‘Is there a hitting coach?’ – Shahid Afridi was taken aback by Mohammad Yousuf’s statement about Mohammad Rizwan’s form, which he described as “not my territory.” Pakistan just lost a three-match Test series to England at home, 0-2 with one game remaining.
Former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has expressed surprise at Pakistan batting coach Mohammad Yousuf’s comments on Mohammad Rizwan’s Test form. Pakistan lost their second consecutive Test series at home after falling to England by 26 runs in Multan.
Meanwhile, Rizwan has scored 375 runs in 13 Test innings this year and hasn’t had much success in the format except from a century against Australia in March. While several experts have urged Pakistan to add either Sarfaraz Ahmed or Shan Masood in lieu of Rizwan, Yousuf’s stance on the topic left many astonished as he remarked that the question about players’ form does not come under his “domain”.
“When I came aboard the PCB – it has been almost 2 years and some 8-10 months with the team. One thing is clear that every person operates within his domain. I won’t enter anyone else’s domain and no one else will enter mine. So, I don’t think this question belongs to my domain. Don’t mind but this is not my domain,”
Yousuf said.
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Afridi questioned Yousuf’s role in the squad, claiming that it is the job of the batting coach to answer any issues about a player’s form. He also proposed that Rizwan be rested to allow other players an opportunity now that the England series had been lost.
“He is the batting coach, right? So obviously, if the players do not perform, he will be asked questions. As a batting coach, this is his domain. And about Rizwan, I have already said that the time has come to maybe give other players an opportunity. I am not saying drop Rizwan altogether, but he sure can be rested. You have lost the series and the third Test is in Karachi, so why not bring in someone like a Sarfaraz or Shan Masood,”
Afridi said .