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Khan gets the England call

8 Dec 2008


Denmark-born Amjad Khan was yesterday named as the replacement for injured pace bowler Ryan Sidebottom for the Test series in India.

Sidebottom is the only member of the original touring party not to return to India following the team's departure in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks and 28-year-old Khan has been selected as his replacement, joining another uncapped bowler - Yorkshire leg-spinner Adil Rashid - in linking up with Peter Moores' squad.

Khan, whose parents are from Pakistan, has been on Kent's books for eight years and qualified for England in 2006.

He only returned from a career-threatening knee injury last summer but has impressed with his ability to reverse swing the ball at pace during three days of practice at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

Khan edged out Sajid Mahmood in the selection equation - the pair were drafted in as one-day cover hours before the tour was aborted in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks.

"I must have done something right in the last couple of days," said Khan.
"Saj and I got picked for the one-dayers and I thought if they were going to pick me then there was no reason they should not pick me for the Tests.
"I thought I had a chance but I knew it would come down to form on the day - that sort of stuff.
"I first believed I could play for England probably in 2002 when I took 60 wickets in a season and I was only 21.
"People started talking about what it took to play international cricket and I felt I had most of the attributes.
"From then on it has been a battle - I had a couple of poor seasons but that is when I first realised what my potential could be."

Despite Khan's impressive start to life as a county cricketer, he encountered a dip in form and then received a more serious blow at an England A fast-bowling camp two years ago in India.

The damage to his knee kept him out for more than 12 months and he only returned to Kent's first team in the second half of last season.
Reflecting on the lay-off he said: "I was away with England A and felt something click in my knee and it was serious.

"The surgeon said there was a 70% chance of success because there was cartilage damage and these things heal but some of them do not heal properly.
"It took me a while, about two months, to get back to the old pace but now I am probably better than I was before.
"I would be lying if I said I didn't doubt I would play again.
"Every day you have that doubt in your mind but you do your rehab and it started getting better, which gave me a lot of confidence."

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