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Shoaib wants more time: Pak selector
Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has asked for more time to be fit for the ongoing series against India after failing to recover from a hamstring injury.
Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has asked for more time to be fit for the ongoing series against India after failing to recover completely from a hamstring injury, the chairman of the Pakistan cricket selectors Wasim Bari said on Saturday.
"I talked to Shoaib Akhtar and his trainer Grant Compton on Friday evening and Shoaib told me that he needs more time to get fit," Bari, a former Pakistan captain, said.
Shoaib missed the Indian tour because of the injury that had also cut-short his tour of Australia.
"We all know his capability so we are not going to judge that. But he needs to declare his fitness and until last evening, Shoaib Akhtar was not sure of himself and had asked for more time to get fit," Bari said.
Asked if that meant Shoaib might miss the entire Indian tour, Bari refused to draw the conclusion.
"I don't like to interprete into what he is saying. But he is not fit and I trust that. The first and the most important step is that he needs to get fit."
Shoaib said on Friday that he had not lost all hopes of playing in India and indicated that he might be fit for the last three one-dayers.
Bari said the team for the six-match one-day series would be announced during the third Test starting in Bangalore from March 24.
"We will start discussions on the one-day team after the Kolkata Test. So far, we have not exchanged any discussion as we want that the team should concentrate on the assignment in hand," Bari said.
However, Bari said fast bowler Shabbir Ahmed had regained fitness and was bowling eight overs every day.
"He has been advised to play a limited overs match on March 21 and after that we would be in a position to judge if his comeback can be planned."
Ahmed was out of action since August last year because of a knee injury.
There was also encouraging reports about fast bowler Umar Gul, who last played for Pakistan against India at Lahore in which he won the man-of-the-match award.
Gul, who suffered stress fractures in the back, bowled eight overs in PCB's National Cricket Academy in Lahore without any trouble. "I felt good. There was no pain," Gul said.
