Wasim Akram has confirmed to Mobile ESPN he will meet Shah Rukh Khan on August 30 to discuss an assignment with KKR.

By Faisal Kamal

It's come like his toe-crushing yorker, quick and with deadly precision. Like a bolt from the blue, Wasim Akram has suddenly emerged as a strong contender to become the coach of Kolkata Knight Riders. He may be a novice in terms of coaching experience, but Akram says: "I am ready. Check me out."

In an exclusive chat with Mobile ESPN from Lahore on Tuesday afternoon, Akram confirmed he received a call from Shah Rukh's secretary inviting him for a "chat" to discuss a coaching assignment with Knight Riders. "Sunday, I will be there for sure and I am keen," Akram said, the excitement quite palpable in his voice.

Do you know what it means to take on a John Wright or a Richard Pybus, men who are established names in the world of cricket coaching? Akram says: "I have played 20 years of international cricket. I have played alongside Sourav Ganguly and Chris Gayle. I will be able to pass on some skills and techniques with the on-field experience I have. That's me."

Shah Rukh has reportedly met South African coach Pybus and a clutch of Indian hopefuls like Ashok Malhotra and Lalchand Rajput to explore options to fill John Buchanan's position. Interestingly, former Kiwi captain and ex-India coach John Wright is meeting the Bollywood superstar, the same day as Akram.

So how would you impress SRK?

No less a "Badshah" in his own right, Akram laughs off a "challenge" from the silver screen's "Baazigar" when the two meet in Mumbai. "I will tell him what I am capable of. The rest is his call. He will surely do his homework," Akram says, quickly adding: "It's great that a non-cricketing man is taking so much interest. He's a smart guy."

"I have never done formal coaching before. It is a different skill and is honed over a period of time. It requires a lot of patience and that is something I have acquired over a period of time. I came to Delhi to teach bowling skills to youngsters and that was also a good experience. So it's worth giving the KKR job a shot," Akram said.

Trust a Pakistani to be diplomatic. Well, Akram speaks his mind and even on such a sensitive issue on who should be KKR skipper. He may still not be on the hotseat, but Akram's choice is clear.

"Ultimately, the management should decide who should lead the side, but according to me, Ganguly is the man. He has been India's best skipper and is the senior-most member of the side, who can command the respect of the team," said Akram.

Come Sunday, it's all set for a Bollywood potboiler. Cricket can't get better than this!