Naseem still eager to learn from England pace legend Anderson
When England pace bowler James Anderson made his entry into test cricket in 2003, pakistan’ s na seem Shah was barely three months old.
On Thursday they will be spearheading their respective team’s pace atacks in Rawalpindi with England playing their first Test on Pakistan soil for 17 years. The precocious Naseem, 19, showered praise Tuesday on Anderson, saying he hopes to learn from the 40-year-old veteran.
“He is a legend,” said Naseem ater training at Rawalpindi Stadium. I have learned from him and will (continue to) learn from him.”
Naseem has made rapid progress since his Test debut in Australia in 2019. That year he also became the youngest fast bowler to take five wickets in a Test -- against Sri Lanka in Karachi at the age of just 16 years and 307 days.
Two months later he became the youngest to a Test hat trick, against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi.
Despite his own record, Naseem is full of admiration for Anderson, whose 667 Test wickets are eclipsed only by Sri Lankan Mutiah Muralitharan (800) and Australian Shane Warne (708).
“I think it is a big achievement for him that he is still playing and is very fit... that shows how much hard work he has been doing,” he said.
“He knows everything about bowling, having played everywhere in the world, so he is one of the best.”
Naseem relishes the challenge of leading Pakistan’s pace atack in the absence of his illustrious new ball partner Shaheen Shah Afridi, who will miss the series with a knee injury.
“Shaheen was also injured in Sri Lanka (in July) so even then I took responsibility and I am again ready for that,” said Naseem.
“When your best bowler gets injured it makes a big difference, so we have to take that responsibility, use the new ball well.”
Besides na seem, pakistan have three uncapped pace bowlers in Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Junior and Mohammad Ali.
Meanwhile, The lone survivor of England’s last test tour of Pakistan 17 years ago is feeling blessed to be back. James Anderson has worked hard on his fitness for the last five-six years to still be spearheading England’s bowling atack at the age of 40, and prolong a test career that started in 2003 against Zimbabwe at Lord’s.
“I’m very fortunate that I’m naturally quite fit,” he said on Tuesday. “I feel very fortunate that I’m still here, very fortunate to be able to be back in Pakistan ater so long.”
The fast bowler didn’t play in any of the three
Naseem has made rapid progress since his Test debut in Australia in 2019. That year he also became the youngest fast bowler to take five wickets in a Test against Sri Lanka at the age of just 16 years and 307 days
tests on that 2005 tour that Pakistan won 2-0, but he’ll be front and center in the atack without long-time partner Stuart Broad when the latest three-match series starts on Thursday.
“We’ve had an amazing welcome,” Anderson said. “All the guys are really excited to be back here, even the guys that weren’t here 17 years ago understand how big a tour this is in terms of world cricket, not just the two teams that are here.”
Foreign teams avoided touring Pakistan ater the 2009 atack on the Sri Lanka team bus and Pakistan hosted England in test series twice in the United Arab Emirates. England is now trying to figure out how the pitch will behave.
Anderson admits he has litle idea ater two practice sessions at Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi, venue for the first test. In Rawalpindi over the last three years, Pakistan has beaten Bangladesh and South Africa while drawing tests against Sri Lanka and most recently Australia.
“I’m not a great pitch reader,” Anderson said. “One thing we have noticed is that there’s been a bit of dew around in the morning when we got here for practice . . . might be a litle bit of moisture in the wicket early on. Well, I’ll be hoping for that as well.”