Pakistan mulling resting some seniors for Lanka tour

Image
Press Trust of India Karachi
Last Updated : Jun 26 2014 | 7:49 PM IST
Pakistani selectors are contemplating resting some senior players for the forthcoming Test and one-day series tour of Sri Lanka in August.
A well informed source told PTI that senior pace bowlers, Umar Gul, Muhammad Irfan and Muhammad Sami are unlikely to find spots in the touring side as the national selectors want them fresh for the Test series later on against Australia and New Zealand and the World Cup in 2015.
"The feeling is that in August the weather conditions in Sri Lanka will be hot and humid and it would be better to give a chance to the younger pace bowlers," the source said.
He said given past experiences in Sri Lanka in Test matches, the selectors don't want to risk sending Gul, Irfan or Sami.
The source said the selectors are waiting for head coach, Waqar Younis, to join the Pakistan team after which they will sit down and finalise the touring squad.
"Waqar's input will be taken before a decision is taken but even the former fast bowler has indicated he would like to give more exposure to some of the younger players in contention in Sri Lanka," the source said.
In the absence of senior pace bowlers, the burden of bowling will be shared mainly by the spin twins, Saeed Ajmal and Abdul Rehman.
The source said they were also discussions on resting some senior batsmen.
Pakistan is due to play two Tests and a one-day series in Sri Lanka which won its first Test series in England this week.
Pakistan's batting coach, Zimbabwean Grant Flower, will join the team directly in Sri Lanka due to his existing commitments.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Jun 26 2014 | 7:49 PM IST

Next Story