Jahangir Khan is in a unique position to help shape the game he once dominated. Is he doing his bit? The legend says he is
FOR years Pakistan dominated the world of squash. From Hashim Khan to Mohibullah and Qamar Zaman and to Jahangir Khan to Jansher Khan, squash was one of the few identities of our country.
Hashim Khan’s feat of winning the six British Open titles in the 1950s was erased by Australian Geoff Hunt and Hunt’s tally fell a prey to the dedicated Jahangir Khan who weathered the toughest competition the sport has ever seen to register ten consecutive British Open titles — a feat that stood intact in the last century and would be tough for the future generations to break.
Jahangir proved the cliche champions are born and are not made, wrong! As a boy he countered a serious health problems, undergoing two hernia operations. And despite doctors’ warnings and father’s resistance, he entered a squash court to make an indelible mark in the sport he loved. The love of the game was ingrained in him by a champion father, Roshan Khan, who won his only British Open title in 1957 and brother Torsem Khan who died of heart failure, on a squash court.
Discipline, sincerity and unending hard work were Jahangir’s assets. He never crossed the line of discipline, his sincerity never waned and the desire to reach the top of squash world never doused. Beating Geoff Hunt in the 1981 World Open at the age of 17 was the first big step for Jahangir and he never looked back. Even as a champion he worked tirelessly, for he knew that it’s relatively easy to reach the top, but difficult to avert a fall from the top.
Since the era of Jahangir and the Jansher came to a close, the scenes of Pakistan squash are not heart warming. Squash is no more an identity for Pakistan and it seems that the talent factory so famous for producing top level players has shut down. People do ask what are the reasons of a debacle in Pakistan squash and why are we not producing the players who can carry on the traditions of Pakistan squash. Are the former players like Jahangir Khan, et. al, supplementing the squash federation to revive Pakistan squash?
A squash legend like Jahangir, is in a unique position to help shape the game he once dominated. Is he doing his bit to revive Pakistan squash, for the answer Dawn interviewed the legend and here are the excerpts:
Q: You achieved so much in squash that it’s an example in the world of sports by any athlete. What were the secrets behind your remarkable success?
A: I think, and very many people tell me, that my great assets were discipline and sincerity. I still believe that the boys who are now playing squash can revive Pakistan squash. Believe you me, the glory of squash can be revived in Pakistan. It may be difficult, but it’s not impossible. There were many hurdles when I started playing squash like lack of facilities. But I countered all those hurdles through hard work and discipline. I remember that I had made a timetable for myself and would adhere to it, come what may. My health did not allow me to play and even the doctors had advised me that I could suffer serious health problems if I had continued playing. But I stuck to squash. I wanted to be the champion and through my hard work I achieved that. It makes me sad to see that nowadays boys follow short cuts to success. They are novices because there are not short cuts to success. These days players want it the easy way, they enjoy world class facilities, luxuries that were unheard of in our days and yet they can’t produce the desired results. They get satisfied with minor achievements, to be in the top 30 is no great achievement. Number one should always be the target.
Q: Your father was also a great player, your brother Torsem was also a player and you must have got inspiration from both, so is it natural and automatic that a player with close relatives in the game become a good player?
A: The family background counts. I was helped greatly by my elders, that counts. You get the atmosphere conducive to the sport and get the requisite basic coaching at home and in my case it did help. But in the end your own effort plays the lead role. Had I thought that I am the son of a champion and my brother is a player, I would be an automatic champion it would have been a great folly. There are two simple things, either you pamper your kid to destroy him or you adopt a system where you groom your child. To have a father player or brother can also have its adverse effects as well.
Q: Did you at any point feel that lack of facilities when you started your career would hinder your progress?
A: No, never. The example of my father who had nothing, no facilities, always motivated me and yet still he won the British Open title. So when I played, and there would be any hurdle, if for a moment I got distracted, I would talk to myself and say that I have to do it. The dream to become a top class player was always there and that I achieved it was a sheer proof that hard work with sincerity will land you wherever you aim.
Q: What really are the problems faced by Pakistan squash. Why are we not producing top level players, who to blame for this decline?
A: To some extent, the main reason is that we did not plan for the future, 15 years ago. I was playing as a top player and then Jansher Khan emerged. At that time the squash federation basked in the glory we were in and never planned for the future. All the sporting nations prepare for the future well in advance but we did not. We thought that Jahangir and Jansher will carry on and then suddenly other champions will emerge. It is a fact that Jansher and I did all the work ourselves and after us the lot of players that came did not work hard.
Q: Approach of the players have also changed now, they go for short cuts and want instant success. How do you feel when you compare it with your approach?
A: It is really very disappointing. Discipline is the main problem. These days players expect more than their achievements, if you are a world champion or world number one then it suits you to expect more. Players with no achievements show tantrums like they are world top players. They refuse to train under a certain coach. It is disgusting and their demands are so high that shows they are least interested in achieving anything of note.
Q: Many argue that you as a legend could have done more to bring the revival of the game.
A: “This is not correct. I have done my level best but a good teacher can only teach, it’s up to the pupil to write the correct answers in the examination. I have tried my level best to serve Pakistan squash and have coached a lot of players but at the end of the day the personal desire to excel is what counts.
Q: Now Rehmat Khan, who coached you in your heyday, has been brought as national coach. Has Rehmat’s induction helped Pakistan squash and can we hope that fortunes can be revived?
A: I can say it with confidence that Rehmat can have a bright influence on Pakistan squash. This I am not saying because he was my coach or I played a part in Rehmat’s return to Pakistan but my assertion is backed by facts. Pakistan won the junior world title in India last year due to inspiration given by Rehmat and top of all the things players had the desire to excel. Now players like Yasir Butt, Majid Khan and Khayal Mohammad are shaping well. It all comes down to their desire to achieve top laurels. Rehmat, like a good teacher can teach, he can’t enter a squash court and execute. It is the players who will have to execute.
Q: Squash at world level is also not producing talented players, has the standards gone down or the sport is losing world-wide attention?
A: I won’t say that squash is losing attention. The focus has though shift and nowadays events are more held in USA, Middle East and Asia rather than in Europe which used to be the main den of international squash. Yes, the standard of players has come down. Now you have players of nearly the same calibre, there is very little gap between the top four-five players. When we used to play it was very rare that world number one or two were not playing the final. Now even number four player can beat the number one and number one can get beaten in semis or earlier stages.
Q: So who is you favourite player these days?
A: I like Canadian Jonathan Power. He is technically very sound. He is a fit player and has very good strokes. Australian David Palmer is also a very good player.
Q: You took over as the World Squash Federation (WSF) President last year, so when you took over what were the plans in mind for the progress of the game?
A: There are a lot of plans for the promotion of the game. WSF has some 122 full members which increases to 144 with the inclusion of affiliate members so the family of squash is growing and we want to increase it with the passage of time. Then there are plans to increase facilities and a lot of other things to make the game more attractive for the players and for the followers.
Q: What chances you see of squash being included in the Olympics?
A: The chances are very good but we can’t give a time frame. The Olympics in China in 2008 was a target but there are so many games lined up for a place in the Olympics and the IOC is determined to give every sport a chance to get a berth in the Games. It is important that a host country approves the sport for an entry in the Olympics and WSF is targeting a place in the Olympics. Lets wait and see.
Jahangir Khan is in a unique position to help shape the game he once dominated. Is he doing his bit? The legend says he is 
