Pakistan coach Javed Miandad said Saturday that too much international cricket was one of the main reasons for a number of injuries to his team before the third and final cricket Test against India.
"There's hardly a gap of two days in between test matches nowadays and that's why players suffer injuries," Miandad told The Associated Press after arriving in Rawalpindi.
Pakistan bounced back in the three-test series with a nine-wicket victory in the second test in the eastern city of Lahore last Thursday. India recorded its maiden test victory on Pakistan soil when it crushed Pakistan by an innings and 52 runs in Multan earlier this month. The deciding test starts Tuesday.
However, man of the match seamer Umar Gul suffered a back injury during the Lahore test and had to take injections before bowling in the second innings. Gul was ruled out of the third test and Pakistan has fielded four seamers - Rao Iftikhar, Fazle Akbar, Rana Naveedul Hasan and Abdul Rauf - as the back up bowlers in the 17-man squad.
"It's a player himself who has to look after his fitness. Unfortunately Gul broke down in the first innings after bowling 12 overs and now we have to look to other bowlers to fill in his shoes at Rawalpindi," Miandad said.
{{/usCountry}}"It's a player himself who has to look after his fitness. Unfortunately Gul broke down in the first innings after bowling 12 overs and now we have to look to other bowlers to fill in his shoes at Rawalpindi," Miandad said.
{{/usCountry}}Key paceman Mohammad Sami has also complained of back problems, but Miandad hopes he will be available. "He has some problems in his back, but I hope he recovers in time," the coach said.
Speedster Shoaib Akhtar, dubbed the Rawalpindi Express, will be playing in his hometown, but Miandad insisted that it's not the individuals who matter in test cricket. "It's not that we have only Shoaib Akhtar in the side - Inzamam-ul Haq, Yousuf Youhana and Mohammad Sami - they are all big players and have plenty of experience.
But in the end, I think it's the team's combined effort which puts the opposition under pressure," Miandad. Wicketkeeper Moin Khan (groin injury), all-rounder Abdul Razzaq (side strain), seamer Shabbir Ahmed (shin problem), all played in the first test, but were ruled out from rest of the series after suffering injuries before the second test.
"That's (injuries) a big problem for us, but I think the way we performed in the absence of three key players in Lahore, we have enough back up to put up a strong fight against India," Miandad said.