3 reasons why Pakistan dropping Shaheen Shah Afridi for 2nd Test vs Bangladesh is the right move
Pakistan coach Jason Gillespie has surprised many by leaving Shaheen Shah Afridi out of the team's playing squad for the upcoming Test match against Bangladesh. The first Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh was held last week in Rawalpindi, where the visitors scripted history with a 10-wicket win.
This was Bangladesh's first-ever Test win against Pakistan. Afridi was a part of the playing XI in the first match but he could not impress with the ball.
The left-arm fast bowler opened the bowling for Pakistan and remained wicketless until the 163rd over of Bangladesh's innings. Eventually, Afridi dismissed number eight batter Mehidy Hasan Miraz and number nine batter Hasan Mahmud to finish with figures of 2/88 in 30 overs.
While the other Pakistan bowlers could not trouble Bangladesh much either, the team management has left Shaheen Shah Afridi out of the squad for the second Test. In this listicle, we will look at three reasons why dropping Afridi was the right move.
#1 Shaheen Shah Afridi's recent Test record has been ordinary
Afridi has been a match-winner for Pakistan in white-ball cricket. He has proven himself as a game-changer in ODIs as well as T20Is, but his Test record has not been that great.
Shedding light on his numbers in the longest format of the game, Afridi has taken 29 wickets in his last nine matches. His bowling average was 17.06 in 2021. In 2022, it increased to 31.31, while in 2023, Afridi's bowling average was 39.79. His bowling strike rate declined from 37.38 in 2021 to 68.29 in 2023.
Since he could not improve his performance in the home Test against Bangladesh as well, another player deserved to take his place in the team.
#2 A wake-up call for Shaheen Shah Afridi ahead of the big series against England
Although Shaheen Afridi has been dropped for the second Test against Bangladesh, it goes without saying that Pakistan's team management has not given up on him yet. He is still 24 and can make a comeback soon.
Perhaps, head coach Jason Gillespie has left Afridi out of the team on purpose to give him a wake-up call. Pakistan's next Test series is against England, where they would expect match-winning spells from Afridi. Being dropped for a home Test can motivate Afridi to work harder and bounce back stronger.
#3 Shaheen Shah Afridi will get more time to bowl longer spells in the nets
Before the first match of the ongoing series against Bangladesh, Shaheen Shah Afridi's last Test appearance came in December 2023. His last ODI game was in November 2023. Thus, his body may not be used to bowling long spells, that too with the red-ball.
He played constant T20 cricket in the first half of 2024, playing in the International League T20, PSL, and T20Is for Pakistan. This break will allow Afridi to bowl more with the red ball in the nets, get his line and length right for Test cricket, and also work on his fitness. Overall, it can be a beneficial decision for both Shaheen and Pakistan cricket.