CAPE TOWN, April 22: Lean, tall and broad-shouldered, Shoaib Ahmed looks every inch a fast bowler. It is early days yet for the 21-year-old from Hyderabad but there is promise. Shoaib could have well been travelling in the Kolkata Knight Riders team bus and it was a quirk of fate that landed him with the Deccan Chargers.

"I had a good Vijay Hazare Trophy (South Zone) where I picked up 24 wickets. After finishing as the tournament’s top-wicket taker I was approached by KKR for a contract. I was still in doubt as my heart was always with the Deccan Chargers. It is only understandable as I was born and brought up in Hyderabad. Luckily on the same day I of the KKR trials Chargers handed over my contract. It was the happiest day of my life," said Shoaib during a chat with this newspaper.

Shoaib might have burst into the reckoning with a bagful of wickets in the one-day tournament but the start of the season was not rosy. "I struggled in the Ranji Trophy. With 13 wickets in four matches I knew there had to be improvements in certain areas.

"I started working on my consistency and had results to show. The spell against Andhra where I picked up 7/16 was my best and I felt on top of my bowling," recounted Shoaib. Having made the transition it is important for the bowler to make use of this opportunity.

Working on his variations with coach Darren Lehman has added teeth to Shoaib’s craft. "The demands of T20 are slightly different. The focus has been on slower deliveries and yorkers. Lehman has been a great help. The practice sessions under him has been an education," added Shoaib.