Indian Premier League - IPL / Frank Gregan / 16 April 2012 /

Owais Shah is quickly becoming a key part of Rajasthan Royals' batting lineup and with the Twenty20 World Cup taking place on Asian soil this travelling gun-for-hire could play a role in England's defence of the competition, says Frank Gregan

Owais Shah is one of those players that constantly flatters to deceive. He's represented England in all formats of the game but never seized the moment and took his chance. There's an old saying that it's harder to get out of the England team than it is to get in and had he got off to flyer and established himself for a dozen or so games he could have been part of the gang.

As it is he's been cast aside and now has a reputation as a mis-firing Twenty20 gun-for-hire who has seen more matches from the dugout than Sir Alex Ferguson particularly in the IPL.

But it could be that at the ripe old age of 33 Owais is about to fill his potential and really make a name for himself courtesy of IPL5. He's previously carried the drinks for Delhi, Kolkata and Kochi and it looked like he would be eyeing up the cheer-leaders from the dugout again after he linked up with his new franchise the Rajasthan Royals but has discovered a much more important role than drinks-waiter.

It's still early in the competition but Shah has performed superbly thus far. He's also been very canny in ensuring that he's popular in the dressing room and comments that he made after yesterday's win against Bangalore will only serve to endear him to his new team-mates.

It looks as if for the first time he will be given a long run in a side and a chance to show us all what he is capable of. He's absolutely flying, averaging 68 for the Royals with a highly impressive strike rate of 170. Confidence is the most precious commodity in sport and Shah will be brimming with it but what he must do is respond well to his next failure, something he has struggled to do in the past.

His demeanour doesn't inspire confidence. If you're the batsman at the other end when Shah joins you at the crease you could easily assume that there is a meteorite heading towards the stadium and the end is nigh. He looks petrified.

There was a great contrast last week when the Englishman came up against one of the most unfazed players on the planet, Kieron Pollard during the Royals' clash with the Mumbai Indians. The big West Indian had already scored 64 off 33 deliveries when Shah trudged to the crease looking like a guy who had a dawn appointment with the firing squad.

When Owais smashed Pollard over the boundary the first time there was a contemptuous look on the big Trinidadian's face. Come the end of the innings as Shah succumbed to a Lasith Malinga yorker having made a blistering 76, Pollard made a point of catching up with the Royal's batsman as he headed off and congratulated him on his superb knock. Contempt had turned to respect in the space of 42 balls.

Having been backed as high as [28.0] before the tournament got under way the best price available for Rajasthan to lift the trophy is [12.0]. It may seem that the back-to-lay value has gone but if the Royals and Shah continue to perform they could be low single digits come the semi-finals.

England defend a world title for the first time later in the year in Sri Lanka when they look to retain the ICC Twenty20 World Cup. England's batsmen have been bamboozled by spin of late and have looked an inept outfit in the sub-continent yet remarkably England are third favourites priced at [7.6] to win the event which gets under way in September.

If Owais conquers the IPL then he has every right to expect a recall to the national side. If England are to retain their title they will need every class player who can cope with the conditions and Shah, in his current form, fits the bill.

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