad Aamer: During the last 3 months we've been at the NCA and getting regular help from Aaqib bhai. Wasim bhai was there as well.
PakPassion.Net: What advice did Wasim give you about your bowling? What to change and what to keep?
Mohammad Aamer: I couldnt swing the new ball until Wasim bhai showed me how to do it, the other thing that he helped me with was proper use of the crease when bowling (to vary my length, etc).
PakPassion.Net: What has Aaqib helped you with?
Mohammad Aamer: I've had a few recurring injury problems as I've already mentioned and Aaqib bhai worked with me to slightly modify my action to avoid my injuries from recurring.
PakPassion.Net: Not counting the international players, who is the fastest bowler on the Pakistan domestic circuit?
Mohammad Aamer: I can't think of anyone who is bowling faster than Sohail Khan, no-one appears to be hitting 150k or more.
PakPassion.Net: How about 145k?
Mohammad Aamer: Well I've clocked 142k and Talha has clocked 143k, there's nobody else that i know of who has been clocked at those speeds.
PakPassion.Net: We heard that Talha clocked 146k
Mohammad Aamer: I cant confirm that, I've only seen him hit around 143k.
PakPassion.Net: You're barely 18 years old, do you feel you're ready for international cricket or would you like some time to hone your skills in first class cricket?
Mohammad Aamer: No, I'm ready to play whenever they call me and Insha Allah I'll be able to carry on performing at the international level like I have been in the domestic and at junior international level.
PakPassion.Net: So you dont feel that you could do with some more time getting forged in domestic cricket? Maybe another year?
Mohammad Aamer: When you start playing at the first class level then you quickly mature as a cricketer, you learn far more at the International level than you can in domestic cricket. I feel that I'm ready to play for Pakistan.
PakPassion.Net: It seems that almost every time you're in the news it's in relation to another injury. What injuries have you had?
Mohammad Aamer: I've had back injuries. I got two stress fractures when playing in England and because of that I sometimes miss a series or a tournament in order to not put too much stress and pressure on my back.
PakPassion.Net: We were really looking forward to watching you in the u19 WC, why were you unable to play?
Mohammad Aamer: That wasnt due to an injury, I got the dengue virus.
PakPassion.Net: Other than the fractures in your back, have you had any other serious injuries?
Mohammad Aamer: No, no other problems. Just my back.
PakPassion.Net: Have you been given an exercise plan or any sort of regime to help you strengthen your back muscles and avoid future injuries?
Mohammad Aamer: Yes, they have given me strength exercises to do and a plan to follow.
PakPassion.Net: Who is the most difficult batsman you've ever faced.
Mohammad Aamer: I've never thought of any batsman as a difficult batsman to face, not to me. That's a negative way of thinking.
PakPassion.Net: Good answer. Has there been any batsman you've had difficulty in getting out?
Mohammad Aamer: I cant think of anyone.
PakPassion.Net: ([aughs] Well that's good to hear. In your opinion (excluding yourself) who's the next big star for Pakistan?
Mohammad Aamer: You can't predict things like that, some players look a class apart at the junior and domestic levels but they fall apart when they play international cricket. At the highest level the successful players will be the ones who perform, whoever performs will be one of the stars of the future.
PakPassion.Net: Other than yourself which bowlers do you think we should watch out for?
Mohammad Aamer: In bowling Talha's name is being mentioned a lot alongside my own and he's definitely one to watch.
PakPassion.Net: Can you tell us about Junaid Khan, is he a pace or swing bowler?
Mohammad Aamer: He has a really good record in domestic cricket, he's a medium pacer who swings the ball.
PakPassion.Net: Which batsmen do you think we should keep an eye on?
Mohammad Aamer: Look out for Ahmad Shahzad and Umar Amin, they're the ones to watch.
PakPassion.Net: What about Azhar Ali?
Mohammad Aamer: He's a really good batsman from Lahore, very good domestic performances.
PakPassion.Net: Over the last 4 years many fast bowlers have come into the limelight via the u19 route. Imran Ali Pasha, Jamshed Ahmed, Akhtar Ayub, etc but they were forgotten soon after their moments of glory. How do you intend to ensure that you arent another one of these forgotten sensations?
Mohammad Aamer: The most important thing is to keep your fitness up, if you're unfit then you cant give 100% and you wont be noticed. Attitude also has a lot to do with it, your future is in your own hands. If you work hard and always give 100% you'll go far because Allah rewards those who help themselves. When you do get that chance in the Pakistan team, you have to grab it with both hands. You have to perform and get noticed because there's another two waiting in line behind you to take that chance if you dont. There's a lot of competition in the ranks these days, so when you get your chance you have to give 100%. If you look at the performance of the Pakistan u19 teams from the last few tournaments then you can see that players are being picked on their talent and not because of who they know or who they're related to. This means that competition is tough and you have to take your opportunity when it comes.
PakPassion.Net: What's your long term goal, where do you see yourself in a few years time?
Mohammad Aamer: Pakistan will be playing quite a few series and tournaments in 2009, if I get a call up then I'm hoping that I'll be able to perform and stake my claim for a regular spot in the team. But before that we have a first class tournament in January where I'll be playing for the National Bank side, if I can get noticed by the selectors then it will help me in the future. So far I've only played one first class game so this tournament is a big deal for me, I want to show that I can perform at all levels and in all types of cricket. Most of the national team players will be taking part in this tournament and if I can take their wickets then it will prove that if I can take their wickets then I can take the wickets of other international players too. Taking big wickets like that gives you the confidence that if you can do it here then you can do it anywhere.
PakPassion.Net: After being the best bowler for the RBS T20 you didnt even get a call up for the Canada T20 tournament, how did that leave you feeling?
Mohammad Aamer: It's not as simple as that. When Pakistan play an international tour then they have to take our passports in advance in order to arrange the visas and permits we will need to play abroad. When they were collecting the passports for the Canada T20 I was touring Kenya/Zimbabwe and I'd become unfit. Because of that they didnt consider me. By the time I was playing in the RBS T20 the visas and permits had been approved for those who were going, the squad had already been announced and it wouldn't have been easy to replace someone already in the squad with me.
PakPassion.Net: That makes sense, you bowled really well in the RBS T20.
Mohammad Aamer: From my perspective it's a good thing because my performance brought me to the attention of the selectors and that always helps. I didn't take my non-selection for the Canada T20 badly because I knew the reasons behind it and I'm happy that my name is now under consideration.
PakPassion.Net: That's a positive attitude and you should keep in mind that you're barely 18 years old, the path to selection may even take another couple of years but it's no reason to be dejected. Just use the extra time to hone your skills even more and Insha Allah you'll get your just reward.
Mohammad Aamer: Insha Allah I hope you're right and thanks for the support.
PakPassion.Net: I heard u weren't picked for the Pentangular Cup, why not?
Mohammad Aamer: It's not that I wasn't picked, I was resting my back. Even now I'm not practising in order to rest my back and get it back to full strength.
PakPassion.Net: You keep mentioning your back, is this going to be a long term problem for you?
Mohammad Aamer: You make your own long term and short term. I think it's better at this stage for me to sit out for two months and heal my back properly than for me to play for these two months and sit out for the rest of my career because I didnt rest my back and let it heal.
PakPassion.Net: That's brilliantly said, some of our more established bowlers could take advice from you about that. If they took time out of the game to reach full fitness and heal their injuries properly then they would last longer and have more consistent fitness records.
Mohammad Aamer: I dont think it's a good idea for a bowler to play for a few months with the help of pain killing injections and then spend the rest of the year out with a serious injury because of it.
PakPassion.Net: I love the attitude, at PakPassion.Net we're all hoping to see you get a chance with the senior side in 2009. Good luck for the future.
Mohammad Aamer: Thank you.
