‘No Pak players in IPL is unfortunate’

He said that it was good that people like Shahrukh Khan,who are very popular among the general public,said that Pakistani cricketers should have been picked in the IPL and stood firm by their statement even in challenging circumstances.

Talking further about the IPL,the classy cricketer who is still remembered for his wristy batting and exemplary fielding,has no complaints over the fact that technique somewhere takes a backstage in the IPL. “The nature of twenty20 cricket is such that one has to go all out after taking the bat in hand. Moreover,technically good players are also doing well in the IPL so youngsters have the option of adopting their style of play in the shorter version of the game.”

He said that IPL seems to be a batsman friendly cricket,because in India the wickets are flat. “This was not the case in the last edition held at South Africa where the wickets varied and were more juicy. There,the bowlers too had a good time there.”

Though there may be reservations regarding the treatment meted out by the BCCI to Azhar,however,Azhar is quite happy with the way cricket is growing in the country. He is elated at the fact that Team India secured the No. 1 status in Tests. “It is owing to the hard work of the team that it has been able to attain this status.”

Commenting on the cricketing scenario in Uttar Pradesh,Azhar however said that though the state has good cricketing talent but it badly lacks in facilities. “Tell me one place in Uttar Pradesh which has a good ground besides Green Park Stadium at Kanpur. In South,the picture is completely different,” he quips.

Azhar,said that as cricket is now well developed,he will channelise his energies as a sportsman and as a politician towards the development of different sports like hockey,football and badminton.

He may have joined politics and is gaining popularity in this new “field”,but ask him even today to choose between cricket and politics and the ‘stylish’ cricketer chooses the former without even a second’s delay. The emotional bond between cricket and Azhar still seems to be very strong.