Parveez Rasool hails from Bijbehara, a small town in Jammu & Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
“My success in cricket so far should inspire youngsters from the State to take to the game,” he said, even as he agreed that cricket was not exactly popular in Jammu & Kashmir.
Rasool remembered his first coach Abdul Quayoom after his stunning seven-wicket haul against the Australians here on Tuesday.
“He introduced me to the game,” said Rassol.
Significant role
The off-spinner also thanked Indian spin great Bishan Singh Bedi for his guidance. “He made me an aggressive bowler. He told me to flight the ball, go for wickets. I have learnt the right things from him,” he said.
Bedi has played a significant role in the development of cricket in Jammu & Kashmir.
Rasool has 46 wickets in 17 first class games at 31.04. He is also a telling striker of the ball, with 1003 runs at 38.57 with three centuries.
“I am an off-spinner first, then a batsman,” he said. “It was a great experience bowling against an international side and picking up wickets. I was calm and focussed on consistency,” said Rasool, whose elder brother Asif, too, has played for the State.
Ed Cowan, who top-scored for the Australians with 58, said, “It was great that we got to bat on a pitch that offered spin. It was good practice for us.”
Good line
Asked about Rasool’s off-spin, Cowan replied, “He bowled well, spun the ball and bowled a good line.”
Cowan said the Australian batsmen did not want the spinners to get on top of them. “We wanted to keep the scoreboard moving and I was trying to do that. If you do not score against the spinners, then you make them a bigger threat.”
Queried whether his knock had sealed the opening slot for the first Test, he said, “I did not really think that I needed to seal my spot. Actually, we had not played the longer version for quite some time and I was just looking to find my rhythm.”
Cowan also revealed that the ball had reverse-swung after just 11 or 12 overs. “That was something new for me. I think our pacemen have a great chance in these conditions in the Test series.”
On the sweep shot to counter the spinners, Cowan said the stroke had to be employed judiciously.
