"Shan Masood has become a yes-man" - Basit Ali on Pakistan's Test captain
Former cricketer Basit Ali believes that Pakistan's Test captain Shan Masood has turned into a 'yes-man', agreeing to everything that the team's new red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie says. Basit reckons that Masood is making the same mistakes as Babar Azam.
Former Australian pacer Gillespie was appointed as the head coach of Pakistan's Test team earlier this year. His first assignment will be the Men in Green's upcoming two-match home Test series against Bangladesh.
Speaking in his latest YouTube video, here's what Basit said about Masood (from 5:00):
"Shan Masood has become a yes-man; it is a pity. He is making the same mistakes that Babar did after being reinstated as the captain."
The Test series opener between Pakistan and Bangladesh is set to kick off at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, August 21. Pakistan have already announced their playing XI for the fixture, naming an all-pace bowling attack.
Pakistan's playing XI for 1st Test: Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel (vc), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad, and Mohammad Ali.
"They have made a mockery of Pakistan" - Basit Ali on the team management
In the aforementioned video, Basit Ali slammed the Pakistani team management over their team selection for the first Test against Bangladesh. He feels that the state of Pakistan's cricket will continue to go downhill if their think tank continues to make such errors.
Basit reckoned that if Pakistan beat Bangladesh, the management would say that their decisions were right. He, however, remarked that the team will get a reality check in the subsequent home series against England.
Basit Ali added (from 6:20):
"They have made a mockery of Pakistan. Now they will win against Bangladesh and say we took the right calls. The fans will also say that the team management made great decisions. When England will come, you will know the reality."
Pakistan and England will battle it out against each other in a three-match Test series, beginning at the Multan Cricket Stadium on October 7.