'Salute to Shoaib Akhtar': Munaf Patel hails Pakistan pacer for sustaining 150kph over years

Former India pacer Munaf Patel has spoken about the lack of training, knowledge and medical support during his playing days, while also praising former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar for sustaining high pace over his entire career.

Speaking about how injuries affected his career and pace, Munaf said the system in place during his early years did not provide the required support.

"Actually, if I speak properly about that time, the situation was that medical support was not strong, nor was there any idea about training. When I first played with Mumbai, I had no idea what a trainer was. And who was the trainer? You were running along with a doctor. He was neither a physio nor anything. He had no idea what was happening. He was just there with you. If something happened, he would guide you. That's it," Munaf said on TOI Sports' Bombay Sport Exchange Podcast.

"There was no idea about training (in my time). What to eat — no idea. Just eat whatever you want. Roti, sabzi, whatever you are eating, you are eating. So if you look at today's time, there is a huge difference between that era and this era — that injuries were happening so much back then because there was no knowledge. Recovery time — no idea. How recovery happens, the process — no idea. Slept at 2:00 at night. Woke up at 6:00 in the morning. Then went to the ground. So nothing was known. Now, in that time, you were illiterate. Meaning, if it is said in 1oneline — you were illiterate on the subject of what you had to do. So you were bound to fail, right? When you are illiterate on the subject that you have to do all day or all year, then you fail at it. So basically, there was simply no idea."

Munaf said the difference between that period and the present system is significant, especially in terms of injury management and recovery processes.

"Today, for anyone — the biggest injuries happening today, sir — how many people from the earlier era lost their entire careers over them. Their careers were finished over what is today considered normal."

In this context, Munaf pointed to Shoaib Akhtar’s career as an example of endurance in difficult conditions.

"I always give Shoaib Akhtar credit for this — that if someone can bowl 150 for 15 years in Asian conditions, he deserves a salute. He is unparalleled. There is simply no answer to him. And sir, he (Akhtar) only started walking properly when he was 4 or 5 years old. Both his knees were finished. But there was a madness in him, sir, that says — 'I have to do this'. Only a mad man can do it. No one else can."

Akhtar, known for consistently bowling at high speeds, dealt with multiple injuries during his career, but the Rawalpindi Express bowled at 150 kmph till the end of his international career in 2011.