Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf has backed out of the upcoming Test tour to Australia, inviting criticism from chief selector Wahab Riaz. Comparisons have been made to Riaz doing something similar before Pakistan’s previous Australian Test tour.
Pakistan have announced their squad for the three-match Test series in Australia starting in mid-December. Rias, the newly appointed chief selector, said in a press conference today (20 November) that he had contacted Haris Rauf to invite him to join the Test tour, but he initially rejected the offer. I accepted, but then declined.
Rauf expressed concerns about his fitness and workload after a grueling World Cup campaign and withdrew from the Test series after initially agreeing to play. Riaz was not happy with Rauf’s decision and said it was his duty to serve Pakistan as a core player with sacrifices.
A similar incident took place four years ago, when Pakistan last visited Australia for a Test series, when Riaz, now the chief selector, was in Rauf’s position.
Pakistan lost 2-0 in a one-sided series, with Australia winning both matches by an innings. Comprised of a highly inexperienced fast bowling attack of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Imran Khan, Mohammad Musa and Mohammad Abbas, Pakistan struggled to make an impact with the ball on Australia’s tough and genuine wickets. Did.
Waqar Younis, who was the main selector for the Pakistan team at the time, later expressed disappointment in experienced left-arm seamers Riaz and Mohammad Amir, stating that both players were removed from plans for the Australia Test series. Ta.
While Amir announced his retirement from Test cricket in July 2019, Riaz took an indefinite leave from Test cricket a few months before the Australia series.
“Right before the series against Australia, they left us out and our only option was to choose younger players,” Younis said at a press conference in April 2020. “We can’t control the players’ choices about what they want to play, but after that.” We need to put mechanisms in place that we can all agree on. Players should not be left at the last minute without anyone being informed and without sufficient time being given to support them. ”
Riaz never played Test cricket for Pakistan again. He recently announced his retirement from international cricket and was appointed as the chief selector of Pakistan’s new set-up after the 2023 World Cup.
Pakistan’s 2023-24 Test tour of Australia begins in Perth on December 14.
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