Multan [Pakistan], January 24 (ANI): Pakistan head coach Aaqib Javed has strongly defended the current spin-friendly pitches ready for Take a look at matches within the nation.
Talking forward of the second Take a look at in opposition to the West Indies in Multan, Aaqib prompt that had this method been adopted earlier, Pakistan might need been nearer to securing a spot within the World Take a look at Championship (WTC) closing. Addressing the media for the primary time since taking on as interim Take a look at coach, he emphasised his major deal with profitable matches and brushed apart criticism of the workforce’s technique.
“Why is it that if quick bowlers take wickets, [people say] Take a look at cricket is transferring ahead, and if spinners take wickets, Take a look at cricket’s going backwards?” Aaqib mentioned, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
He added, “I do not perceive this. While you go to Australia and England, they put together pitches how they like. So, if we put together turning wickets and spinners take wickets, what’s the downside?””After all, we had been proper to arrange a spin pitch [in the first Test] in opposition to West Indies. Their batters should not as proficient in opposition to spin when in comparison with quick bowling. I additionally need to handle issues about the place our Take a look at cricket goes. If we had taken these choices earlier, then we might have been within the race for the WTC [final]. The rule of Take a look at cricket is to win at dwelling. In the event you win at dwelling and also you win two to a few Assessments away, you change into a robust candidate for the ultimate,” he famous.
Aaqib’s remarks got here after Pakistan secured victory within the shortest-ever accomplished Take a look at match on dwelling soil in opposition to the West Indies. He revealed {that a} comparable pitch is being ready for the second Take a look at, a choice influenced by each him and selector Aleem Dar, who joined the choice committee in October. The shift towards spin-friendly wickets, he defined, was partly pushed by the declining efficiency of Pakistan’s present crop of quick bowlers.
“We was once robust on [bowling] reverse swing, however now that talent degree has gone down,” he mentioned, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
“We have now informed our quick bowlers if you wish to take wickets right here, their reverse-swing talent must go up. Up to now, we had Shoaib [Akhtar, Waqar [Younis], Wasim [Akram], and each spin and tempo bowlers took wickets,” he famous.
The coach acknowledged that this technique has posed challenges for Pakistan’s personal batters, who’re unaccustomed to taking part in on such surfaces. He indicated that important adjustments can be made in the course of the low season, together with changes to home pitches and specialised coaching applications for batters to raised equip them for these situations sooner or later.
“Despite the fact that international gamers are battling spin pitches from overseas, so are our gamers, as a result of they’ve by no means performed on these pitches,” Aaqid famous.
“Transferring ahead, we’ve got informed them their coaching and observe routines shall be geared in the direction of this, and we’ll change home pitches too. Our subsequent Take a look at shouldn’t be till October, so that offers them time to enhance their batting,” he added.
Pakistan’s techniques have sparked widespread debate and criticism, each domestically and internationally. Whereas the ICC deemed the pitches ready for final October’s collection in opposition to England as passable, the decision on the floor used within the first Take a look at in opposition to the West Indies continues to be pending.
Worldwide critics have raised issues about whether or not these spinning tracks quantity to pitch doctoring. Domestically, the technique has drawn questions on its long-term influence on growing quick bowlers and high quality batters, with fears that it would undermine Pakistan’s competitiveness in abroad Take a look at collection.
“We had been in South Africa simply now, and we got here very near profitable a Take a look at,” Aaqib remarked.
“Sadly, we could not take these final two wickets in Centurion. No spinner performed these Assessments for us there. It’s a must to choose a workforce relying on the situations you get,” he mentioned.
“It is about profitable Assessments; that is what issues. We predict we are able to put together these pitches in each heart of Pakistan, and it needs to be as tough to beat Pakistan right here as it’s to beat Australia or South Africa away. Individuals ought to know if they will Pakistan, they must do one thing extraordinary to beat Pakistan,” he famous. (ANI)
