To be really frank I don't understand the argument here. Considering cricket is becoming more and more a global sport due to the various T20 Leagues around the world, a player or a team claiming that they will not learn even functional English is appalling. In the past players got away with that but again their only reason to learn any English was if they played in county cricket. Now with Pakistan players participating in every T20 league there is in the world saying that they cannot learn the language is just laziness.
All these T20 leagues are a way to also interact with various coaches around the world, with players around the world to learn and improve but if Pakistan players are not doing that, no wonder they keep regressing. If you are not able to speak the language, you will go to a BBL and try to look for another Pakistan player or Asian player in the league and just limit your interaction with only them. I think a couple of foreign coaches have already spoken about not being able to get through some players. This is not helpful for the development of the players in the long run. I feel this is a major reason for Pakistan players who come with tremendous talent do not improve and remain stagnant. What's the point of sharing change rooms with legends of the game or with reputed international coaches if you are not going to approach them to learn and improve?
Please don't give multiple languages theory. I am an Indian and I can speak 5 languages (3 of them fluently and 2 broken). Sachin was a school drop out as well and you can find his 1980's interview before he made his debut where he was struggling to put together a sentence but later put in an effort to learn the language. Even in Pakistan players like Mushtaq Ahmed, Waqar Younis, Saqlain Mushtaq etc all learnt English playing in England. So I feel in this day and age if you are saying that you will not learn the language it greatly hampers your ability to learn and improve. You can play in 100 different leagues but you will not learn anything from there as you will be shy and not talk to anyone other than with people who speak Urdu.
I understand that English is not required to play the sport but even as a player you need to keep improving and try to pick the brains of the legends you rub shoulders with in the various leagues you are part of. I feel players now a days have great chance to improve their language, even if it is just functional. Anything else is excuse.
Also I agree with people that English alone will not improve the amount of dross Rizwan says in press conferences but again if he can't speak or will not improve the language, he should only speak in Urdu with interpreter. I remember when Razzak, Saqlain all made their debut's in the 90's Wasim used to accompany them for post match etc.
