The Hindu : Sport : Sohail hits out at Pakistan selectors

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Wednesday, Dec 12, 2007
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Sohail hits out at Pakistan selectors

Special Correspondent

Bangalore: Former opener Aamir Sohail has blamed a short-sighted selection policy for Pakistan’s declining reserves in pace bowling.

He concedes Pakistan’s pace attack has been depleted with the fitness concerns of Mohammad Asif and Umar Gul, but adds the past sides had depth in this department.

Pakistan’s former attacking left-hander told The Hindu here on Tuesday, “In the past, even if the selection panel was not always right, Imran Khan groomed the pacemen and Javed Miandad did so with the batsmen. Confidence was instilled in these cricketers and they were given a fair run.”

He then points out, “Now we see pacemen figuring in a Test series or two and then disappearing from the scene. This hurts the side in the long run.”

Not the right pacemen

Sohail says the present selectors have not been picking the right kind of pacemen.

“They are essentially opting for medium-pacers who can seam the ball around. But we hardly get seaming pitches these days.

“Pace and swing are the requirements and these were Pakistan’s strengths. We have some genuinely quick pacemen back home but they are not getting selected. These bowlers have done extremely well in domestic cricket.”

On spearhead Akhtar’s frequent breakdowns in Tests, he observes, “This happens so often because he is the only guy who looks like getting wickets. He needs to be used in bursts but he is being over-bowled.

“He was forced to play in Kolkata when he was recovering from a viral infection and when his body had been weakened by antibiotics. He was bound to have fitness problems in Bangalore,” he added.

Proper grooming

He stresses the importance of nursing young pacemen. “We had a potentially great fast bowler in Mohammad Zahid. He should been used carefully, camouflaged, early in his career. Before his body developed fully, he bowled too many overs. He suffered a serious back injury.”

Sohail is all praise for middle-order batsman Misbah-ul-Haq’s technique and temperament. He, however, believes, Misbah is not ready for captaincy.

“Shoaib Malik’s place in the Test eleven is not certain and captaincy is a burden on him. He needs a strong support staff which is not in place.

“Younis Khan should continue leading the side. He is the vice-captain on this tour and agreed to lead the side. I do not anticipate any problems from him on the captaincy issue.”

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