Azhar Mahmood: “Now if you start looking for a scapegoat – remove the captain, remove the coach – that won’t solve anything”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood has warned that making Salman Ali Agha a scapegoat and removing him as T20I captain will not solve anything.
He noted that Salman will “get better and better” as long as he is given time to develop his leadership skills.
Mahmood, who has previously served on Pakistan’s coaching staff, added that he feels the 32-year-old is being told what to do instead of being given the freedom to lead the national team as he sees fit.
“Now if you start looking for a scapegoat – remove the captain, remove the coach – that won’t solve anything. You have to identify where the real problems are,” he was quoted as saying by Khel Shel.
“He is going to get better and better. I’ve seen him day in, day out. He was part of the ODI team when I was there for a year, and then in the Test side as well. He has a good brain.
“I don’t think he is captaining according to his own standards. I feel he is being fed instructions – that you have to do these things. You should not accept captaincy where there is no authority.”
Salman is currently representing Pakistan in their ongoing two-Test series against the West Indies and made scores of 20 and 0 in the 1st Test, which the men in green lost by 90 runs.
The 2nd Test will take place in Trinidad and Tobago from August 2 to 6.
Following this, Pakistan will tour England for three Tests from August 19 to September 13.
Pakistan Squad for West Indies Test Series: Babar Azam (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Awais Zafar, Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah
Pakistan Squad for England Test Series: Babar Azam (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Awais Zafar, Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel (subject to fitness), Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah