ISLAMABAD: Former pacer Waqar Younis believed the preparation for the England tour was not ideal, due to the COVID-19 pandemic but expressed happiness on the young bowlers’ excellent progress in the series.
“Because of COVID-19, the preparation for the tour of England was not ideal. For three months or so, these guys were stuck indoors and not really able to train. The weather was also a frustration at various points on the tour but the young bowlers have made excellent progress and we’re happy with their performances.”
“You can see that they have the talent, now they just need to play more cricket, particularly first-class cricket. We have to identify those bowlers who are best suited to Test cricket and willing to play the longer version of the game,” he wrote in a blog on Pakistan Cricket Board’s website.
Waqar said we have already seen that Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi were wonderful bowlers. “Mohammad Musa, who was part of the squad in England, is another, and there are a couple in the under-19s also. Of course, Mohammad Abbas is very seasoned and experienced. We will keep trying to give them the opportunities.”
The former skipper said he wanted Test cricket to be a real focus for these guys and that means also placing an emphasis on four-day cricket. “If you want to succeed in Test cricket it’s important to play more first-class cricket to get your body used to bowling long spells.
The upcoming domestic season in Pakistan, with our new six-team structure, will be important for the development of our pace bowlers. But I would also like to see them playing around the world, whether in Australia or on the English county circuit.
“I know from personal experience how much you can learn from playing in England, getting used to different weather and ground conditions, the pitches, and life off the field also. Both Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Abbas have been really successful for English counties and it has benefitted their careers so much as well,” he said.
Waqar said it was not just the skills of fast bowling that our young guys need to work on. “Fitness is also crucial for them. As a squad, our fitness has been improving all the time but I think we are still a touch behind many other teams in the world. Fast bowlers in Test cricket have to be super fit to survive those long spells when the team needs you, even at the times you may not want to.”
“Fast bowling is hard work and it cannot be learned overnight. We all need to be patient with these guys. They have the hunger, attitude and desire and I have got full confidence that they are the future of Pakistan cricket if they carry on the hard work. Continue getting fitter and the skills will blossom,” he said.
