Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer, who has had a stormy relationship with speedster Shoaib Akhtar since taking over the post, has admitted the team was missing the bowler's abilities on the Indian tour.
"It is disappointing he is not in the team. But there is nothing we can do about it," Bob Woolmer was quoted as saying by a local daily on Sunday.
"There is no doubt at all in my mind or that of (captain) Inzamam (ul-Haq) that he is our main strike bowler and we want him in the team.
"But it is also a fact that I would not like to have him for one innings or one match. He has to decide when to come back. But we have no doubts about his ability to take wickets," Woolmer said.
He admitted Shoaib's absence from the Test squad because of a hamstring injury was unfortunate as was his not making the one-day team for the Indian tour.
"I think it is best he comes back with a clear mind about his role and aims," Woolmer said.
{{/usCountry}}"I think it is best he comes back with a clear mind about his role and aims," Woolmer said.
{{/usCountry}}Inzamam recently said he wanted Shoaib to be part of the team and not on his own terms and conditions, but rather as a team man who contributed to the collective cause.
Woolmer said the absence of Shoaib, Shabbir Ahmed and Umar Gul had reflected on the bowling performance and that there was a need for Pakistan to look at its reserve bowling stock as a back-up for Test cricket.
He agreed that left-arm seamer Mohammad Khalil had not moved on from his performance in Australia and needed to go back and work hard on his game and his action.
Abdul Razzaq's lack of pace exposed him in the longer version of the game, while he was still a very good one-day bowler, felt Woolmer.
Woolmer said there was a need to address the issue of reserve bowling stock after the tour. But he felt that when Shoaib, Shabbir and Umar Gul were fit again, Pakistan would have a strong bowling line up to fall back on.