By IANS
London : Remember Saqlain Mushtaq? The same off-spinner, who gave cricket the 'doosra' – the off-break bowler's surprise ball that goes turns the wrong way.
The 30-year-old Saqlain is currently playing for county champions Sussex against the touring Indians and, thanks to having acquired a British passport, he is now eligible for selection to the England team.
"I really don't know, I haven't thought about it because I have been out of cricket for the last three years," he said. "If they ask then I'll think about it and discuss it with my family and with my friends as well."
The Pakistani off-spinner married a British-born girl in 1998 and moved to London soon after he was dropped from the Test team in April 2004. His last Test for Pakistan was hardly memorable – the same Multan Test where Indian opener Virendra Sehwag smashed all comers on way to a triple century. Figures of 1 for 204 did no favours to 'Saqi', as he is fondly known to teammates, and he was consigned to rubbish bin.
Having last played a one-day international (ODI) for Pakistan in October 2003, Saqlain still holds the record of fastest 100 wickets in ODIs. He achieved the feat in only 53 matches.
A regular in the county circuit with Surrey, the off-spinner missed out the last two seasons because of a niggling knee injury. But he is back in action this year with Sussex where he has former Pakistan leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed and current paceman Naved-ul Hasan Rana for company.
Having completed the stipulated three years since his last appearance for Pakistan, the off-spinner is reported to be looking forward to stepping back into international cricket, albeit with a new team.
If selected along with the turbaned left-arm spinner Monty Panesar, Saqlain could give England a potent spin attack to complement its swing bowlers.
Two and a half months into the current season, Saqlain hasn't really set the Thames on fire as he eases back after the enforced two-year injury break. But its too early to write off the wily offie, whose 'doosra' has been a subject of many a debate since it was adopted with devastating results by Sri Lanka's Mutthaih Muralitharan and India's own Harbhajan Singh.
Saqlain, who played for Ireland last season with limited success, seems content to bide his time and is in no hurry to catch the eye of the English selectors.
"Obviously I'd love to play international cricket, but that is in the second phase of my thoughts, the first phase is I must get back playing well and then we'll see," Saqlain told reporters at Hove county ground where the county champions face the Indians in a four-day tour match.