Shoaib Akhtar open to Indian bowling coaching job

PTI, May 5, 2020, 8:00 AM IST

New Delhi: Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar on Monday said he is open to taking up the Indian bowling coaching job if there is an offer as his “job is to spread knowledge”.

Akhtar expressed his willingness in an interview on the social networking app ‘Helo’.

Asked if he would like to be associated with the Indian bowling unit in the future, he responded in the positive.

“I will definitely. My job is to spread knowledge. What I have learned is knowledge and I will spread it,” Akhtar said.

One of the fastest bowlers to have played the game, he added, “I will produce more aggressive, fast, and more talkative bowlers than the current ones who will tell-off the batsmen in a way that you will enjoy a lot.”

He said he has always wanted to share his knowledge among budding cricketers and that he is looking to produce more aggressive bowlers.

He also added that he would like to “coach” IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders, for whom he has played in the cash-rich T20 league’s inaugural edition.

The former pacer also spoke about his early interactions with Indian batting great Sachin Tendulkar in the 1998 series.

“I had seen him but didn’t know how big a name he was in India. In Chennai, I got to know that he was known as a god in India. Mind you, he is a very good friend of mine. In 1998, when I bowled as fast as I could, the Indian public celebrated with me. I have a big fan following in India,” Akhtar said.