[Zubair]

Misbah-ul-Haq scored 464 runs at an average of 116 in the three-Test series in India this month. It was the latest success for Misbah after he impressed in the ICC Twenty20 World Cup and he is now proving himself as a genuine replacement for his namesake Inzamam. He spoke to Bigstarcricket about his career.

Although you wouldn’t have enjoyed losing the series in India, you must have enjoyed your own success as it was quite a series for you?

It’s been nice after such a long time, with all the failures since my debut, as it was always my dream to score runs in Test cricket.

In that three-Test series in India, you took your Test average from 17 to 41. Why did you struggle initially, as you played just seven Tests in six years until now?

I wasn’t playing consistently; I only played three Tests together once, against Australia in a series when they had a really good attack so I struggled. It’s really been a boost to my confidence to play regularly of late and my performances are now up to the mark.

Do you feel part of the team now?

Yes, it’s a totally different story now because before this series I was not sure of my future but now I am confident and feeling part of this team.

You seem to have blossomed under the new regime leading the Pakistan side?

I hadn’t played for three years but when there was a change of captain, a new coach Geoff Lawson and a new set of selectors they picked me and showed confidence in me. When people support you it gives you confidence and makes a big difference to your performances.

Does feel like an added pressure knowing you are succeeding a great like Inzamam?

He was a great player – or is a great as he’s still playing – with the innings he has played. I will never compare myself with him because it’s still very early. But it is very nice to be associated with him and players like Younis Khan and Mohammed Yousuf and being able to serve your country and contributing to the team.

Tell us about that great 161 not out in Calcutta that prevented defeat and kept the series alive going to Bangalore?

Whenever the team looks at you for a response you have to respond. It is a really nice feeling when you are able to respond in a situation like that and help the team get out of trouble. Kamran also played of course. One thing that helped me was the fact that I have played against a lot of quality spinners on difficult pitches back home so it was just a case of applying ourselves, Kamran also.

Of course you should have reached three figures in Delhi during the first Test but on 82 you jumped in the air trying to evade the run out attempt from Dinesh Karthik?

That was a shocking time for me. It all happened so quickly and I just jumped and realised straight away that I had made a mistake. It’s a really bad memory. I felt at the time that it may cost us the Test match because of the way me and Sami were playing at the time we could have added another 70 or 80 runs. That was a big regret, more for letting my team down than missing the hundred.

I suppose it was a shame you didn’t manage to win in Bangalore like in 2005 to draw the series?
Everybody was looking for that. As soon as we managed to draw the second Test everybody was really positive about going to Bangalore to level the series. We went there with a big heart and were mentally strong, but India batted well on a flat pitch.

Moving away from your Test career, I understand you studied business a few years ago. Tell us about that and how it shaped your life?


I did my MBA in business management and before my first-class debut I was actually in two minds about which way to go but I chose cricket because of my love and passion for the game. I played two years and was then picked for my Test debut and from then on there were no doubts or any other thoughts in my mind – I was only thinking about cricket.

{However, even after two years of choosing cricket, he still thought he might have chosen the wrong path as he did not gain any departmental team or the first-class status that goes with such a job. But in 1999 his fortune changed, he made his first-class debut and two years later he was playing against New Zealand in his Test debut}

You’re quite a late developer in international cricket aren’t you?

Yeah, I started playing cricket late because I was doing my MBA. Before I started playing seriously I was just playing with rubber balls, tennis balls, just for fun. I didn’t play Under-19s or anything like that.

Did any of your family play cricket at a decent level?
There is a sports background in my family as two of my cousins played first-class cricket. My parents are both teachers, so their background is totally educational. It was my decision to take up business administration.

So where did the motivation come from to play cricket?

My cousin Tahir Khan pushed me a lot to play cricket as I wasn’t serious. He is now really happy and I’m thankful that he was one of my supporters. An old sports in-charge, Zaman Nasir at school, also pushed me. I was captain of the school hockey team as my father played hockey at national level, so there was sport in my family but not too much cricket.