For two reasons, Arshad Khan shouldn't really be an offspinner; one, he is from Peshawar, traditional home for fast bowlers and two, he is tall enough to be one. But unlike the recent vintage of Pakistani off-spinners - with Saqlain Mushtaq as prototype - he not only has a refreshingly conventional action, he possesses too, a conventional approach to his art. He was initially picked to play against the West Indies in 1997-98 and has since developed into a steady, generally restrictive bowler, reliant on bounce and on certain pitches, significant turn. A year after his debut he took 5-38 and helped Pakistan beat Sri Lanka in the Asian Test Championship final at Dhaka. He was then in and out of the Test side till 2001, when, after a Test against England, he was overlooked for a further four years. But a strong showing in Pakistan's domestic championship earned him a recall for Pakistan's tour of India in 2005. He was only picked for one Test, the final one in Bangalore, but like most of his team-mates, played a pivotal role, picking up two crucial wickets in the second innings including that of Rahul Dravid. He captained Peshawar Panthers to victory in the ABN-AMRO Cup Gold League in 2007. He may have ended all hopes of a Pakistan comeback by signing with the unsanctioned Indian Cricket League. (February 2008).
