Waqar says Tests will test Pathan

New Delhi: Former Pakistan captain Waqar Younis says bowlers of his country should learn a trick or two from their Indian counterparts, who have been reasonably consistent on the tour so far.

“Pakistani bowlers are pretty experienced, much more than the Indians. But they are trying a bit too hard and erring in discipline. They can learn something from the Indians who are bowling consistently,” Waqar said on Sunday.

The fearsome fast bowler of the Nineties refused to agree that bowling was the weak point of the Indian team, which won the ODI series in Pakistan. “I don’t know why people call the Indian bowling weak. They may be a bit inexperienced but they are good. They are improving day by day.”

Waqar said he expects the Indian bowlers to play an equally important role in the Test series, which started in Multan on Sunday.

“Indian batting deserves a lot of praise for the way they performed in the one-day series. The newcomers have matured and the batsmen rose to the occasion.

“As for the bowlers, they should be disciplined with the line and length. If they can do that they can come good in the Test series as well,” he said.

Waqar was particularly impressed with the way Irfan Pathan bowled in the series. About Zaheer Khan, who struggled initially, he said the left-armer was returning to his wicket-taking ways.

“Pathan is very aggressive. He has a beautiful in-swinger. It will be a good test for him in the Test series on flat sub-continental pitches,” Waqar felt.

“Zaheer has not played a lot of cricket since returning from the injury. He has got everything and has a lot of potential. He was not match-fit in the first two ODIs but he is coming back.

But the former captain warned it would not be easy for the Indians in the Test series since the hosts would bounce back from their one-day series loss. “It is going to be a very good series. Pakistan will come out very positive.”

He supported Imran Khan’s suggestion that Pakistan need a bowling coach.

“Coach Javed Miandad is very hard working. But there should be somebody who can work on the bowling. He should teach them to bowl straight.”

Waqar said India should work on identifying and developing fast bowlers. “It is unfortunate that you have no one who is genuinely fast. You have to go to states like Punjab and villages to tap fast bowling talent.

“Pakistan has so many fast bowlers due to this. The BCCI should form a panel look into this aspect,” he said.