Former opener and head coach Mohsin Khan is hopeful that off-spinner Saeed Ajmal will make a strong comeback to the national team and start delivering once again.
“I like him very much as he has won a lot of matches for Pakistan. I’m sure he will make a solid comeback to the national team,” he said while talking to a private TV channel. Ajmal was dropped for the tour of Sri Lanka and the home one-day series against Zimbabwe after he failed to impress selectors on Bangladesh tour, earlier this year.
Mohsin Khan said that 37-year-old off-spinner had great experience and was working hard with his changed bowling action. “He should be appreciated for that,” Mohsin added. Mohsin – who had voiced his concerns at Sarfaraz Ahmed’s exclusion from the team in the recently held T20 series against Sri Lanka once again stated that the wicketkeeper batsman should not have been out of the team.
“He (Sarfaraz Ahmed) is converting into a great wicketkeeper batsman. Giving him rest at this stage of his career will affect his batting flow,” he said. “He is a very courageous player. Whenever there is need he performs. Such a player should be encouraged,” he maintained. He was also of the view that fast bowler Mohammad Irfan was being overused saying that he should not be made to bowl more than three or four overs in a spell.
The former head coach said that the players should follow Pakistan Cricket Board’s code of conduct saying, “If someone violates the code he should not be part of the team.” He said the players must be told in categorical terms that they were country’s ambassadors and there were certain lines which should not be crossed.
He also proposed that Pakistan should prepare a squad of 18 to 20 players for every event. “We should always have a strong reserve. “This will create a sense of competition among players and everybody will try to perform and deliver his best.” He noted that Pakistan had been a formidable side in the past and remained among world’s three or four top teams. “It is pathetic to see that we even now even struggle to qualify for champion’s trophy,” he added.
