Pakistan cricket needs young blood, says Wasim

Former Pakistan captain and legendry pacer Wasim Akram has said that Pakistan lost the second Test against Australia in Sydney because of scare of defeat and urged the selectors to induct new blood in the team. In an exclusive interview with Deutsche Welle Urdu Service, Wasim, before leaving for India, said that in order to win Test matches against powerful teams one needed special talent, skill, passion and mental fitness. The present Pakistan side lacks these traits. Unlike Twenty20 and one-dayers, Test cricket is like a long race,” he added.Wasim suggested that cricket authorities of the country should give chance to new players after consistent failure of the senior players. “When the seniors are creating problems for the team and getting out after making only few runs then why not include younger players as they will learn in a year and serve the country for at least two decades. And for this purpose, captain, cricket board and selectors must sit together, communicate and plan. But, unfortunately, I can’t see that happening.” Due to security problems and foreign teams’ refusal to play in Pakistan, Pakistan hosted only one complete Test match in the last 27 months and according to Wasim playing away from home and lack of Test cricket was also one of the reasons of Sydney debacle. “They have played very few Test matches especially on the home soil and that’s why players are short of confidence,” maintained Wasim, who claimed 916 wickets in both forms of the game.Defending skipper Mohammad Yousuf defensive moves on the decisive day of the Sydney Test, Wasim said no body was born a leader. “Yousuf is an inexperienced captain and made few mistakes. But he will learn art of captaincy in the long run.” Wasim said coaches Intikhab Alam, Waqar Younus and Aaqib Javed should have told Yousuf when he was getting too defensive and what mistakes he was making. About wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal lapses, Wasim said Kamran was a wonderful and talented cricketer. “Last year his wicketkeeping seemed to be improving but he had a bad day at Sydney. Hopefully, he will work hard more because Pakistan team needs players like Kamran.” Commenting on Pakistan’s domestic cricket structure, Wasim said Pakistan had experienced regional system that was not successful because one cannot have control over regions. “Even players were deprived of their money which perhaps goes to officials. On the other hand, departments groom players by giving them jobs and players are more relaxed. But over all its a tough call for the cricket board and requires a lot of time for introducing a new domestic system and no one has time for this in this country.” Wasim advised the PCB to hold day-night one-day and Twenty20 domestic matches to keep things going and attract people in stadiums. Wasim Akram urged both India and Pakistan to hold a Test series. “Indo-Pak Test series is imperative because these matches not only generate revenue but also interest on both sides of the border,” he concluded.

LAHORE:

Source :- Daily times.com.pk