"After Mohammad Asif of Pakistan I saw that quality in him" - Sri Lankan bowling coach's massive praise for Asitha Fernando

Sri Lanka bowling coach Aaqib Javed praised Asitha Fernando on Thursday, August 22, comparing him to Pakistani great Mohammad Asif after his 3/68 on Day 2 of the first Test against England at Old Trafford. Fernando swung the ball both ways and used his skiddy pace to take three of the top-four English wickets, including captain Ollie Pope and senior batter Joe Root.

He bowled 14 overs and conceded runs at a quick clip - almost five runs per over - but looked the most threatening pacer throughout.

"I told him that after Mohammad Asif of Pakistan I saw that quality in him," Javed said in a press conference. "Not many people know about his ability. Without changing his wrist, he can swing the ball both ways."

Asif, who was much taller than Fernando and thus generated more bounce than skid, took a whopping 106 wickets in just 23 Tests and was considered a magician among the artists of fast bowling. His career, however, ended prematurely after he caught himself up in a spot-fixing case in 2010.

"Asitha is so gifted" - Aaqib Javed

Javed, a former Pakistani fast-bowler himself, said he could make the big comparison because he was the first to recognize Asif's talent, adding Asitha's "gifted" control can challenge batters similarly.

"I actually picked Mohammad Asif. He wasn't in the system," he said in the press conference. "That's how I know Asif a lot. Sometimes you don't know what happens with your wrist. He (Asitha) has now got different confidence levels. People change their wrists, change the shine (which way it is showing) - but Asitha is so gifted, and they (the batters) even don't know which way it will go."

England were down six wickets and led by 23 runs after the rain-marred Day 2. Asitha would look for his second Test five-wicket haul on Day 3.

Edited by Samya Majumdar