Ramiz Raja: “He needs to work on his batting. It’s not like he is a great captain and so if he keeps getting out [for] ducks, he would still have his place in the side”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan cricketer Ramiz Raja has advised Test skipper Shan Masood to “work on his batting”, saying he is not “a great captain” who will retain his spot in the team “if he keeps getting out [for] ducks”.
The pressure on Masood to deliver results will be mounting after he endured a disastrous start to his captaincy, which included a shock 2-0 loss to Bangladesh.
In that series, he only managed to score 105 runs, which included a top score of 57, at an average of 26.25.
Masood did a lot better in the three-Test series against England as he accumulated 225 runs, which included a top score of 151, at an average of 45.
In addition to this, Pakistan also won the series 2-1, which was their first Test series win at home since 2021.
While Masood has shown flashes of brilliance with the bat, Ramiz urged him to get better or potentially face the axe.
“He needs to work on his batting. It’s not like he is a great captain and so if he keeps getting out [for] ducks, he would still have his place in the side,” he said on his YouTube channel as quoted by Cricket Pakistan.
After the England series, Pakistan took on Australia and won the ODI series 2-1 before being whitewashed 3-0 in the T20Is.
As for their tour of Zimbabwe, the men in green won both the ODI and T20I series 2-1.
Currently, Pakistan are touring South Africa and started off in disappointing fashion as they were thumped 2-0 in the three-match T20I series.
However, they have bounced back to take a 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series going into the 3rd ODI, which will take place on December 22 in Johannesburg.
Once the ODIs are over, Pakistan and South Africa will play a two-Test series, which will begin on December 26 in Centurion.
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