Zimbabwe series a perfect opportunity for youngsters: Younis

ISLAMABAD: As the national cricketers left for Zimbabwe from Johannesburg (South Africa) Saturday through a charted-flight, batting coach Younis Khan called on the youngsters to grab the opportunity coming their way and earn a permanent place on the team for much important events to come later in the year.

In a virtual talk on the eve of the team’s departure to Zimbabwe to play the three-match T20 and two-match Test series, Younis said all those who were seen struggling previously now get a big opportunity to cement their place in the team. “For players like Haider Ali, Asif and Danish Aziz, the tour to Zimbabwe will provide a big opportunity to plug in weaknesses they have shown in recent times. They will be given opportunities to show their class.”

Younis hoped that these youngsters would come up to the required standard. “They definitely need more opportunities and that they would get during the series.’

He said he was no selector but in a personal capacity, he always favoured the selection of those cricketers who have first-class performance behind them. “It is in the first-class and List A cricket that you get the opportunity to learn. The more you perform there the better you emerge as international cricket. We have learned a lot from first-class cricket and honeyed our skills there. International cricket is mostly meant for showing performance. Unnecessary media hype, social media pressure force selectors to include half-cooked cricketers in the national team.”

Younis attributed back-to-back series success in South Africa to an exciting batting display of the top-order. “Pakistan was exceptional when it came to the top-order batting. Fakhar Zaman had shown the way with Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan playing some of the outstanding knocks. The trio’s exceptional performance helped Pakistan cause, earning us back-to-back series wins.”

The former international cricketer of high class however was concerned about the middle and lower-order performance. “They did not come to the party. Mohammad Hafeez possibly was never tested fully in the series with Haider and Asif not being able to comprehend what was required of them. As a batting coach, I always keep them on their toes, still, they have not yet fully realized their role. Both Haider and Asif are outstanding talent. We want them to put their talent on display as they did at their emergence as an international cricketer. What we require from our player is to stay there till the end and help others finish the match like Fakhar had shown in a couple of innings.”

The batting coach said that he had a limited role in the team and final XI selection matters. “We want these players to start clicking at the earliest as we need a final combination well in time for the T20 World Cup to be played later in the year in India. Some of these batsmen need to understand what the team required of them in each match and every emerging situation. They have been told everything. When you need 15 runs per over, the demands are different and when you require a run a ball, the demands are different. The middle and lower-order should have finished the fourth T20 with a calculated display of batting. But still, we have to give these youngsters time to get into a full groove. Now you hardly get classic players like Javed Miandad. There is a requirement of T20 cricket these days which somewhat changed the whole batting perspective. We have to move with these traditions even if we are not getting the best out of these youngsters at the initial stages. Cricketers like Asif and Haider need our support”

Younis especially praised Babar for showing exceptional composure. “He is there as an example for all youngsters. Babar has worked on his weaknesses. May it be against spinner or playing sweeps and power-packed shots? He has worked hard to eradicate these flaws and has overcome these. On top of all this Babar is enjoying his game as a skipper, setting an example for others to follow.”