'Pace is my primary weapon'

Rapid pace, a smooth action, and good control have made Mohammad Sami a leading fast bowler in world cricket after only 12 Tests and 41 ODIs - and at the tender age of 20. Here he shares a few tricks of his trade with Nagraj Gollapudi:

In addition to your pace you have a smooth action. Did that come naturally?
My bowling has more or less remained the same right from the beginning, especially from the time I started playing cricket seriously at school level. Today I take a run-up of 24 yards, which has varied over the years depending on the conditions and the wicket. Otherwise my action is natural.

You never had a personal coach during your early years. Was it difficult to progress on your own?
I didn't need a personal coach, as my father worked hard with me when I was young. As I graduated to higher levels there were coaches who gave their inputs. When I started representing Pakistan I had the opportunity to work with Daryl Foster, who was hired as the bowling coach for a short stint. He didn't have any problems with my action, but we worked on my run-up which was causing me to bowl too many no-balls. The jump I was taking was forcing my front foot to land a bit over the crease. But now I am improving steadily.

Has there been any turning point in your career so far?
In 1999, I attended Rashid Latif's cricket academy at Karachi. It was like a finishing school, where I fine-tuned my skills in all departments of the game.

With your kind of pace, especially in the one-dayers, you are vulnerable to being hit for runs. What is your counter-strategy?
I am an attacking bowler, so my main plan is to attack the opposition to buy the wicket. And if, in the process, it costs me a few runs, I don't mind. But one should be sensible enough to not give away too many runs just for the sake of attacking.

You usually clock in excess of 90mph. Do you look at the speedgun?
Speed doesn't matter a lot - taking wickets and helping your team win is more important. During the match I won't look at the speedgun but, later in the evening, it feels nice to see yourself record big speeds consistently. It gives me an idea of how fit I am and how much I need to strengthen my body to keep up that momentum.

So the quicker you bowl, the better your performance?
Definitely. Pace is my primary weapon and if I add some extra pace it will trouble the batsman. So it is a plus point.

You are slightly built, but still able to generate good speed. How?
It's about power and not the muscle. With my bowling action I don't need to worry much about the muscle. I know I am not completely fit, but in a couple of years' time I will be at my peak.

What are your stock balls?
The same that any fast bowler has under his belt. The one that comes naturally, and that I excel at, is the outswinger.

The Sami-Shoaib Akhtar duo is the fastest bowling combination in the world. How do you complement each other?
It's nice to bowl in tandem with the fastest bowler in the world. We discuss things in the build-up to the match and talk a lot during the game to work out strategies.

Shoaib, at times, goes for pace in order to take wickets. Has that ever affected your mindset?
I have never thought about that. I like to keep things simple and achieve only one thing - taking wickets.

You had a good stint on the English county circuit with Kent before an injury cut it short. Did you learn much during that time?
You need to be more professional out there and do things on your own, and that helps you become more responsible. Also, bowling five days a week makes you aware of many things about your bowling, based on which, you can work to improve further.

And the pitches, were they conducive to your bowling?
The time I was there, the county season was nearing the end, so the wickets were dry and they were not that helpful. But when I returned to Pakistan the conditions were similar and it was easy for me to adjust.

Have you completely recovered from the stress fracture you suffered during your time with Kent?
Yes, fortunately. I twisted my ankle while fielding in a county match. Initially, we just thought it was a minor ankle injury, but it turned out to be a stress fracture. As I had suffered a stress fracture three years back, I was well aware of the dangers that come along with it, so I didn't want to risk anything this time. The rehab period extended to about five months, and now I don't have any problems.

How do you handle the pressure situations?
I thrive on pressure.