Azeem Ghumman: “If Saim is being backed, it is the right decision because if you see, Saim looks like the best batter in every way possible”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan batsman Azeem Ghumman believes it is the right decision to keep backing opener Saim Ayub as he “looks like the best batter in every way possible”.
Ayub has been a force to be reckoned with in domestic cricket, but hasn’t been able to replicate that level of success at the international level.
So far, the 22-year-old has made 309 runs in 23 T20Is at an average of 14.71 and a strike-rate of 122.13.
As for his Test career, the Karachi native has made 168 runs in three matches, which includes two fifties, at an average of 28.
Ghumman noted that Ayub should continue receiving support, just like Babar Azam did back in the day before he became a superstar in world cricket.
“I’m happy they’re treating Saim Ayub this way. You see it is very rare to see a player being nurtured here. I can give an example of Babar Azam, whether it’s [the] Under-19 team or Pakistan team, he has performed in ODIs from the start. But you had to give him [an] extended run in Tests. Eventually, you can see at what level he’s performing now,” he told PakPassion.
“If Saim is being backed, it is the right decision because if you see, Saim looks like the best batter in every way possible.”
In Pakistan’s two-Test series against Bangladesh, Ayub accumulated 135 runs, which included two half-centuries, at an average of 33.75.
He is now playing for the Panthers in the Champions One-Day Cup, which is a domestic 50-over tournament taking place in Faisalabad.
In five matches, he has scored 225 runs, which includes a top score of 156, at an average of 45.
He has also taken five wickets, with all of them coming in the Panthers’ seven-wicket win over the Markhors in the Qualifier.
Pakistan’s next assignment will be a three-Test series against England, which will be held from October 7 to 28 in Multan and Rawalpindi.
Pakistan Squad for 1st Test against England: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Mir Hamza, Muhammad Hurraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Shaheen Shah Afridi.