"Make Babar Azam the batting coach as well" - Basit Ali takes a dig at Jason Gillespie-led Pakistan team management
Former cricketer Basit Ali seems unimpressed by Pakistan's new red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie's tactics. He suggested that Gillespie should have roped in someone for the batting coach's role ahead of the team's home Test series against Bangladesh, beginning on Wednesday, August 21.
Basit said Babar Azam is the only one in the Pakistan camp who can guide the batters. Sarcastically saying that the batter should be appointed as the side's batting coach for the Bangladesh Test series, here's what the 53-year-old said in his latest YouTube video (from 3:15):
"The opposition is like a team of kids. Do Pakistan have the courage to prepare a pitch like this (grass) against England? There was no need for a batting coach with Gary Kirsten at the helm, right? So, now with Jason Gillespie, why do we need a separate bowling coach? Who is going to tell them about batting? Only Babar Azam is left. Make Babar the batting coach as well then."
The upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh will be Gillespie's first assignment as Pakistan's red-ball coach. Both the matches are set to take place in Rawalpindi.
"Are the PCB officials sleeping" - Basit Ali on choice of Pakistan NCA coach
In the video, Basit Ali further claimed that Jason Gillespie has brought a coach from Adelaide for Pakistan's National Cricket Academy. He opined that the coach doesn't know the basics of cricket drills.
Basit also remarked that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials should take note of these things. Basit Ali said (from 1:01):
"Jason Gillespie has played a lot of cricket and has also had a great coaching tenure with Yorkshire. But please don't do such things in Pakistan. He is from Adelaide and brought someone from Adelaide for the role of NCA's High-Performance Centre coach. Are the PCB officials sleeping? The NCA coach doesn't even know how to do drills properly. He was previously removed from Adelaide."
The Test series opener between Pakistan and Bangladesh will take place at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from Wednesday, August 21, onwards.