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[REPORTS] Wahab Riaz to retire from Test cricket

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Amid speculations that a number of fast bowlers will follow Mohammad Amir’s retirement decision, another pacer has decided to quit Test cricket.

The 34-year-old left-arm fast bowler, Wahab Riaz has announced that he will no longer play the longest format of the game. Wahab is currently playing the Global T20 League in Canada and the decision, like Mohammad Amir, seems to be taken to prolong his limited-overs career.

Wahab has 83 Test wickets to his name in 27 matches with a career-best of 5/63.

According to the local media reports, the bowler will formally announce his retirement after returning to Pakistan, however, he has informed PCB Chairman, Ehsan Mani about his decision.

Earlier, Mohammad Amir faced plenty of criticism for his early retirement, which prompted the former and current players to take a dig at him for ‘setting a bad example’ and that it was ‘time to pay back to Pakistan cricket’ instead of retiring.

https://propakistani.pk/2019/08/02/breaking-wahab-riaz-retires-from-test-cricket/
 
Amir and Wahab's situation are not comparable. One is a soft coward. The other is a few years from retirement altogether.
 
Spray gun wahab was never my favourite but given the lack of quality and experienced test bowlers left in the Pakistan squad really thought he could step up as the main strike bowler on fast bouncy wickets. I think this retirement is premature by a year or two. Guess there’s just not so much pride in playing for ones country anymore at test level.
 
We need spearhead fast bowler in Test format. Wahab was effective in UAE pitches. Right now, he is in form of life. Would be menace in England and Australia. Big loss.
 
Would have wanted him to play the Australia Test series and then retire. Anyways, there's a huge crop of young emerging fast bowlers coming through and it's right time to introduce them.
 
With PSL and even T20is being given so much importance, I don't see any quality bowler playing Tests past 20-30 matches.

They know they can make quick bucks elsewhere.

PCB is not doing anything to encourage Test cricket bowling.
 
Amir and Wahab can't be compared. Amir is 27, Wahab is 34. Also I think it's best for Wahab to concentrate on ODIs and T20Is for as long as he plays, where he has a chance of doing well formats without getting too many injuries.
 
Thanks Wahab.

Won’t never forget your catch of Roston Chase in Test Cricket against West Indies in 2017.

Good luck for the future.

Would definitely have him in the next year’s WT20 squad.
 
Just when we needed Wahab for the Aus series he wants to retire. That's disappointing. Can't he wait 3/4 months?
 
Wahab has been out of the test picture for a while anyway. And he's wrong side of 30. Non story.
 
Not a major loss in test cricket as hes been poor for a while. Time to blood younger and fresher faces in tests.
 
At this rate, Pakistan will be forced to open with two spinners in upcoming tests! lol .
 
Understandable from Wahab if true, he is 34 and not gonna get any younger.

Upcoming promising young pacers should be given a go at test level.
 
With test championship now on, its more serious matter now and only the best and the fittest should play tests now. Wahab has been the fittest fast bowler in Pak team but with age he had to make way for younger player and he is doing at right time. He always been a good sportsman and gave his 100% for the tam, whatever format he was playing in .

If he wants to prolong his white ball career till T20 WC or beyond, nothing wrong with it.
 
I think in the long run this is going to be beneficial for Pakistan . Given his age and the role that the plays for the Pak test team ( one of enforcer) he most likely feels he can’t perform to that level any more . He was a decent test bowler and his stats don’t do him justice as he played a lot in UAE.
 
could have been useful for Australia tour. Also needed someone to have some experience, can't go with all young pacers who may not have even played in Australia much before. Abbas is likely to fail there at his pace with Kookarbura ball and their pitches.
 
About time PCB limited and enforced contracted players to only play 1 other league out of PSL. Otherwise I don't see any future fast bowlers wanting to play test when they can cherry pick based on their financial gains. This is where you have to admire BCCI, they saw this coming a long time ago, set their priorities right and they're never in danger of their players doing such a thing. Wahab isn't much of a loss but if the likes of Shaheen decide to do the same then there will be a massive problem for Pakistan.
 
Its a good decision by wahab to retire from tests.He doesnt bowl with seam and swing,only relies on pace hence his test record is a reflection of that but I think he is probably the best reverse swing bowler after waqar younis that Pakistan has produced.He is an whole hearted cricketer and he worked really hard on his game after getting dropped from the team and he made a very good come back in this world cup.He is also a very decent enough batsman who can hit a long handle .He can still be useful for us in T20s and odis and I would like him to retire on a high by Pakistan winning this years T20 World cup in Australia.Any ways best of luck for wahab for the future.
 
We should be moving on from him full stop. There is no need to carry a 33 year old any longer.
 
Wahab only had a future in T20s anyways. Hope he performs well, will be needed for the WT20 next year.
 
Amir quite while Wahab retired for good reason.

One is a softie while the other made a pragmatic decision.
 
Lol the guy is touching 35. Makes sense. Test Cricket is a young person's game especially in the pace bowling dept. Look at Anderson at the age of 37, broke down after 4 overs. Age, time and miles on the clock take a toll eventually
 
Everyone is retiring. Hasan Ali will be next in line to call it quits.
 
Should stick with the test team for a year imo.

We barely have any good test bowlers left....
 
szundercover said:
We have bowlers like mir hamza,hasnain,shaheen and other good domestic bowlers who are better test bowlers than wahab.
Click to expand...

Mir Hamza and Shaheen have played like what? 1-2 matches?

Not enough. Wahab needed to stay with the team for another year and then retire to make way for other youngsters.
 
Wahab is like 35 so yeah this can't be compared to Amir. Wahab has always been there for the team whenever they have needed him. Most of his test career was on those dead wickets of UAE as well. Had a decent test career I'd say. Was especially lethal when he could get that reverse swing going. However with Wahab also comes his off days and those were always quite unbearable. However he served the team well and always bowled his heart out. This is one thing I always loved about Wahab no matter what he would always bowl his heart out for the team.
 
Hawkeye said:
With PSL and even T20is being given so much importance, I don't see any quality bowler playing Tests past 20-30 matches.

They know they can make quick bucks elsewhere.

PCB is not doing anything to encourage Test cricket bowling.
Click to expand...

I'm sure Shaheen will have a full fledged Test Career and a good one at that too once he finds his feet in that format.
 
Makes sense for a 34-year-old pacer to retire. It's time to cash in.

Like I said with Amir, there's no point in feeling bad when a player retires. It's far better to see someone retire rather than do what Afridi did (i.e. keep playing even when you don't like the format). You allow other willing players to come in and give it their all.
 
As long as we continue to play our cricket in UAE, we'll keep losing fast bowlers. The PCB should look for an alternative ASAP.
 
It should be ok. He has hardly played test matches. Pakistan should look to build their test team around new fast bowlers and should also work towards adding few specialist spinners
 
kingusama92 said:
Makes sense for a 34-year-old pacer to retire. It's time to cash in.

Like I said with Amir, there's no point in feeling bad when a player retires. It's far better to see someone retire rather than do what Afridi did (i.e. keep playing even when you don't like the format). You allow other willing players to come in and give it their all.
Click to expand...

The problem isn't with him retiring, it's the reason he retired. Now we all now he ain't banged up in his late 30's, in your mid 20's you should be at your prime for test bowling. I doubt it has anything to do with how much he likes the format either. The only logical conclusion for me is the fact that he'd rather play around leagues in the world then represent and honour his country in the greatest of formats. Also the one in which he tarnished his legacy. Huge Amir fan always have been but this is just showing the amount of f's he gives about Pakistan compared to money.
 
goran said:
As long as we continue to play our cricket in UAE, we'll keep losing fast bowlers. The PCB should look for an alternative ASAP.
Click to expand...

There are so many things wrong with playing in UAE.

However, most of the subcontinent is the same. Really hot conditions with pitches not helping fast bowlers whatsoever. Yes UAE has some of the worst cricketing pitches in the world but as far as a fast bowler is concerned from a purely bowling standpoint there is not much difference from playing in UAE or India.
 
QalandarFan said:
There are so many things wrong with playing in UAE.

However, most of the subcontinent is the same. Really hot conditions with pitches not helping fast bowlers whatsoever. Yes UAE has some of the worst cricketing pitches in the world but as far as a fast bowler is concerned from a purely bowling standpoint there is not much difference from playing in UAE or India.
Click to expand...

It's not only the weather but the overall dismal atmosphere which makes it really difficult for a fast bowler to give his 100%. Playing in empty stadiums is never a good idea which is not the case with other subcontinental countries. I know it's difficult for PCB to shift from UAE due to financial reasons, but they need to come up with some solution anyhow.
 
goran said:
It's not only the weather but the overall dismal atmosphere which makes it really difficult for a fast bowler to give his 100%. Playing in empty stadiums is never a good idea which is not the case with other subcontinental countries. I know it's difficult for PCB to shift from UAE due to financial reasons, but they need to come up with some solution anyhow.
Click to expand...

Yes indeed but that's why I said from a purely bowling standpoint the crowds and all the other problems are even worse. If only we could get cricket hosted in Pakistan again it would do wonders for our cricket and even our nation.
 
cricketAXEpert said:
His white cricket performance is also going down. if he retires from tests then he should not be picked from any format.
Click to expand...

I agree. I would make it a rule that a player can not play one dayers only unless he is available for Test Cricket.
 
3 wickets so far for Wahab against Zimbabwe - doing his thing at the end of the innings
 
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