Narine difficult to pick despite re-modelled action: Hogg

They may be fighting for a place in the Kolkata Knight Riders’ team, but senior spinner Brad Hogg revealed that fellow mystery spinner Sunil Narine is now bowling within the ICC’s permitted 15 degrees of flexibility.

The 45-year old Hogg also warned that Narine is still ‘difficult to pick’ despite the re-correction in his action.

"I remember taking some balls from him (at training) and his action was perfect,” Hogg said. "We all know he can do it without the restriction, he can do it legitimately.

"Let me tell you I was struggling to pick him up from other end when he was bowling the doosra – I thought it was going the other way,” Hogg said. 

Narine missed out on KKR’s victory against Delhi Daredevils on Sunday after flying home to Trinidad due to his father’s death. 

The West Indies spinner has re-joined the squad and will be fighting for the overseas spinner’s spot with Hogg, who had claimed match-winning three wickets against the Daredevils. 

The evergreen spinner Hogg is the oldest player to feature in the IPL, but the 45-year old accepted that he regrets his decision to retire early from international cricket. 

Hogg had retired from Test cricket in 2008. 

"I do regret retiring back in 2008," he said. "I had a Test berth for Australia at that stage but I had some personal issues with family and yes, I retired there.

"I wish I didn’t because the marriage did not survive. Luckily it did not because I met a new partner and she’s wonderful and someone who supports me.

"I think it’s just having the passion of wanting to play. Everyone knows I retired in 2008, had about two-three years out of the game.

"I still have the passion of a five-year-old kid, when I first had that dream of playing for Australia.

"The game’s changed, it’s evolved. It’s given a new lease of life to cricket and it’s given a new lease of life to me," he said. 

Hogg added that he hopes to play the game that he loves till the age of 50 with the support from his partner.

It’s good to be playing the game with (a partner in support) who’s pushing you to go as far as you want," he said.

"There’s talk about me (and) when I’m going to stop and she just says ‘play as long as you possibly can’.

"We’re going to try get there to fifty," he added.