Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has slammed Pakistan’s selection policy, stating that playing for the national team has become way too easy nowadays. He criticised the team management for making frequent changes in the limited-overs format.
As reported by news agency PTI, Afridi expressed his concern over players with minimal experience in domestic cricket being rushed into the national team and then getting dropped and shunned in the same way.
“It has become so easy to play for the national team whereas in the past playing for the Pakistan team was the ultimate goal for any professional cricketer. That is why our performances are not consistent with the amount of cricket we play in Pakistan,” Afridi was quoted as saying by PTI.
“Why have we made it so really easy for players to represent their country. I am sad to see that a player gives one or two good performances in domestic cricket or the PSL and he is in the national team.
“What is this? You should make your cricketers play domestic cricket,” he added.
Afridi further opined that the budding cricketers need to have an exposure of at least two to three years before selectors could judge their talent, temperament and ability to cope with pressure.
“The real difference playing international cricket is how strong a player is mentally to handle all the pressures that come in international matches and that includes the criticism and glare of the media and fans. We must now judge the difference between just talent and mental strength of a player,” Afridi said.
“If you give a chance to a player and he doesn’t perform, he should be sent back into domestic cricket. Don’t make playing for Pakistan so easy. Players must know the value of international cricket. I am totally against players coming into the side on just one or two performances,” Afridi signed off.
(With PTI Inputs)