Jason Gillespie: “He’s a talented little cricketer – smacks them with the bat, good in the field”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie has praised opening batsman Saim Ayub’s batting, saying he smacks the ball hard.
Gillespie also lauded Ayub’s fielding before adding that the 22-year-old is a “talented little cricketer”.
Ayub has been doing very well as of late as during Pakistan’s limited overs tour of Australia, he amassed 125 runs in three ODIs, which included a top score of 82, at an average of 41.66.
He didn’t feature in the three-match T20I series that followed.
However, the Karachi native was back in action during the three ODIs Pakistan played against Zimbabwe and finished with 155 runs, which included a career-best 113 not out, at an average of 77.50.
He then proceeded to take part in the three-match T20I series and made 60 runs in two games at an average of 60.
Gillespie has been impressed with what he has seen from Ayub lately and hopes the big-hitting youngster keeps on firing for the men in green.
“He’s a talented little cricketer – smacks them with the bat, good in the field,” he was quoted as saying by Grassroots Cricket on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Pakistan will now travel to South Africa to play three T20Is, three ODIs and two Tests.
The T20I series will begin on December 10, while the ODI and Test series will start on December 17 and December 26 respectively.
Pakistan Squad for South Africa T20I Series: Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Jahandad Khan, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan (wicketkeeper)
Pakistan Squad for South Africa ODI Series: Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan (wicketkeeper)
Pakistan Squad for South Africa Test Series: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Haseebullah Khan (wicketkeeper), Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha
[TS_Poll id=”85″]