'Fawad Alam deserves a chance now,' says Ramiz Raja
As Pakistan gear up to face off against England in a three-match Test series, former Pakistan captain, Ramiz Raja, feels Fawad Alam needs to be a given a chance to revive his test career. Ramiz Raja feels that Fawad Alam, 34, has been waiting in the wings for long to have a second crack at Test cricket.
Ramiz Raja expressed his thoughts on Fawad Alam while interacting with his fans in an interactive Q/A session on his YouTube channel.
"I think the way he ( Fawad Alam) has performed consistently in domestic cricket, he deserves a chance now as age is not on his side," said Ramiz Raja
Ramiz Raja added that he thinks, Pakistan should play Fawad Alam because if they held on for longer, age might start becoming a factor as the reflexes start to slow down. Ramiz Raja feels, Fawad Alam, should definitely get one chance in this Test series.
Fawad Alam, the left-handed batsman from Karachi, has a staggering first-class average of 56.84. Fawad Alam has 12,222 runs next to his name in FC Cricket with 34 hundreds and 64 fifties. Alam, who last played a Test for Pakistan in 2009, has the numbers that justify Ramiz Raja's claim.
Ramiz Raja wants Pakistan to play three openers in the XI
Ramiz Raja felt that the most important part will be to see off the new ball without damages, and that's why he thinks an additional opener should be slotted in at number three.
"I think they can slot in Imam as an additional opener because in these COVID-19 conditions with bowlers not allowed to use saliva to shine the ball, I think the most important part would be to see off the new ball without damages and that is why I think we can try an additional opener with Abid and Shan," Ramiz Raja added
Ramiz Raja mentioned that, in his experience in Tests, the role of the openers is very important and if they get a good start, there is less pressure on the middle and lower order.
Ramiz Raja also feels there is a need for a quality all-rounder in the Pakistan team. Ramiz Raja said, he doesn't know if the team is preparing someone for that role or not, and apart from that expects the team to be pretty much the same with one spinner and three fast bowlers.
England, who are currently 1-0 down in the three-match test series vs West Indies, will be very wary of the potential of the Pakistan bowling attack. The series is set to begin on August 5, with the first Test at Old Trafford.