Wasim Akram: “Test [cricket] is a big boy’s game at the end of the day. You’ve got to bowl eight-over spells. In T20 you bowl four overs and stand at fine leg. Piece of cake”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Legendary left-arm seamer Wasim Akram has taken a shot at Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf’s decision to pull out of the ongoing tour of Australia, saying “Test [cricket] is a big boy’s game.”
Rauf was supposed to be selected for the three-match series, but withdrew due to concerns about his workload.
Instead, the 30-year-old is currently playing for the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League (BBL).
Wasim noted that Rauf has to live with the decision he made, while also pointing out that if any player wants to be “remembered as a great of the game”, they need to play and excel in Test cricket.
“That’s his decision. He’s a contracted player, so there’s a lot of controversies back home. There are some white-ball specialist cricketers in this day and age… if he thinks he’s not there as yet, then that’s his call,” the Sultan of Swing said on Kayo Sports as quoted by Cricket Pakistan.
“Test [cricket] is a big boy’s game at the end of the day. You’ve got to bowl eight-over spells. In T20 you bowl four overs and stand at fine leg. Piece of cake.
“Test cricket is a long race, and if you want to be remembered as a great of the game, that’s where Test cricket comes in.”
Pakistan find themselves trailing 2-0 in their Test series against Australia and will look to claim a consolation win in the third Test in Sydney, which begins on January 3.
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, Mohammad Nawaz and Shaheen Shah Afridi
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