Umar Gul: “I have seen one or two incidents when I was with the Pakistan team for a series where the captain scolded Rizwan and Shadab for speaking to bowlers”
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Newly-appointed Pakistan fast bowling coach Umar Gul said he witnessed “one or two incidents” where former captain Babar Azam scolded wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan and spinner Shadab Khan “for speaking to bowlers.”
Gul noted that Azam could have become angry as the duo may have previously been told not to talk to the bowlers as it is the captain’s job to do so.
However, it should be noted that both Rizwan and Shadab have captaincy experience as they lead the Multan Sultans and Islamabad United respectively in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
“I have seen one or two incidents when I was with the Pakistan team for a series where the captain scolded Rizwan and Shadab for speaking to bowlers. Maybe they have been told not to do so because usually, senior players advise the captain,” Gul was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Azam stepped down as captain after the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, where he scored 320 runs in nine matches, which included four half-centuries, at an average of 40.
Rizwan, meanwhile, made 395 runs in nine games, which included a century and a fifty, at an average of 65.83.
As for Shadab, he took two wickets in six matches at an average of 118.50 and an economy rate of 6.23.
Pakistan began by beating the Netherlands and Sri Lanka before losing four straight to India, Australia, Afghanistan and South Africa.
Even though they bounced back to defeat Bangladesh and New Zealand, they failed to make it to the semi-finals.
The men in green concluded their campaign in disappointing fashion as England pummelled them by 93 runs.
Azam and Rizwan will now represent Pakistan in their three-match Test series against Australia, while Shadab was not included in the 18-man squad.
The first Test between Pakistan and Australia will start on December 14 in Perth.
Pakistan Squad for Australia Test Series: Shan Masood (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi
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