KARACHI: Former chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed Sallu on Friday expressed confidence in young opener Shan Masud’s abilities to form a sound opening pair with Azhar Ali in the upcoming Test series against the West Indies.
Speaking to media on Friday, Sallu said: “Shan has a lot of potential and has played some good innings in the past. I know for a fact that he has worked hard on his technique in recent months and will hopefully prove to be a reliable opening partner for Azhar in the Test series.”
Sallu said while a lot was expected of Ahmed Shehzad who was recalled for the tour of the West Indies, the opener has not been able to impress in his recent outings in the T20s and ODIs. “Shehzad has struggled, to be honest, although he is a dashing player,” said Sallu. “I personally would prefer Shan and Azhar to open the innings in Test matches because they have the temperament for it.”
Commenting on the team’s possible composition for the Tests, Sallu said Pakistan has a sound middle-order but experiments could be made in bowling. “In Baber Azam, Asad Shafiq, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul Haq and Sarfraz Ahmed, Pakistan has a solid middle-order for Test matches,” he observed. “However, in bowling I would suggest that in view of the checkered form of both Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz, Pakistan should go in with two spinners – Shadab Khan and Yasir Shah – as well two seamers Hassan Ali and perhaps young Mohammad Abbas who is a fine swing bowler.”
“Yes, it will be a gamble but I feel that there is enough variety and surprise in this attack to keep the West Indies batsmen guessing in the opening Test,” he said.
Sallu also had a piece of advice for Sarfraz Ahmed who was not his calm and confident self in the ODI series against the West Indies. “Among the basic qualifies for a captain, he has to be cool minded and astute, which Sarfraz was in the T20 games. But in the ODIs, I feel that he was too agitated and frequently gave vent to his emotions which was unlike him.”
