Ajmal to appear in test in India

E-Paper | April 25, 2026

LAHORE: Suspended Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal will appear for a formal biomechanics test on the legality of his bowling action in an Indian laboratory instead of England on Jan 24, a spokesman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) told reporters here on Monday.

A few days back, Ajmal had expressed his desire to appear for the test in England in order to get his bowling action cleared by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

But instead, the ICC has asked him to undergo the formal test in their accredited laboratory in the Indian city of Chennai.

If Ajmal fails the test, he could face a one-year suspension from the game but there are reports he has decided to give up bowling the ‘doosra’ and is working on the carrom-ball in order to get cleared.

Published in Dawn January 13th , 2014

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

Our readers are at the heart of everything we do.
Do you have a thought to share or a way we can improve? We’d love to hear it. Reach out to us at feedback@dawn.com.

Sport

Khushdil Shah onslaught stuns Qalandars, keeps Kings’ playoff hopes alive

Rawalpindiz finally get off the mark with clinical win over United

Football fans not enthused by suggestion of Iran-Italy swap

Salim Khan

Jan 13, 2015 10:10am

Once again the PCB is committing the blunder of sending his best bowler to India for testing. Well, I am announcing, Ajmal failing this test in advance. We will never learn lessons from the history.

Recommend 0

taimur

Jan 13, 2015 10:41am

Goodluck Saeed Ajmal, remember BCCI is ICC now, BCCI does not want you in World Cup team... as simple it gets....

Recommend 0

LOUDSPEAKER

Jan 13, 2015 10:41am

Why ICC is insisting to send Ajmal to India for formal biomechanics test when more than one testing labs are available ?

Recommend 0

Weirdity

Jan 13, 2015 10:43am

@Salim Khan Yes. The Indians will fix the machine which makes the measurements. :-)

Recommend 0

Gaurav Arya

Jan 13, 2015 10:50am

BCCI should send Ajmal back. If he fails, it will just fuel another conspiracy theory. Pakistanis will say that Indians knew in advance that Ajmal would win the world cup for Pakistan, so they deliberately failed him. BCCI, please send him back to avoid stress.

Recommend 0

Farhan

Jan 13, 2015 10:53am

@Weirdity Remember the tendulkar dismissal in WC 2011 semi final which was reversed by hawk-eye? You can expect anything in india :-)

Recommend 0

salman

Jan 13, 2015 10:55am

Sri nawasan is not hosting this test or BCCI , it will be purely done on Bio-mechanic lab system it better now to prove ourselves right instead of blaming others . Prigyan ojha has also been banned in same lab he was not foreigner or Pakistani and Bio mechanic machine does not knows whether the person who is under going test is Pakistani or Indian it will just produce results on test basis .

Recommend 0

Darvin

Jan 13, 2015 11:26am

Do you know, there is recording of action? Angel not measured by Indian. It's measured by machines. In Indian Lab, technicians are also from other countries. It's better not find conspiracy theory everywhere. He should believe in himself. Machines don't know player's country name.

Recommend 0

FARHAN

Jan 13, 2015 11:29am

This is another mistake. World Cup 2011 was fabricated for India, and now BCCI playing tactics to fix 2015 in India's favor. PCB is stupid to send Ajmal to India, why not Australia? Someone should stop Ajmal going to India for test.

Recommend 0

Indian

Jan 13, 2015 11:35am

Pakistan doesn't have any facility to test their bowlers for the legality of their actions before sending them into international circuit. So it is normal for some bowlers to exceed the 15 degree limit. Why is this hard to understand? And the sudden crackdown on the bowlers from all countries might puzzle you, but remember most of the countries playing international cricket have some facility to judge the level of bend during bowling. Please stop this fixation on India trying to suppress you bowling talent. Remember if India really want to suppress talent for our benefit, they will want to look into the australian or the english bowlers where we are facing repeated thrashing time and again.

Recommend 0

Sunil

Jan 13, 2015 11:35am

@Farhan : And you think that "hawk eye" is owned by BCCI? And that BCCI is a strong supporter of DRS? Btw there has been numerous DRS blunders against INDIAN team; thats why India refuses to use this system in bilateral series in first place. Have some sense.

Recommend 0

amit

Jan 13, 2015 11:43am

Looks like PCB can't afford airfare to England or Australia .

Recommend 0

Nikhil

Jan 13, 2015 11:46am

@salman Spot on..However there are some don't understand that.

Recommend 0

sane person

Jan 13, 2015 11:48am

to all my pakistani brothers. this software which is same which is used in england. results are transparent. icc asked him to go to india because their centre is in subcontinent. ajmal is a great bowler i think he will pass the test.

Recommend 0

Shafin Verani

Jan 13, 2015 11:50am

@salman Biomechanic Machine does not know the religion or cast or nationality but the operator does know. What about the integrity of the people in the biomechanics lab in India? Question is why the ICC insists that Ajmal should go to Chennai? Who is controlling the ICC? Does ICC have more confidence in the lab in Chennai than the lab in England?

Recommend 0

ChaudhryImran

Jan 13, 2015 11:53am

Ajmal's career is almost done now by sending him to India. Bye Bye Ajmal Bhai

Recommend 0

shezad

Jan 13, 2015 12:08pm

Feel sorry for Ajmal. He is never going to make it.

Recommend 0

Essa

Jan 13, 2015 12:11pm

@Salim Khan ...My dear friend, measurements based on maths. If Ajmal passes this test then what will be next? please analyse your players in a right direction and secure their future.

Recommend 0

Mohsin

Jan 13, 2015 12:17pm

PCB should send Ajmal to Australia to a accredited lab to get action tested and obtain an unofficial results first and then send him on a offical visit to chennai to expose the Indian conspiracy designed against Ajmal.

Recommend 0

Riaz

Jan 13, 2015 12:31pm

He should not be sent to India; no use spending money when outcome is known; ICC and BCCI don't want him in the World Cup.

Recommend 0

karma yogi

Jan 13, 2015 12:33pm

hmmm. What if he passes? PCB will be taken aback.. :D

Recommend 0

Riaz

Jan 13, 2015 12:36pm

@Weirdity Why do computer take 7 days for result; and why does't India accept referrals, not believing in computers?

Recommend 0

Riaz

Jan 13, 2015 12:37pm

@salman Ask India to accept referrals.

Recommend 0

Riaz

Jan 13, 2015 12:39pm

@Indian India did same in Kabbadi.

Recommend 0

Riaz

Jan 13, 2015 12:40pm

@Sunil Your views support our apprehension; thanks.

Recommend 0

Jason

Jan 13, 2015 12:48pm

Please send him to London! If he fails then Pakistan is sure to cry foul and spoil the game for everyone

Recommend 0

yagyavalkya

Jan 13, 2015 01:11pm

'Taking your spit back' this is what happened to this guy , he was saying he would prefer England over India, now see what happened.

Recommend 0

Ghalib

Jan 13, 2015 01:13pm

ICC = BCCI So result is expected.

Recommend 0

sac

Jan 13, 2015 01:19pm

if india bann him..then only india can win the WC and match gainst pak..he is such a big threat ..common!! guys LOL

Recommend 0

Abdul kadir

Jan 13, 2015 01:27pm

Now my fellows have started blaming india. ICC sent to australia unluckily test fail ,could there be favorable condition in ENGLAND?

Recommend 0

Afzal Khan

Jan 13, 2015 01:31pm

No sense going to India we all know what will be outcome of going there.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Recommend 0

krishna

Jan 13, 2015 01:35pm

@Riaz : remain apprehensive, cricket is not big issue and Ajamal still is not at all an issue

Recommend 0

Bad Mash

Jan 13, 2015 02:06pm

@Riaz Indeed. As does yours.

Recommend 0

Halwa

Jan 13, 2015 02:18pm

@LOUDSPEAKER they are scared he may go into hiding in England....no visa, In India he will pose a security threat.....

Recommend 0

Talking Point

Jan 13, 2015 02:34pm

@karma yogi : Good question . Even then our Pak friends would sniff a controversy . This time for clearing him by the Chennai lab hoping to be reported yet again and set up a ban during the WC .

Recommend 0

Riaz

Jan 13, 2015 02:34pm

@karma yogi Will be a miracle.

Recommend 0

salman

Jan 13, 2015 02:38pm

@Riaz referral system also seeks support from hawk eye not purely from third umpires so if they are so influenced than they would greatly support referral instead of getting against of it . human error persists every time .

Recommend 0

farhad

Jan 13, 2015 02:50pm

one down two to go............ after tests in india and after Hafeez saga, Ajmal will follow the suite and thereafter most likely our Zulfiqar or Yasir will next be in line for suspect action and then after indian test to keep them out of international cricket. wow, this is called politics - big 3 remember.

Recommend 0

Jan 13, 2015 02:51pm

@Mohsin Dear, Australians and English are more concerned about spin than Indians. It is up to you to send wherever you wish, but, please stop these conspiracy theories and be realist.

Recommend 0

franklyspeaking

Jan 13, 2015 03:05pm

@FARHAN if he fails in pakistan, do you know what you will say, you will say Big 3 conspired to keep ajmal away...as if Ajmal won u last three world cups and everybody is scared to death

Recommend 0

franklyspeaking

Jan 13, 2015 03:06pm

but then why are there so many of these from Pakistan...almost every one of them

Recommend 0

Riaz

Jan 13, 2015 03:22pm

@franklyspeaking No one can dare question big-3; that's why?

Recommend 0

Kash

Jan 13, 2015 03:27pm

@Gaurav Arya Ajmal not in wc team

Recommend 0

Sab Se Pehle Pakistan

Jan 13, 2015 03:45pm

He should not go to India. PCB should make it clear to ICC (Indian Cricket Council) that we are ok with Saeed being tested in India. This is simply ridiculous

Recommend 0

kuldeep

Jan 13, 2015 03:47pm

@Riaz Pakistan did in almost all the cricket matches with pakistani umpires

Recommend 0

Pakistani

Jan 13, 2015 03:51pm

Me too..... I am announcing, Ajmal failing this test in advance. We will never learn lessons from the history.

Recommend 0

kuldeep

Jan 13, 2015 03:52pm

Once a chucker always a chucker

Recommend 0

Siraj Ahmed

Jan 13, 2015 04:04pm

Wherever he goes BCCI is Omnipresent. So how did going to England would have helped you cheat? If you are right then no one can stop you. Why blame India for your problem?

Recommend 0

A Pakistani

Jan 13, 2015 04:29pm

ICC- Indian Cricket Council

Recommend 0

jay patel

Jan 13, 2015 04:30pm

@Salim Khan So you are confident about his wrong and unlawful bowling action. My question is why he was never well checked in Pakistan. If was he, then Pakistan could have avoided to face this humiliation.

Recommend 0

jay patel

Jan 13, 2015 04:32pm

Well history suggest there is no real test done in Pakistan before they players are caught by International committees. If Ajamal was tested properly in Pakistan then this could have not be a situation. We all know the age lie, Pakistan makes for their older players to be eligible to play in under 16 and under 19. My father got retired after 35 years of serving, but still Afridi is 32 years old. Hasan raza was another example.

Recommend 0

Sarmad Munir

Jan 13, 2015 04:48pm

@salman These labs don't generate an automated report. Alot of post analysis is done on it, and even a marginal change in considering the point of delivery of the ball can cause all the difference. The Australian lab that is the founder of these tests has already declared the current methods deployed as obsolete.

Recommend 0

Dr B.N. Anand

Jan 13, 2015 04:53pm

All these comments from our Pakistani friends clearly show how they can become cry babies whenever India comes for a reference and especially now in such a situation. To avoid such situations, why don't they pressurise both PCB and their govt to establish such an ICC accredited laboratory in Pakistan itself. Either they have no money to invest or they always like to be looked upon as indeed a backward country which can not create such a facility at home to pretest their bowlers before they go anywhere in the world officially to be tested. But please stop blaming our country When there is no reason to do it.. Mr Ajmal could have come here for an unofficial check of his action before he could be deputed to any country for an official testing.

Recommend 0

Rashid

Jan 13, 2015 05:05pm

@LOUDSPEAKER , Coz geographically Chennai is the nearest test lab for Pakistan..if Ajmal is an irish, he would have got the orders to travel to London.

Recommend 0

Rashid

Jan 13, 2015 05:06pm

@FARHAN Coz Chennai is the nearest ICC test lab for pakistan...

Recommend 0

Rashid

Jan 13, 2015 05:08pm

@Shafin Verani , Coz Chennai is the nearest ICC test lab for pakistan

Recommend 0

A Pakistani

Jan 13, 2015 05:52pm

@Rashid .. It is not the issue of nearest ICC Test lab at Chennai.. It is the Indian test lab where players are sent for bowling action because of so called Big 3's decisions. Why Williamson was also sent to Chennai..India is in no way near to New Zealand????????

Recommend 0

Salim Khan

Jan 13, 2015 06:15pm

@Indian Well I know about the standard of science in India. It is not better than in Pakistan. I totally believe that the use of the system to evaluate the bowling action of bowlers in India will have a lot of standardization problems. The system requires a lot of characterizations and maintenance, which I believe is beyond an Indian level. I am 100% sure that Ajmal will fail this test and the other way round is not possible. But we have enough talent to overcome the loss of Ajmal. So no worries actually.

Recommend 0

citizen

Jan 13, 2015 06:45pm

It is high time Saudi Arabia must start a bio mechanics lab at Riyadh exclusively for Pakisthan team to be fair..

Recommend 0

Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Jan 14, 2015 01:25am

A blunder by Ajmal who will eventually face the same fate like his predecessor Hafeez.

Recommend 0

mahen

Jan 14, 2015 11:28am

@Salim Khan Salim Khan "Well I know about the standard of science in India. It is not better than in Pakistan."""I One country has reached Mars thanks to science and other is trying to reach Kashmir!

Recommend 0

chand

Jan 14, 2015 06:31pm

@Salim Khan :I'm 100% sure he will fail as well, because a habit of bowling with 40degree + bent is very difficult correct.

Recommend 0

hakim

Jan 15, 2015 01:13am

@sane person You are mistaken here. The exact method of the testing has never been made public by the ICC. This has been the criticism from the Australian university. They do not see it as scientifically proved as long as the methods is kept in dark.

Recommend 0

Branded Content

Indus Cloud signs strategic partnership agreement with PTCL to deliver cloud excellence

The partnership marks a significant step in Indus Cloud’s and PTCL’s joint efforts to strengthen Pakistan’s cloud and data centre infrastructure and expand access to enterprise-grade digital services in the country.