KARACHI: Newly-appointed Pakistan One-day International and T20I captain Mohammad Rizwan is unfazed by the resignation of head coach Gary Kirsten as the team looks forward to its tour of Australia.
Kirsten stepped down as the national side’s white-ball head coach on Monday amid reports of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) not taking the South African in confidence over the selection of players for Australia visit as well as the following series against Zimbabwe.Since Kirsten’s departure, speculations are ripe over his successor, with the likes of former players Aaqib Javed and Saqlain Mushtaq touted to be leading the race.
To Rizwan, however, it wouldn’t matter who replaces Kirsten.“When you wear Pakistan’s shirt or represent Pakistan, you combine with whoever is with you, regardless of the time or situation, and work towards Pakistan’s success,” he said during a media talk at a local hotel here on Tuesday, hours before the team’s departure to Melbourne, where Pakistan play their first of the three ODI’s against Australia on November 4.
“When it comes to our opinions, we can express them regarding any coach or player to bring the best out of them. We believe in making choices that benefit Pakistan cricket.”While Pakistan have selected a host of young players, who have proven their mettle in the domestic cricket circuit over the past few years, they will be without Fakhar Zaman, who has been left out not only from the squads for Australia and Zimbabwe but also from the recently-announced central contracts list.
The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) move has been criticised with Fakhar regarded as the country’s only impact player — who fell into the board’s bad books after posting on social media against its selection policies and taking on one of its directors in an internal meeting.
Rizwan hoped the issues around Fakhar would be resolved soon.“There’s no doubt that Fakhar Zaman is an impactful player for Pakistan because Fakhar, wherever he is, can single-handedly change the game’s course,” the 32-year-old noted. “… but as for selection decisions, those are not in our hands; those belong to the management and the selection committee.”
After opening their ODI series against Australia, Pakistan will play the hosts in the second and third matches in Adelaide and Perth on Nov. 8 and 10 respectively, before going on to play three T20Is.“… with the resources at hand, we’ve consulted well, and the team was formed thoughtfully,” Rizwan said. “We’ve fulfilled our roles well. The rest depends on the players to put in the effort.”
Meanwhile, Mohammad Rizwan was given the charge of white-ball cricket. The very next day, head coach Gary Kirsten quit — just a week before the Greenshirts’ series starts in Australia. This is Pakistan cricket for you, as fluid as it can be.
Just when the spectacular 2-1 Test series triumph at home by Shan Masood and his men against a well-oiled England was being savoured, Kirsten’s unceremonious departure surfaced as a dangerous omen for Pakistan cricket which has been struggling at international level in all formats for the past several years.
Talking specifically of white-ball game, one strongly feels that Pakistan has remained in flux for one reason or the other and therefore the country has lagged behind in top-notch competitions, thanks to frequent change of guard at the Pakistan Cricket Board in the past three years, chop-and-change in team selection and its managements and numerous captaincy appointments.
Former Test cricketers Aaqib Javed and Saqlain Mushtaq, as possible replacements of Kirsten, are circulating in the media. While talking to Dawn on Tuesday, Saqlain, when asked whether he would accept the job if it was offered by the PCB, responded thoughtfully.
“I will think over it,” the former off-spinner said. “[Moreover] I will take the advice of my close friends and family before taking a decision in this regard.”
