Dubai: Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez has recovered from his hand injury and is raring to go in the two-Test series against Australia that starts in Dubai on Wednesday.

After a hard workout at the International Cricket Council (ICC) Academy on Sunday, Hafeez revealed he is under no pressure with regard to his bowling action, which was reported as suspect during a Champions League Twenty20 match in India.

Hafeez was part of the Pakistan Twenty20 and one-day squads but got injured during a practice session in Sharjah.

Hafeez, answering a Gulf News query on how disappointing it was to miss the limited overs series and how confident he feels about his comeback, said: “It does not look good whenever you have to leave the team. It was tough for me as a player not to play, especially when the team was not doing well.

“But I am looking forward for the Test matches. Thanks to the selectors for giving me a chance to come back and play against one of the best teams in the world and hopefully this time we all will do well.”

Talking about his bowling action, Hafeez added: “I am not under pressure. Nothing is on my mind over my bowling action. When I was warned over my action [in India] I bowled in the next game and there were no problems.

“I have also reviewed my action in the National Cricket Academy in Lahore with Saqlain [Mushtaq] and, as per the rules, it is cleared. I worked a lot more on my bowling. I will remain as natural as I am.

“I have not changed my action. It’s the same for 11 years now, so I am confident.”

Deadly combination

Saeed Ajmal, who has now been banned because his action broke ICC rules, and Hafeez were a deadly combination, so Pakistan’s attack was badly hit by their absence.

“It affected the combination because for over four years Ajmal and I were a set combination. It becomes very difficult for any team when two of their bowlers who have been bowling together for the last four years and were relied upon is missed,” Hafeez said.

“Still, I believe it was a good effort by the [one-day] team, though unfortunately we could not win the series. We believe we gained a lot of positives, like Sarfraz Ahmad’s outstanding batting, which has boosted his confidence level.

“Now the focus is on the coming Test matches and we are positive about it because we believe that whatever happened has happened, though we tried hard. For the Test matches we have got some new faces and, with Younis Khan’s comeback, I am confident we will go and win the Test matches.”

Hafeez is confident that Ajmal will also soon stage a comeback.

“Ajmal is a very hard worker. During the last 25 days I saw how hard he is working. On one day he is doing two sessions and it shows how keen is he to come back. We need him very soon and I am sure he will comeback strongly and I wish him all the best,” said Hafeez.