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In this exclusive interview, former Pakistan Test captain and member of the selection committee, Azhar Ali, opens up about his recent resignation from the PCB's Head of Youth Development role. He provides a detailed assessment of the structural challenges within Pakistan's cricket system, the critical need for early grooming and psychological support for young players, and his vision for a sustainable future. He also compares player development pathways with other nations and shares his views on the current Pakistan Test team.
Key revelations include:
• Resignation Reason: "I resigned due to personal reasons." - He also wished the newly announced Pakistan U19 team and his successor, Sarfaraz Ahmed, all the best.
• Systemic Flaw: "We don't cater to our talent properly." - Azhar says the biggest challenge was the cancellation of the Under-19 tournament the previous year, which he believes pushed Pakistan's youth cricket back by two years. The core problem is the lack of a system to properly groom this potential talent into mature, senior international players.
• Pathway to Change: "We need to invest in youth for a proper change." - He also stressed the importance of a clear development pathway (U15, U17, U19) and focusing on player development beyond just skills, including education, professionalism, and being a good ambassador for the country.
• Mental Hurdle: "Our players are scared to talk to coaches." - Azhar Ali emphasized creating an environment where young players feel safe and confident to discuss their weaknesses and problems with coaches.
• Core Problem: "There is a lot of potential, but the system is missing." - He says the core problem is the lack of a system to properly groom this potential talent into mature, senior international players.
• Test Cricket Concern: "We just give up on Test cricket." - He believes the current Test side has "a lot of potential" and it is often unfair to compare them to past eras. However, a significant problem is the lack of cricket, noting that Pakistan only played five Test matches this year.
Watch the full interview with Saj here:
Key revelations include:
• Resignation Reason: "I resigned due to personal reasons." - He also wished the newly announced Pakistan U19 team and his successor, Sarfaraz Ahmed, all the best.
• Systemic Flaw: "We don't cater to our talent properly." - Azhar says the biggest challenge was the cancellation of the Under-19 tournament the previous year, which he believes pushed Pakistan's youth cricket back by two years. The core problem is the lack of a system to properly groom this potential talent into mature, senior international players.
• Pathway to Change: "We need to invest in youth for a proper change." - He also stressed the importance of a clear development pathway (U15, U17, U19) and focusing on player development beyond just skills, including education, professionalism, and being a good ambassador for the country.
• Mental Hurdle: "Our players are scared to talk to coaches." - Azhar Ali emphasized creating an environment where young players feel safe and confident to discuss their weaknesses and problems with coaches.
• Core Problem: "There is a lot of potential, but the system is missing." - He says the core problem is the lack of a system to properly groom this potential talent into mature, senior international players.
• Test Cricket Concern: "We just give up on Test cricket." - He believes the current Test side has "a lot of potential" and it is often unfair to compare them to past eras. However, a significant problem is the lack of cricket, noting that Pakistan only played five Test matches this year.
Watch the full interview with Saj here:
