Yorkshire Scene

Ajmal Shahzad says he wants to be a role model for the Asian community after making his Test debut for England.

The Bradford-based pace bowler took four wickets against Bangladesh at Old Trafford – less than two years after a regular run of matches in Yorkshire’s second team.

Shahzad has struggled with injuries throughout his short career – a stress fracture of the back in his late teenage years being the worst of them – but he has defied the doubters to put himself in the frame for a place in England’s Ashes squad this winter.

“If there are youngsters out there who want to pursue a sporting career and think that there are drawbacks because they’re Asian, never think like that,” said the 24-year-old former Windhill player.

“If you keep working hard enough, and put 110 per cent in, things will happen.

“I got laughed at, I got people saying ‘why are you doing this, why are you doing that?’ “I was in the gym 24/7 trying to make myself as strong as possible. It worked for me. I had a stress fracture at 17 or 18 but I came back from that.

“People kept putting me down but I worked hard. It’s coming off for me now.”

Shahzad says it makes him happy to know that his parents are “very proud of me”.

And he paid a particular tribute to his father Mohammed, who allowed him to focus fully on his cricket when there could have been other understandable distractions.

Ajmal, a former pupil at Woodhouse Grove, was on course for a career in pharmacy or dentistry when he realised he had the talent to make it is a professional cricketer.

He explained: “My dad’s worked with me a long time. Obviously the coaches have played their part but, from a young player coming through, he’s allowed me to enjoy my cricket.

“He put no stress on me to go down the educational path. Coming from an Asian background, that can sometimes be difficult. The family wants to see you do well with a good education but my dad was happy to see me happy.

“He saw me excel in my cricket and told me to concentrate on that. I think I’ve done that in the best way that I can.

“It puts a big smile on my face to do well on the pitch, then to look up and see him in the crowd with a big smile on his face.”