Former India cricketer Dinesh Karthik lashed out at the Pakistan cricket team for the 3-0 drubbing against England. Pakistan were hammered on the tour, losing all three Tests comprehensively.
They lost the first Test by an innings and 103 runs before going down at Lord’s by 194 runs. The two defeats triggered a meltdown in Pakistan, and the board recalled seven players and sent fresh faces, including five debutants, for the final Test.
Things, however, didn’t change much as the team suffered an 8-wicket defeat.
Karthik didn’t mince words and called the team very ordinary. He highlighted how the team failed to play 90 overs across two innings in the first two Tests, saying that how they’re playing currently is a big disservice to Test cricket.
“When I did the England vs Pakistan Test series, man, this Pakistan team is very ordinary. In the first two Test matches, they didn’t even play 90 overs across two innings. The wickets were spicy. It wasn’t easy, but it definitely wasn’t a pitch where you could not play 90 overs across both innings. I don’t think that’s good enough. I think what they’re doing is a disservice to Test cricket, like what Nasser Hussain said. I quite agree with him because they made 7 changes [in the squad after the second Test] and made changes to the support staff [sacked Test head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul after going down 2-0 in the series]. In the last match, they competed,” he said.
‘Pakistan Can’t Compete Against A Lot Of Test Nations’
Karthik further said that everything looks unsettled in Pakistan, adding that the team looks like they won’t be able to compete against a lot of teams.
“Somebody like Razaullah, who actually did well in the Test match [the third and final one], why was he not there from the start? What is happening with the selection process? What kind of players they’re having? The change in captaincy, the change in coaches, everything looks unsettled, and the performances are quite showing it. They didn’t play [well] against England; it didn’t feel like they could compete genuinely, and if I’m being honest, I don’t think they can compete against a lot of Test nations at this point, which is sad.
“They have a rich heritage, like you say, in Test cricket, but they are nowhere close [at present]. And having been part of it, I must say, it looks alarming, and I hope the right people are taking notice of that and doing what’s required to bring them back up to speed, which, at this point in time, doesn’t look easy.”