Grant Flower: “He can’t play the same way on these South African wickets as he does in the UAE because the bounce is totally different”

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Pakistan batting coach Grant Flower has pointed out that opening batsman Fakhar Zaman needs to be able to adapt in order to be successful in foreign conditions.

Flower’s comments come after Zaman failed to have an impact with the bat in the first Test against South Africa in Centurion, where he scored 12 in both innings.

Flower noted that Zaman cannot play like he does in the United Arab Emirates as conditions abroad can be highly different.

“Mickey [Arthur] is quite a big Fakhar fan, and so am I. He’s got to realise, though, he can’t play the same way on these South African wickets as he does in the UAE because the bounce is totally different. He’s got to adapt and be mature enough to know that,” Flower was quoted as saying by the Business Recorder.

“Regarding that second innings dismissal, it’s a bit hit and miss. You can’t just tee off and hope it’ll land in no man’s land. In Test cricket you’ve got to be more circumspect than that. I told him, and he’s admitted to that. So hopefully he’ll improve.”

Pakistan lost the first Test by six wickets and will be looking to bounce back in the ongoing second Test in Cape Town.