So how many times he came back, count what you have written? I think 3rd time was the charm.
At 19 he was very raw when he played the first test. he did not even knew how many steps he needed to run to bowl. Once he was dropped he played the next 2-3 years in Eng without any first class domestic cricket. Have you seen a Pak bowler a get second chance to play tests without playing any domestic cricket in Pak?
Now, can you please re-read what you wrote?
He made his test debut in 1971.... when he did not know how many steps to take(as you said).... yet....at the end of the 1971 season, he played a match for Worcestershire against visiting Indian team ... Point is... that he was GOOD enough at 19 to be seriously looked at by an English county.... which in those days, only played top class foreign players.
http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/32/32017.html
If Majid/Burki were the reasons for his selection, then why he was he dropped after 1971 England tour? Why couldn't this connection keep him in the team...like Malik is in the team because of Firdous Ashiq Awan?
He took only 1972 off for studies (or whatever reason), but played a lot of FC matches in 1973 English season...as 20/21 year old. In 1973, he took 65 FC wickets at an average of 25.54 in 21 matches. He also scored 858 runs in those 21 matches with 4 fifties. He also took 19 wicket at average of 23.42 in 15 List A (limited over) matches.
So the point is ....his performance in England (in 1973) was the MAIN reason what he got selected for 1974 tour of England. During 1974 English season, he scored 4 FC 100s in 19 matches... and also took 60 wickets.
If Majid/Burki were the reasons for his selection, then why he was he dropped after 1974 England tour? He still was either dropped (or he was busy with his studies) and not was not selected for 1974-75 series vs West Indies at home.
During 1975 English season, Imran took 46 wickets in 15 FC matches at an average of 26.84.
Then he came to Pakistan to play FC cricket in 1975-76 for Dawood Industries and PIA. He had stellar performance in that domestic FC season.
In only 9 FC matches, he picked 52 wickets at average of 19.61. This phenomenal performance (not Majid/Burke connection) got him selected for Pakistan to tour Sri Lanka in the same 75-76 season.
During that tour, he was the BEST Pakistani bowler and took 13 wickets in to unofficial test (FC) at average of 15.61.
Then he had another very successful English season of 1976. By the time, NZ came for visit in October 1976, he was a certain selection based on his performance in 75-76 Pakistan season, Sri Lankan tour, and 1976 England season.....not because he was lucky (as you said) or Majid/Burke connection.
Majid/Burke connection MAY have gotten him selected for the first 1971 tour but after that he was dropped twice .... and was selected purely based on performance.
You can verify what I wrote above here:
http://www.pcboard.com.pk/Players/1/1383/statistics_lists.html