After a lazy walk he takes his seats and seeing a few known faces breaks the ice with a casual “kaise ho’. What follows are answers that are simple, honest and to the point. For the media used to mundane quotes, heavy jargons and stereotypical stone-walling, Munaf’s very colloquial bytes were refreshing.

Ask him about the lessons he has learnt from the tournament he replies, “nothing about lessons about rain.’’ About McGrath he says, “Unke pass speed nahi hai par line and length bahut badhiya hai.’’

This latest tribute to McGrath stands out for its honesty, as virtually everyone here has dished out hackneyed labels like master, legend and class act. But it doesn’t mean that Munaf is questioning McGrath’s unquestionable stature as he says that he has taken an appointment and will be talking to him.

When someone asks him about his batting, he comes up with an answer that is most likely to be heard during a street-cricket tennis ball game rather than on the sidelines of an international game. “Batting aati hi nahin hai, kya karooon? 50 overs main aisa hi hota hai,’’ he says.

Listening to Munaf’s earthly voice and comparing it with coach Greg Chappell’s cerebral and high on strategy statements, a pertinent question crops up: Do you understand, what the coach tells you? “I can,’’ he answers in English for a change. When one recalls coach’s constant instruction to his pacers to bowl in the right area and Munaf’s repeated use of the words ‘line and length’ in the briefing, the honesty in the village boy’s words are hard to miss.