He is just five feet four inches tall but with his ability to extract spin from any surface, Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal has become a thorn in the flesh for Indian batsmen ahead of the crucial Group A tie in the ICC Champions Trophy today.
Team India's problems were further compounded after vice-captain Yuvraj Singh was ruled out of the elite ICC event following a fracture in his right hand's little finger hat he sustained during practice, thereby leaving a vacuum in the middle-order.
Interestingly, it sounds blasphemy to hear about India's concern for Ajmal as they are famous for their mastery in handling the tweakers. Even the likes of Muttiah Muralidaran and Ajantha Mendis don't quite give them sleepless nights.
But experienced Yuvraj's absence in the middle overs of the innings, where Pakistan invariably employs the spin duo of Shahid Afridi and Ajmal, has raised a few concerns for Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men. Ajmal made his debut at the age of 30 but has since then confounded his opponents.
He befuddled the Australians with his big-turning doosras at Sharjah and Abu Dhabi and was the joint second highest wicket-taker in this year's World Twenty20 in England which Pakistan won
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