- Joined
- Oct 2, 2004
- Runs
- 217,977
"Overseas players who came to PSL this year all said that the bowling in this tournament is top class and other leagues can't match that. Our fast-bowlers are good and are getting better.
"We need to remember that fast-bowling is a tough job. When you're at the growing age, your bones aren't that strong. I experienced that and saw the same happen with Wasim Akram, you can see the same case with Imran Khan. Injuries are part of being a fast-bowler specially if you're a teenager. Hopefully they will get stronger and then it'll be a different story and hopefully they can serve Pakistan for 8-10 years.
"I think PCB did a really good job to drag PSL to where they did. The risk was getting higher. As for the remaining matches, I think we first need to see what happens with coronavirus. If it finishes soon then I'm sure PCB will find a way to finish this tournament. Even if it doesn't get completed, it was a big success. The crowds everywhere, even I wasn't expecting that, such a well-organized tournament. Everyone deserves credit. Time will tell if the tournament is completed or not. I'm not sure if the players will be able to collect together and how they'll get motivated for it.
"I always thought that any coaching role is performance based. If you perform then you survive. I've always thought this way and if after a year or 18 months I'm not doing the right thing or getting the results that Pakistan need then of course, I will go.
"Everyone can see Sharjeel's fitness. I was the first one to take this initiative, as a player he has no match. He has good hands and he has good eyes but can he survive if we go to Australia for the World Cup? He looked a little overweight and had fitness problems, he had problems in the field. Misbah also highlighted that he needs to work really hard. He has time now and he should work hard, he can be a part of the World Cup team.
"I have always known about Imran Khan's honesty and determination since Shaukat Khanum hospital was being built. There was a lot of effort and belief involved in his process toward becoming the PM. I have always believed in him and have been with him. Whatever he would ask me to do, I'd do it. Whatever I can do while sitting here, I'd definitely do it. I'm there for Pakistan, I am because of Pakistan so I would never say no to any such thing, I'm always there for Pakistan.
"I don't think any country will currently take a risk of playing matches. But if this lingers and stays for a long time then it is possible that sports may take place behind closed doors and closed stadiums because life has to continue. But in my personal opinion I don't think this is likely soon because coronavirus is nearing its peak. Hopefully there is a vaccine or treatment found for it. If not then I think that sports authorities will have to think about this. As a sportsman, I don't think anyone wants to play in empty grounds. We saw the last few matches in Karachi without crowds, the interest and energy wasn't the same. But if it comes to that then PCB and other boards will have to take this into consideration.
"Amir is a match-winner and performs well in big matches. We haven't forgotten him or anyone else. I have spoken to Amir and I told Wahab as well. In the previous series against BD, we played with youngsters but it doesn't mean that we are writing off those two, we have invested in them and they are match-winners.
"I think the media has created this perception of regional tensions. I am very hurt when people sometimes say about me that I don't like Karachi, Pindi or so and so. I have played 12-15 years for Pakistan and 20-25 years overall, and my best friends are from Karachi. I have never even thought about where someone is from. I myself am from a very small town Burewala which has very few people. It's very unfortunate that people think this way. I have been coach for 4 years, how many players from Vehari played under me? Or how many players from Punjab? I try the best players and I always want the best for Pakistan.
"I am sure the board will do as much as is within their capacity for the cricketers. They are already doing it. If we look around the world then FC teams etc. are cancelling players contracts. I read PCB's statement that the FC cricketers will be paid until the end of the season.
"I was trying to move back to Pakistan this year and I am in that process still. I had gotten a place too but unfortunately this coronavirus situation came. I still hope that by the end of the year, things settle down and I can shift to Pakistan with my kids. I will try to serve my country in any field whether that's cricket or Imran Khan's charity team or anything I can do for Pakistan.
"Sarfaraz has worked really hard and he's looking really good, he lost a lot of weight and is working on his fitness. Unfortunately his performances weren't that good but he also has a lot of time. Like Amir and Wahab are assets, Sarfaraz is also one and we can't forget him. Pakistan needs the services of all these guys. The doors are open for them and there is room for them in the team.
"Naseem Shah is very talented. There are very few fast-bowlers around the world who are so talented. There is no question about his talent and keep in mind that he is 17. Yes, at times when things go wrong then young bowlers might panic a bit but you have to remember how young they are.
"I only get angry at insecurity amongst our cricketers. They rely a lot on social media and external things rather than their own abilities. I get angry about that sometimes, that we also used to play and face pressure but we were passionate and loved the game. If they remove this insecurity and move away from social media, I think we have a few legends in the making and you will see that.
"Some Pakistani cricketers have announced their donations while others may have done so quietly as we are taught by our religion. If you give a donation then it's not necessary to announce it.
"To say that there was no player like Virat Kohli in my era would be wrong; In my era we had players like Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar - I have bowled to Viv Richards, Martin Crowe; There were some great players in my era, in my time; I survived in such an era and made a name for myself.
"I would question a statement which says that I would have struggled to bowl or tried to avoid bowling to a player like Virat Kohli when I was young, or I would have been hit about [by a player like Kohli]; This is because I had skills to get those type of players out; And even if I was bowling today, I would know how to get which player out in what way.
"Babar Azam is becoming another big superstar or maybe a legend in making hopefully insha'Allah.
"Our results in recent series show the difference between playing at home vs playing outside one's home. We were building momentum and saw that in PSL too but unfortunately there has been a bit of a setback due to coronavirus.
"We should have a policy, we can't stop players from playing cricket where they want or put restrictions by law but we can have a policy from the board regarding big players who suddenly decide to leave a certain format. This means that you suddenly have to rely on youngsters and we had that problem when Wahab and Amir weren't available. I won't say we would have won in Australia but maybe with their experience, we could have performed better and gotten better results. If someone isn't in the mood to play then you should have backup available in terms of bench strength. So we should have a policy whereby players don't leave suddently which causes the team issues.
"Effects of this gap depend on how long it is. If it's short and in the next month or two things start improving, I don't think it will make such a difference. Players have been given structure for training etc. at home. This is also an opportunity for players to send some time with family. I hope all this ends soon and things normalize.
"There's no doubt that bowling fast is a weapon. All the greats of the game who were fast-bowlers used to bowl 145-150. Imran Khan, even Sarfraz Nawaz was well over 140. Wasim Akram was well over 145. Fast-bowlers have this weapon. With the passage of time, they do often lose pace which also happened with me but with experience, they know how to take wickets. You can't buy experience, you need to learn by being hit. Recently, our fast-bowlers besides Wahab, Amir and Abbas are young. They all have pace and they should have pace. The art of bowling will come with time. I can't teach them overnight. Over the years, these bowlers will understand how to pick up wickets with experience.
"I have been in this role for 4-5 months and I have seen some major changes in the bowlers. They have responded well. Fast-bowling is a time-consuming thing. All the youngsters have good skills. Naseem Shah if he stays fit, he will probably be in the top 3. There is a major difference in Shaheen Shah Afridi, he is bowling yorkers and getting better. Things are moving in the right direction.
"In the 90s if you took Wasim and Waqar out of the team, you could still make 2 teams with 3-4 bowlers. Now with increased formats and leagues, the pool needs to be bigger.
"I had a program, I should have been in Pakistan and my kids should have been studying there but unfortunately we had to delay things due to coronavirus. I took this job to focus on the young fast-bowlers at the junior level. Already the bowlers that we are working with have just come from the U19 level. When I am there and I have time then I will also look at the junior levels.
"We can use horses for courses in ODI, T20 cricket etc. but in Test match cricket, we should stick to a core group of bowlers who will serve us for a long time.
"In my 1st tenure, I left myself. The ending of the 2nd tenure wasn't good as there were some differences with the board. But I think it's wrong to say that a big name can't be a good coach. Anyone can be a good coach, whether it's a big name or not. Cricket depends on the captain and the coach plays a supporting role. When they join together then results are better. With Misbah, we had great success and hardly lost any Test matches.
"When the team loses, you will be criticized. For me, I was in the mood to take a bit less pressure by being in the background. If I can help some younger fast-bowlers then I am there to help. I had a good relationship with Misbah so that was also a reason for me to join up with him. To think that I can't work under Misbah is wrong. I have enough awareness and I am mature enough to know my boundaries and know the limits of my role.
"After PSL, we were planning on thinking about the England tour rather than the T20 World Cup. We have always competed well in England and we wanted to continue that. When you do well in England, the team develops and becomes a long term team.
"We took 2-3 youngsters to Australia, not just one. The main reason for that is, that Amir and Wahab 'gave us a dhoka' at the last minute, they decided they wouldn't play Tests 15-20 days before the tour. So we had to groom the younger lot, that is the reason we took them.
"Unfortunately Musa couldn't perform well in his first match. Naseem also didn't do that well but when we came back to Pakistan, he did well. Same goes for Abbas and Shaheen. Australia isn't an easy place for bowlers to succeed. It was a tough series. After us, even NZ struggled. It was also tough for the batters.
"There are so many leagues around the world and it's easy money, bowl 4 overs and rest in the evening. So players go into their comfort and because of their comfort, they cause damage to the country. They don't think about the broader picture. If you're sitting on Twitter and resigning, that really hurts. You should have informed the board, the CEO, the head coach first. It was unfortunate that those two did this and we had to suffer because of it. We have no grudge against them, I feel that they should carry on playing for Pakistan if they get selected. But they left the team in a tough spot.
"As far as I know, Hasan Ali got injured during a FC match. It's the first time I'm hearing that he got injured while lifting weights. I don't know about that. What I know is that he regained fitness and he was bowling well but got injured. This happens with fast-bowlers. You can't protect them too much, we all go through these injuries. You have to be tough and smart to play Test cricket. So I don't know where this weight story came from and where Azhar heard of this while sitting there. Hasan is an asset, he's a very fine cricketer. But unfortunately he's struggling right now. Hopefully he'll come out fitter and a stronger cricketer.
"It's not so worrying for me right now since it's just been a couple of weeks since the players have been out of action. I will probably start getting worried if things don't improve after Ramzan/Eid. When we used to play, we would need 2-3 months away from cricket to reinvigorate our bodies so in a way, this is good. But if it becomes too long to 4-6 months, it'll become very worrying for us and the whole world.
"Maybe we took SL lightly in T20Is because we won ODIs easily. Plus we brought some players back and they couldn't perform. Due to these mixed reasons, we got thrashed badly by Sri Lanka and it was an eye opener for us. After that, Misbah and all realized where we want to go in future and how we will deal with future series. So hopefully we fare better in future.
"My love affair with Amir didn't even start before he retired from Test cricket. It was roughly around the time that I took over that he refused to play Tests so we hadn't even had that much interaction then.
"Good form and bad form is part of cricket. You need to be down to earth and carry on. You need coaches and support staff. During that time, Amir played for Essex and that wasn't good. We criticized him and since the first day, I have said that his act was wrong. That act was wrong and it was costly for Pakistan. A major touring was coming up and he suddenly pulled out.
"We shouldn't forget Amir, he's a match-winner and wicket-taker so let's see how it goes in the next few months.
"I totally agree that players should get farewells but players should also know which is their last match. If they openly decide and let the board and management know then they can work with it. We often don't decide about when we're going to play our last match and leave the ball in the board's court. We want to play, we want a farewell, we get thrown out and then we cry as well. So the players also have made mistakes.
"My comment about Sohail Akhtar being 'anaari' was made into a big thing. It shouldn't have been made into a big issue. I don't think I said anything wrong.
"PCB has a whole panel with Dr. Sohail and physios and trainers. Whenever anyone is injured, it's all documented and they are treated accordingly. Sometimes they are sent overseas. I don't know about players being mishandled. I think they do the best they can and if someone doesn't recover from injury, sometimes that happens in cricket. Sometimes players' bodies can't cope with it.
"PSL was affected by the evil eye (nazar lag gayi). The way the tournament rose up and it was organised, the crowds, the pitches, I can't find a fault with this PSL. All the overseas players and commentators were extremely impressed. It was as good as any tournament around the world. Next year it'll be an even bigger tournament and people will be desperate to take part. The way we hosted them, I think they will all come again and it'll be a mega-event.
"Shaheen Shah Afridi was wonderful in PSL. Dilbar Hussain was very impressive, he has pace and variations.
"Domestic cricket is never neglected. Unfortunately the likes of Tabish and Sadaf couldn't play because we had other options. We also played a lot of cricket recently in UAE where we played 2 pacers mainly. So a lot of pacers missed out in these past few years. And now unfortunately many of them are overage and we are developing a young team.
"This hasn't happened for the first time, in the 90s, behind Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar, many bowlers missed out and that happens.
"We have been struggling in Australia for a long time. Even when we had good bowling attacks, we wouldn't make enough runs and vice versa. India also rarely did well here, they won here last time but Australia had a weakened team without Warner, Smith, etc. and they had problems in the dressing room. No doubt India played well. I can't find a reason why we haven't won here. We came close but we never managed it."
"We need to remember that fast-bowling is a tough job. When you're at the growing age, your bones aren't that strong. I experienced that and saw the same happen with Wasim Akram, you can see the same case with Imran Khan. Injuries are part of being a fast-bowler specially if you're a teenager. Hopefully they will get stronger and then it'll be a different story and hopefully they can serve Pakistan for 8-10 years.
"I think PCB did a really good job to drag PSL to where they did. The risk was getting higher. As for the remaining matches, I think we first need to see what happens with coronavirus. If it finishes soon then I'm sure PCB will find a way to finish this tournament. Even if it doesn't get completed, it was a big success. The crowds everywhere, even I wasn't expecting that, such a well-organized tournament. Everyone deserves credit. Time will tell if the tournament is completed or not. I'm not sure if the players will be able to collect together and how they'll get motivated for it.
"I always thought that any coaching role is performance based. If you perform then you survive. I've always thought this way and if after a year or 18 months I'm not doing the right thing or getting the results that Pakistan need then of course, I will go.
"Everyone can see Sharjeel's fitness. I was the first one to take this initiative, as a player he has no match. He has good hands and he has good eyes but can he survive if we go to Australia for the World Cup? He looked a little overweight and had fitness problems, he had problems in the field. Misbah also highlighted that he needs to work really hard. He has time now and he should work hard, he can be a part of the World Cup team.
"I have always known about Imran Khan's honesty and determination since Shaukat Khanum hospital was being built. There was a lot of effort and belief involved in his process toward becoming the PM. I have always believed in him and have been with him. Whatever he would ask me to do, I'd do it. Whatever I can do while sitting here, I'd definitely do it. I'm there for Pakistan, I am because of Pakistan so I would never say no to any such thing, I'm always there for Pakistan.
"I don't think any country will currently take a risk of playing matches. But if this lingers and stays for a long time then it is possible that sports may take place behind closed doors and closed stadiums because life has to continue. But in my personal opinion I don't think this is likely soon because coronavirus is nearing its peak. Hopefully there is a vaccine or treatment found for it. If not then I think that sports authorities will have to think about this. As a sportsman, I don't think anyone wants to play in empty grounds. We saw the last few matches in Karachi without crowds, the interest and energy wasn't the same. But if it comes to that then PCB and other boards will have to take this into consideration.
"Amir is a match-winner and performs well in big matches. We haven't forgotten him or anyone else. I have spoken to Amir and I told Wahab as well. In the previous series against BD, we played with youngsters but it doesn't mean that we are writing off those two, we have invested in them and they are match-winners.
"I think the media has created this perception of regional tensions. I am very hurt when people sometimes say about me that I don't like Karachi, Pindi or so and so. I have played 12-15 years for Pakistan and 20-25 years overall, and my best friends are from Karachi. I have never even thought about where someone is from. I myself am from a very small town Burewala which has very few people. It's very unfortunate that people think this way. I have been coach for 4 years, how many players from Vehari played under me? Or how many players from Punjab? I try the best players and I always want the best for Pakistan.
"I am sure the board will do as much as is within their capacity for the cricketers. They are already doing it. If we look around the world then FC teams etc. are cancelling players contracts. I read PCB's statement that the FC cricketers will be paid until the end of the season.
"I was trying to move back to Pakistan this year and I am in that process still. I had gotten a place too but unfortunately this coronavirus situation came. I still hope that by the end of the year, things settle down and I can shift to Pakistan with my kids. I will try to serve my country in any field whether that's cricket or Imran Khan's charity team or anything I can do for Pakistan.
"Sarfaraz has worked really hard and he's looking really good, he lost a lot of weight and is working on his fitness. Unfortunately his performances weren't that good but he also has a lot of time. Like Amir and Wahab are assets, Sarfaraz is also one and we can't forget him. Pakistan needs the services of all these guys. The doors are open for them and there is room for them in the team.
"Naseem Shah is very talented. There are very few fast-bowlers around the world who are so talented. There is no question about his talent and keep in mind that he is 17. Yes, at times when things go wrong then young bowlers might panic a bit but you have to remember how young they are.
"I only get angry at insecurity amongst our cricketers. They rely a lot on social media and external things rather than their own abilities. I get angry about that sometimes, that we also used to play and face pressure but we were passionate and loved the game. If they remove this insecurity and move away from social media, I think we have a few legends in the making and you will see that.
"Some Pakistani cricketers have announced their donations while others may have done so quietly as we are taught by our religion. If you give a donation then it's not necessary to announce it.
"To say that there was no player like Virat Kohli in my era would be wrong; In my era we had players like Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar - I have bowled to Viv Richards, Martin Crowe; There were some great players in my era, in my time; I survived in such an era and made a name for myself.
"I would question a statement which says that I would have struggled to bowl or tried to avoid bowling to a player like Virat Kohli when I was young, or I would have been hit about [by a player like Kohli]; This is because I had skills to get those type of players out; And even if I was bowling today, I would know how to get which player out in what way.
"Babar Azam is becoming another big superstar or maybe a legend in making hopefully insha'Allah.
"Our results in recent series show the difference between playing at home vs playing outside one's home. We were building momentum and saw that in PSL too but unfortunately there has been a bit of a setback due to coronavirus.
"We should have a policy, we can't stop players from playing cricket where they want or put restrictions by law but we can have a policy from the board regarding big players who suddenly decide to leave a certain format. This means that you suddenly have to rely on youngsters and we had that problem when Wahab and Amir weren't available. I won't say we would have won in Australia but maybe with their experience, we could have performed better and gotten better results. If someone isn't in the mood to play then you should have backup available in terms of bench strength. So we should have a policy whereby players don't leave suddently which causes the team issues.
"Effects of this gap depend on how long it is. If it's short and in the next month or two things start improving, I don't think it will make such a difference. Players have been given structure for training etc. at home. This is also an opportunity for players to send some time with family. I hope all this ends soon and things normalize.
"There's no doubt that bowling fast is a weapon. All the greats of the game who were fast-bowlers used to bowl 145-150. Imran Khan, even Sarfraz Nawaz was well over 140. Wasim Akram was well over 145. Fast-bowlers have this weapon. With the passage of time, they do often lose pace which also happened with me but with experience, they know how to take wickets. You can't buy experience, you need to learn by being hit. Recently, our fast-bowlers besides Wahab, Amir and Abbas are young. They all have pace and they should have pace. The art of bowling will come with time. I can't teach them overnight. Over the years, these bowlers will understand how to pick up wickets with experience.
"I have been in this role for 4-5 months and I have seen some major changes in the bowlers. They have responded well. Fast-bowling is a time-consuming thing. All the youngsters have good skills. Naseem Shah if he stays fit, he will probably be in the top 3. There is a major difference in Shaheen Shah Afridi, he is bowling yorkers and getting better. Things are moving in the right direction.
"In the 90s if you took Wasim and Waqar out of the team, you could still make 2 teams with 3-4 bowlers. Now with increased formats and leagues, the pool needs to be bigger.
"I had a program, I should have been in Pakistan and my kids should have been studying there but unfortunately we had to delay things due to coronavirus. I took this job to focus on the young fast-bowlers at the junior level. Already the bowlers that we are working with have just come from the U19 level. When I am there and I have time then I will also look at the junior levels.
"We can use horses for courses in ODI, T20 cricket etc. but in Test match cricket, we should stick to a core group of bowlers who will serve us for a long time.
"In my 1st tenure, I left myself. The ending of the 2nd tenure wasn't good as there were some differences with the board. But I think it's wrong to say that a big name can't be a good coach. Anyone can be a good coach, whether it's a big name or not. Cricket depends on the captain and the coach plays a supporting role. When they join together then results are better. With Misbah, we had great success and hardly lost any Test matches.
"When the team loses, you will be criticized. For me, I was in the mood to take a bit less pressure by being in the background. If I can help some younger fast-bowlers then I am there to help. I had a good relationship with Misbah so that was also a reason for me to join up with him. To think that I can't work under Misbah is wrong. I have enough awareness and I am mature enough to know my boundaries and know the limits of my role.
"After PSL, we were planning on thinking about the England tour rather than the T20 World Cup. We have always competed well in England and we wanted to continue that. When you do well in England, the team develops and becomes a long term team.
"We took 2-3 youngsters to Australia, not just one. The main reason for that is, that Amir and Wahab 'gave us a dhoka' at the last minute, they decided they wouldn't play Tests 15-20 days before the tour. So we had to groom the younger lot, that is the reason we took them.
"Unfortunately Musa couldn't perform well in his first match. Naseem also didn't do that well but when we came back to Pakistan, he did well. Same goes for Abbas and Shaheen. Australia isn't an easy place for bowlers to succeed. It was a tough series. After us, even NZ struggled. It was also tough for the batters.
"There are so many leagues around the world and it's easy money, bowl 4 overs and rest in the evening. So players go into their comfort and because of their comfort, they cause damage to the country. They don't think about the broader picture. If you're sitting on Twitter and resigning, that really hurts. You should have informed the board, the CEO, the head coach first. It was unfortunate that those two did this and we had to suffer because of it. We have no grudge against them, I feel that they should carry on playing for Pakistan if they get selected. But they left the team in a tough spot.
"As far as I know, Hasan Ali got injured during a FC match. It's the first time I'm hearing that he got injured while lifting weights. I don't know about that. What I know is that he regained fitness and he was bowling well but got injured. This happens with fast-bowlers. You can't protect them too much, we all go through these injuries. You have to be tough and smart to play Test cricket. So I don't know where this weight story came from and where Azhar heard of this while sitting there. Hasan is an asset, he's a very fine cricketer. But unfortunately he's struggling right now. Hopefully he'll come out fitter and a stronger cricketer.
"It's not so worrying for me right now since it's just been a couple of weeks since the players have been out of action. I will probably start getting worried if things don't improve after Ramzan/Eid. When we used to play, we would need 2-3 months away from cricket to reinvigorate our bodies so in a way, this is good. But if it becomes too long to 4-6 months, it'll become very worrying for us and the whole world.
"Maybe we took SL lightly in T20Is because we won ODIs easily. Plus we brought some players back and they couldn't perform. Due to these mixed reasons, we got thrashed badly by Sri Lanka and it was an eye opener for us. After that, Misbah and all realized where we want to go in future and how we will deal with future series. So hopefully we fare better in future.
"My love affair with Amir didn't even start before he retired from Test cricket. It was roughly around the time that I took over that he refused to play Tests so we hadn't even had that much interaction then.
"Good form and bad form is part of cricket. You need to be down to earth and carry on. You need coaches and support staff. During that time, Amir played for Essex and that wasn't good. We criticized him and since the first day, I have said that his act was wrong. That act was wrong and it was costly for Pakistan. A major touring was coming up and he suddenly pulled out.
"We shouldn't forget Amir, he's a match-winner and wicket-taker so let's see how it goes in the next few months.
"I totally agree that players should get farewells but players should also know which is their last match. If they openly decide and let the board and management know then they can work with it. We often don't decide about when we're going to play our last match and leave the ball in the board's court. We want to play, we want a farewell, we get thrown out and then we cry as well. So the players also have made mistakes.
"My comment about Sohail Akhtar being 'anaari' was made into a big thing. It shouldn't have been made into a big issue. I don't think I said anything wrong.
"PCB has a whole panel with Dr. Sohail and physios and trainers. Whenever anyone is injured, it's all documented and they are treated accordingly. Sometimes they are sent overseas. I don't know about players being mishandled. I think they do the best they can and if someone doesn't recover from injury, sometimes that happens in cricket. Sometimes players' bodies can't cope with it.
"PSL was affected by the evil eye (nazar lag gayi). The way the tournament rose up and it was organised, the crowds, the pitches, I can't find a fault with this PSL. All the overseas players and commentators were extremely impressed. It was as good as any tournament around the world. Next year it'll be an even bigger tournament and people will be desperate to take part. The way we hosted them, I think they will all come again and it'll be a mega-event.
"Shaheen Shah Afridi was wonderful in PSL. Dilbar Hussain was very impressive, he has pace and variations.
"Domestic cricket is never neglected. Unfortunately the likes of Tabish and Sadaf couldn't play because we had other options. We also played a lot of cricket recently in UAE where we played 2 pacers mainly. So a lot of pacers missed out in these past few years. And now unfortunately many of them are overage and we are developing a young team.
"This hasn't happened for the first time, in the 90s, behind Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar, many bowlers missed out and that happens.
"We have been struggling in Australia for a long time. Even when we had good bowling attacks, we wouldn't make enough runs and vice versa. India also rarely did well here, they won here last time but Australia had a weakened team without Warner, Smith, etc. and they had problems in the dressing room. No doubt India played well. I can't find a reason why we haven't won here. We came close but we never managed it."
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