Chief Selector opens up about Shadab Khan’s future in red-ball cricket

Chief Selector, Haroon Rasheed, opened up about Shadab Khan's future in red-ball cricket, emphasizing that the idea of including white-ball cricketers in the Test format was being considered.

While Rasheed acknowledged that the transition from limited-overs cricket to the longer format might pose a challenge, he highlighted that Shadab couldn't be ruled out.

While speaking to Cricket Pakistan in an exclusive interview, Rasheed explained that the concern lies in the fact that players who haven't played red-ball cricket for a considerable amount of time might struggle with the demands of the longer format.

“You cannot rule him [Shadab Khan] out because we are also considering the idea that some of our white-ball cricketers can also play Test cricket. It's not that they cannot play, but our concern is that if they haven't played the longer-format for a considerable amount of time, then suddenly taking them from white-ball to red-ball cricket might be a challenge,” Rasheed said.

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The physical and mental requirements of bowling extended spells in Test cricket are significantly different from bowling short spells in white-ball formats. The selectors, therefore, plan to bring players like Shadab Khan into first-class cricket to assess their progress before making a decision on their inclusion in the Test squad.

“If someone is not accustomed to bowling 15 to 20 overs in a single day, so how can we expect that a bowler, who bowls four overs in a spell, divided into two overs each, can bowl for extended periods. So, for that reason, we will first bring them into first-class cricket and then see their progress,” he added.

The chief selector also shed light on the potential inclusion of mystery spinner, Abrar Ahmed, in the 2023 World Cup squad, considering the spinning pitches in India.

Rasheed emphasized that the performances of the players in the upcoming Test matches would play a crucial role in the selection process.

“Let's see how these Test matches unfold and how the players perform. We have a lot of competition in the bowling department, so whoever dominates over the others will do so based on their performance,” he concluded.