Virender Sehwag: “I don’t think we should criticise much on his body and fitness. Azam Khan is talented and has shown that many times in [the] PSL. If he improves his fitness, it will be better for him”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Legendary India opener Virender Sehwag believes Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Azam Khan “is talented” and people should stop focusing on his weight.
Azam has constantly been lambasted for being overweight, even though he has worked hard on his fitness.
Sehwag noted that he would rather have a player who can be a match-winner than a really fit cricketer with “zero performance”.
“I don’t think we should criticise much on his body and fitness. Azam Khan is talented and has shown that many times in [the] PSL. If he improves his fitness, it will be better for him. However, I judge a player by his ability to perform and win the match for his team. If he can win me games, then his fitness can be as per his wish. It is more important for a player to be game fit rather than having a player with six-pack abs, but with zero performance,” he was quoted as saying by PakPassion on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Azam, who last played for Pakistan at the 2024 T20 World Cup, has featured in 14 T20Is to date and scored 88 runs at an average of 8.80.
He didn’t make the cut for the recent tours of Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa, and also wasn’t selected for Pakistan’s two-Test series against the West Indies in Multan, which ended as a 1-1 draw.
Additionally, the 26-year-old was not picked in Pakistan’s team for the ODI tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa, and the 2025 Champions Trophy, which will take place from February 19 to March 9.
Pakistan Squad for 2025 Champions Trophy: Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah