SYDNEY: Pakistan cricket team director Mohammad Hafeez said on Saturday that former captain Babar Azam is a hard worker and trains hard in training but needs “big” innings to regain his confidence.
The veteran cricketer’s statement during the post-match presser in Australia after the Green Shirts lost their third and final match of the Test series against the Aussies, trailing 3-0.
“A big innings will restore his confidence. Red-ball cricket brings sophistication to the game. A red-ball player can play all formats,” Hafeez said, adding that red-ball cricket improves the skills of cricketers.
The team director praised the former captain for playing well in the matches, but also hinted at resting Babar. According to him, it is important to consider what the former captain himself wishes. He
Hafeez claimed that the management is there for Babar if he needs any help. “Not necessarily resting, [it can] talk about improving any technique.”
Talking about Shaheen Shah Afridi, the veteran cricketer said that the pacer himself was looking for rest ahead of the third Test.
“[We] rested Shaheen Afridi due to workload. We didn’t want him to suffer any injuries due to workload. Shaheen’s return from injury has put a lot of strain on him,” he said, adding that the management did not wish. ruin anyone’s career due to workload.
“The impression that Shaheen rested for the T20 series is wrong,” he added.
Meanwhile, the veteran batsman acknowledged pacer Naseem Shah’s talent but said he has been replaced by Aamer Jamal as he is suffering from an injury.
Also read: Shahid Afridi ‘reserves his views’ after Australia whitewash Pakistan
“It’s not that the team can’t function without him or that his injury has caused huge damage to the team,” he added.
The fast bowler has been reeling from an injury he sustained during an Asia Cup match last September. According to an update shared by the Pakistan Cricket Board, Shah began the final phase of his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore in December 2023.
Commenting on the team’s performance in the Test series, Hafeez said that Pakistan played good cricket during the tour of Australia.
“There were moments that the team couldn’t capitalize on immediately. The Melbourne Test was lost because of dropped catches,” Hafeez said.
He added that the mistakes made on the tour also need to be corrected.
Australia beat Pakistan by eight wickets in the third and final Test match, ending the Green Shirts’ hopes of ending a run of 16 consecutive defeats in the host nation since 1995.
Pakistan could only add 47 runs to their overnight total at the cost of the last three wickets to be dismissed for 115 before lunch.
Commenting on the match fee issue, Hafeez said he would share a proposal with the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding remuneration for Test cricket.
The proposal, he said, will seek to introduce standard Test fees for all cricket boards so that all Test players get the same fees.
