New Delhi: Former captain and commentator Ramiz Raja feels off-spinner Saeed Ajmal’s presence is the “x-factor” that Pakistan will have against India in the upcoming five-match limited overs series (T20 and ODI), which starts in Bangalore on Tuesday.
“India have the advantage of coming into the series having played against England while Pakistan will be a bit ring-rusty but Saeed Ajmal is the x-factor that they have and India doesn’t,” Raja, who is TV commentator, said.
“Ajmal has been Pakistan’s go-to man for some time now. He is someone who knows how to pick up wickets and also has a lot of variation in his bowling,” Raja further explained.
Talk of Ajmal and comparisons with India’s Ravichandran Ashwin are bound to crop up, but Raja felt that the Tamil Nadu boy needs to work on his variations.
“I saw him trying too many things during the Test matches against England. He was trying to come round the wicket. Surprisingly, when he played the T20’s, I didn’t find him coming round the wicket.
“Although he (Ashwin) was being repeatedly hit over the mid-wicket region, he didn’t try anything different. His bowling was very disappointing during England T20 Internationals as he got only one wicket,” the veteran of 57 Tests and 198 ODIs explained.
Raja felt that Ashwin needs to concentrate more on bowling rather than batting. “Ashwin shouldn’t forget his primary role in the team. He is an off-spinner who needs to pick wickets.” (PTI)