"Just a part-time bowler" - Salman Butt unhappy with Mohammad Nawaz replacing Noman Ali in Pakistan's Test squad for Australia series
Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has expressed his displeasure over the inclusion of all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz in the squad for the remainder of the ongoing Test series against Australia.
Nawaz was previously not named in the squad for the three-match Test series. He was added to the side ahead of the second Test as a replacement for spinner Noman Ali, who has been ruled out due to acute appendicitis.
Here's what Salman Butt said about Nawaz's selection in his latest YouTube video:
"Guys who have been performing consistently in domestic cricket must be rewarded. Nawaz plays T20 cricket 90 percent of the time. There is no flight or turn in his bowling. He is not a complete bowler; he is just a part-time bowler."
Mohammad Nawaz has played just six Tests so far in his career and has 16 wickets to his name. His last appearance in the format came in a 26-run defeat against England in December 2022 in Multan, in which he finished with a solitary scalp.
"He had made it to the national team based on his performances as a batter" - Salman Butt on Mohammad Nawaz
Salman Butt further said that Pakistan's think tank made the wrong call by replacing a frontline spinner with a batting all-rounder.
Butt pointed out Nawaz's average performance as a bowler in first-class cricket. He suggested that the player was picked for the national side because of his batting abilities. He urged the team management to give preference to the spinners who have a proven record in domestic cricket, saying:
"Pakistan don't have one of their specialist spinners available for the Boxing Day Test. Instead of looking at other frontline spinners in the country, they picked Mohammad Nawaz, a batting all-rounder. He had made it to the national team based on his performances as a batter.
"He has played 56 matches in first-class cricket and has 104 wickets. There are guys like Muhammad Irfan Jailer who have taken 287 wickets from 82 matches."
Pakistan were beaten comprehensively by 360 runs in the ongoing Test series opener after being bundled out for just 89 in the second innings. The second Test will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, starting on December 26.