When England pace bowler James Anderson made his entry into Test cricket in 2003, Pakistan's Naseem Shah was barely three months old.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
On Thursday they will be spearheading their respective team's pace attacks in Rawalpindi with England playing their first Test on Pakistan soil for 17 years.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The precocious Naseem, 19, showered praise Tuesday on Anderson, saying he hopes to learn from the 40-year-old veteran.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"He is a legend," said Naseem after training at Rawalpindi Stadium.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"I have learned from him and will (continue to) learn from him."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Naseem has made rapid progress since his Test debut in Australia in 2019.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
That year he also became the youngest fast bowler to take five wickets in a Test -- against Sri Lanka in Karachi at the age of just 16 years and 307 days.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Two months later he became the youngest to a Test hat trick, against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Despite his own record, Naseem is full of admiration for Anderson, whose 667 Test wickets are eclipsed only by Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Australian Shane Warne (708).<\/p>\r\n\r\n
- 'Knows everything ' -
\r\n"I think it is a big achievement for him that he is still playing and is very fit... that shows how much hard work he has been doing," he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"He knows everything about bowling, having played everywhere in the world, so he is one of the best."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Naseem relishes the challenge of leading Pakistan's pace attack in the absence of his illustrious new ball partner Shaheen Shah Afridi, who will miss the series with a knee injury.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Shaheen was also injured in Sri Lanka (in July) so even then I took responsibility and I am again ready for that," said Naseem.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"When your best bowler gets injured it makes a big difference, so we have to take that responsibility, use the new ball well."<\/p>\r\n\r\n