NEW DELHI: Pakistan fast bowler
Naseem Shah
has spoken openly about the prevailing culture of insecurity within the national team. He revealed that senior players hesitate to take breaks for rest and recovery, fearing they might be replaced by younger talents.
Shah, who missed out on the 50-over World Cup in India due to a shoulder injury, admitted to feeling anxious about losing his spot in the team because of his injury.
"Honestly, the main players are afraid of giving their bodies rest even when they know they need a break because the
Pakistan cricket
culture is such that if a new player comes in and performs in a match or two, you don't know if he will replace you permanently in the team," Shah told Cricwick.
"This fear does not allow players to rest because you are scared your careers could end there," the young bowler said.
Naseem emphasized the necessity for clarity and improved communication among senior players, team management, selectors and the Pakistan Cricket Board.
"In other countries, if a main player is given a break he is assured he will not be dropped in case his replacement comes in and performs in a match or two," he said.
He also highlighted that in Pakistan, a player's commitment is often doubted if they express they are not feeling fully fit or require rest.
The bowler suggested that decisions regarding the number of matches a player should participate in should be made jointly by the physiotherapist, bowling coach, and trainer before a series begins. This approach, he believed, would eradicate insecurity and confusion within the team.
Shah, who returned to action in the
Pakistan Super League
after missing a few matches of the Asia Cup, the World Cup and tours of Australia and New Zealand because of the shoulder injury, said if the players have clarity, there will fewer long-term injuries.
Shah said he initially thought his injury wasn't too serious after he hurt his shoulder while saving a boundary against Bangladesh and walked off the pitch in the subsequent tie against India during the Asia Cup.
"I had stiffness in my shoulder but after warm-ups it would get better and I played through it. But during the Asia Cup, I had a tear and felt something tearing inside me," he said.
Shah said that following the surgery in the UK, he was told that the tear was about "4 or 5 centimetres" long.
(With inputs from PTI)
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