3 reasons why Pakistan appointing Mohammad Rizwan as white-ball captain is the right move
Pakistan made the brave call of appointing star wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan as the captain of their white-ball sides on Sunday, October 27. He takes up the reins from Babar Azam, who relinquished the post.
Pakistan cricket saw quite a bit of chopping and changing in their white-ball teams in the recent past. Azam quit as their ODI captain post their semifinal defeat in the World Cup in India last year.
Shaheen Afridi was appointed as their T20I captain in New Zealand earlier this year, but he was soon removed from his post. Azam came back to lead the side, and then quit again after the T20 World Cup in June.
Now, the management has decided to back Rizwan, who was in the running for the captaincy for quite some time now. They will hope that this will propel Pakistani cricket in the right direction and bring about some stability.
In this listicle, we take a look at three reasons why appointing Rizwan as the white-ball captain is the right move by Pakistan:
#1 It points a finger towards the future
One of the biggest reasons why Rizwan's appointment will help Pakistan is that it points towards the future, and helps the country understand that he is the best man to do so. Given that he is only 32, Rizwan still has a lot to offer.
The fiery wicketkeeper-batter is one of the best players in the current Pakistani set-up in both red-ball and white-ball cricket, and this is perhaps the reason why the management chose to go with him.
He is known to be a street-smart cricketer who can get the best out of himself and his teammates in the most dire of circumstances. Hence, it will be exciting to watch him go about his business.
#2 He is an astute thinker of the game
Rizwan is generally known to be an astute thinker of the game in Pakistani cricket circles, although he does not come off to be the snobbish kind. Instead, he is someone who keeps his feet on the ground.
Being a wicketkeeper, Rizwan will have the best view of the match and can make decisions that he feels will help his side get better. He is known for some uncanny field placements which can get inside the head of the opposition batters.
Rizwan's constant encouragement of his bowlers from behind the stumps makes the chatter seem difficult for the batters to handle, as does his willingness to go for it with the bat in hand at the top of the order.
#3 It might bring about some stability
Rizwan's appointment as captain for Pakistan's white-ball sides is also expected to bring about some stability. This is particularly important for them after the departure of Gary Kirsten as their head coach.
Having been around since 2015, Rizwan knows the players in the Pakistani squad well and also has a calm head on his shoulders. He is the best player to take them towards the realm of stability under current circumstances.
The 32-year-old is an experienced player and knows the ins and outs of the tactical side of things. If he is allowed to be kept on as captain for at least three to four years, Pakistan's white-ball cricket might become stable.