Saqlain Mushtaq hopes to play again

	Saqlain Mushtaq last played a Test match in 2004 © AFP

Saqlain Mushtaq was once Pakistan's first-choice spinner. He was also perhaps the first offspinner to master the doosra. But he soon lost his place after a knee injury and competition from the likes of Shoaib Malik and Danish Kaneria. His two-year absence from first-class cricket ended when he played for Sussex against the touring Indians.

Rohit Mahajan of The Hindustan Times caught up with Saqlain, who left some hints that his cricketing future lies in England.

So much has changed in his life in the last eight years: the mastery of the doosra, acclaim and ignominy, injury and insult — and now a new British passport. Monty Panesar should soon have competition.

Saqlain, though, wishes to play down this talk. He is in his 31st year, a stage in life when spinners peak, but injury troubles have made him prudent, and he's not looking too far ahead — or at least not speaking about it.

“If I start saying that I want to play for England, and my body doesn't allow me to play, it would be very embarrassing,” he says. “Yes, if my body is okay, if all goes well, then I'll see what happens…”

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