Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) recently announced the 16-member squad for two-match Test series against Sri Lanka which will kick-start their World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 campaign. In the two-Test series that is likely to be held in July, Mohammad Rizwan was retained as vice-captain despite him getting dropped from playing XI during home Test series against New Zealand. Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Rashid Latif is not happy with the decision and feels former Pakistan skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed has been hard done by.
"Sarfaraz is the kind of player they [PCB] could have named the vice-captain on this tour. He is capable. He made a comeback after Rizwan's drop in form. Sarfaraz will be part of the playing XI due to previous performance. So retaining Rizwan as vice-captain is not justifiable," Latif said on YouTube channel.
"I think Babar should be captain in all formats. However, don't give anyone undue favours and make him vice-captain. If there is anyone else deserving of a leadership role in Tests, then that person is Sarfaraz and no one else" he added.
Sarfaraz made a strong comeback to Test cricket after nearly four years. He scored 335 runs from four innings including one century and three half-centuries. On the back of his form in red-ball cricket, Sarfaraz is likely to get a place in the side as wicketkeeper-batter. If Rizwan is to make it into the playing XI, then one of them will not be donning the gloves.
The Test series will also mark the comeback of Shaheen Afridi to Test cricket. Afridi missed the home Test series against Australia and New Zealand as he injured his knee again in the T20 World Cup 2022 final while taking a catch.
"I dearly missed Test cricket and it was tough for me to be away from this format,” the left-arm pacer said ahead of his return.
“After missing our entire home season because of the injury I suffered in Sri Lanka, I am eager to make an impactful comeback in the same country and complete a century of wickets in Test cricket.”
Pakistan Test squad: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (vc & wk), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi and Shan Masood.
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