Last week,Trevor Bayliss’s side were dismissed by Pakistan’s spinners in their 2-0 series defeat, with 35 of the England’s 53 wickets falling to Yasir Shah, Shoaib Malik and Zulfiqar Babar.
Ajmal, the deadly off-spinner, took 24 at 14.70 during Pakistan’s 3-0 whitewash of England in 2012.
He, however, was forced to modify his bowling action following a five-month ban imposed on him by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
After being cleared to bowl in February, this year, Ajmal has struggled to achieve same impact and awaits a call to the Pakistan Test squad.
“If I were to coach for England, I would call all the spinners from all the counties in for one session and ask them to bowl in front of me,” told Saeed Ajmal to the paper. ”
“I would see the variations, the revs and the pace of all the spinners available, and shortlist the two I liked best. I would work with these two for three to four months ahead of England’s next tour of India, Pakistan or Sri Lanka – it would not take me more than four months to prepare effective spinners in the subcontinent,” he elaborated.
Pace and variation in Asia, especially the UAE, is very important. Pitches are very slow so spinners have to bowl with pace, not just with flight, added Ajmal.
“England, at the moment, don’t have bowlers who can spin with pace – and they need this to succeed in the subcontinent,” he said. ”
Calling Moeen and Rashid best spinners available to England, Ajmal continued, “They need to continue the hard work, and the England management needs to give them time and more experience. England need to show belief in these two spinners.”
He advised the English batsmen to take their time, for according to him, either they come too far forward or drop back too far in crease.
“English batsmen are not good at playing spin compared to fast bowling. I was successful in 2012 because they couldn’t understand my bowling – I played with their minds,” Saeed Ajmal recalled.
He quoted the example of Ian Bell, whom he dismissed four times with the doosra.
“Bell just couldn’t understand it,” concluded the world-class spinner.
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