http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Khan-c71319: Umar Akmal must convert starts to justify his selection – Cricket News Update
Pakistan’s chief selector http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Umar-Akmal-c94595 needs to start converting his starts into significant innings in order to become a permanent member of the national Test team.
Umar was dropped from the Test squad for the team’s upcoming series against Sri Lanka in the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/United-Arab-Emirates-c3033 (UAE). However, he will be a part of the team in the shorter versions of the game.
According to Mohsin, “There is no doubt over his [Akmal's] potential or talent. But he has not done enough to remain in the team. Basically we have given him a message. 'Go and play domestic cricket and learn to play big innings. Learn to turn your thirties
and forties into hundreds for the team.’”
Mohsin is currently with the team in UAE and will be doing a job as an acting coach. He is filling the vacant spot left by former coach http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 Cricket Board (PCB) finalises a new name.
The interim coach said that regardless of him being a coach or a selector, Umar would not have been his choice for Test cricket. He added, “To tell you the truth, I was chief selector when we dropped Umar for the Test series [against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758], but even
if I had been the coach I would have still dropped him. He would not have found a place in my team.”
Umar made an impressive start to his international career, scoring runs against the top teams consistently. However, he seemed to be unprepared for the longest version of the game.
The 21-year-old does not seem to have the temperament to play Test cricket at the moment. He also faces stiff competition in the team, as some impressive youngsters like http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Azhar-Ali-c46890 have made it to the side after performing extremely well in
domestic cricket.
Apart from that, some senior players are also eying a return to the team in every format of the game. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shoaib-Malik-c90088 was one of them, as he made a return to the side during the Zimbabwean tour.
However, the veteran failed to make an impression on the African tour and will now be under immense pressure to perform against Sri Lanka in the upcoming series.
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