Saeed Ajmal: “Shaheen and Naseem are young and are still trying to prove their mettle. You need to go through the tough phase in domestic cricket to be able to perform in Test cricket”

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Former Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal has said he doesn’t like the fact that pace bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah “have hardly played a single season of domestic” cricket.

Ajmal noted that the duo are still trying to prove their worth, but feels that they would benefit by playing in more domestic games.

He added that in Test cricket, Pakistan need to field an experienced pace attack, but can have one younger player.

In the three-Test series against England, Afridi took five wickets at an average of 51.60, while Naseem claimed three wickets at an average of 69.33.

As for the three-match T20 series that followed, Afridi picked up two wickets at an average of 41, while Naseem did not feature in any of the matches.

“Shaheen and Naseem are young and are still trying to prove their mettle. You need to go through the tough phase in domestic cricket to be able to perform in Test cricket. Shaheen and Naseem have hardly played a single season of domestic,” Ajmal told Cricket Pakistan.

“In limited-overs cricket, you can play young cricketers, but you need experienced players to win you Test matches. You can have one young bowler rather than having a completely inexperienced attack. England team also played only one young pacer along with their experienced bowlers.”

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