'My captaincy won't bring sudden changes,’ says Mohammad Rizwan

Pakistan's white-ball cricket team captain, Mohammad Rizwan, has emphasized that his leadership will not bring about immediate changes within the team. 

Speaking to the media before departing for Australia, Rizwan acknowledged the positive impact of Aaqib Javed's decisions on the team and reiterated the potential for success by creating spin-friendly pitches for home series.

Rizwan stated, “Aaqib Javed's decisions have proven beneficial for the team. It has been said before that we can achieve success by making spin-friendly pitches for our home series.”

Addressing the challenges of playing in Australia, Rizwan noted, “The pitches in Australia are not under Aaqib Javed's control. The conditions there are different and tough. We have worked hard, and I hope for good results.”

Rizwan also commented on Fakhar Zaman’s influence on the game, saying, “Fakhar Zaman is a player who can impact the game significantly. However, the decisions regarding the team are not in our hands. He has the ability to turn a match on his own.”

Regarding coaching changes, he stated, “Whoever comes as a coach, the decisions are up to the board and management. If my opinion is sought, I will certainly provide it. There will not be a sudden transformation with my captaincy.”

Rizwan added that things were already progressing positively before his captaincy, indicating that not everything would change overnight.

He emphasized that he had never sought captaincy and accepted it as a responsibility bestowed upon him by Allah. “Even when I was not captain, my opinions held weight. I used to provide input during Sarfaraz Ahmed’s captaincy.”

He expressed his desire for every player in the team to take on leadership roles, stating, “I want to ensure that when I leave, there are multiple leaders within the team.”

Rizwan also mentioned that the team would assess the situation to decide on opening batting positions in T20 matches, as they aim to create the best combination for the upcoming Champions Trophy.

Reflecting on their experience in India, Rizwan noted, “When we went to India, we received a lot of love, and everyone witnessed that. The public will warmly welcome the Indian team in Pakistan as well. Whether the Indian team participates in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan is something the board knows better.”