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Shan Masood Thinks Pakistan’s Test Troubles Stem From A Lack Of Red-Ball Experience

Sarvang Bhola

The Test captain from Pakistan, Shan Masood, has noted that their absence of regular red-ball matches is the reason for the team’s failure in the current times. He suggested more red-ball games for current and future players and jokingly said you can’t study for a science test and then take a math exam.

Masood’s reign witnessed a two-match Test series against Bangladesh which Pakistan lost 2-0 at home that ended on Tuesday, September 3. This was the first time that Pakistan went down to Bangladesh in a Test match.

Masood paid tribute to the fact that Bangladesh had played much better than Pakistan and added that his country needed to play more red-ball cricket to get better in this format while reflecting on their poor showings in the two-match Test series. He stated (as quoted by ESPNcricinfo):

“Bangladesh have two players who have played 70-90 Tests (Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahman), and Litton [Das] and Mehidy [Hasan Miraz] have played close to 40. We need the same level of red-ball exposure. Test cricket is the ultimate format of the game. You need experience. It’s obvious we need more Test and red-ball cricket.”

“Whatever format you play is the format for which you’ll produce players. You can’t play more T20 cricket and get Test players. You can’t prepare for science and then sit for a maths exam. If you’re being tested for maths, you study maths. To play red-ball cricket, you must play red-ball cricket,” the Pakistan captain went on to add.

Before being on the receiving end of a 2-0 defeat to Bangladesh on home soil, under Masood’s captaincy, it had been a miserable tour Down Under where they were humiliated 3-0 in a Test series. Their Test performances have remained consistently under scrutiny.

“I’m not concerned about my job security”- Shan Masood

Under Masood’s captaincy, Pakistan has not been able to function collectively; however, his own batting has been less than sufficient.

He scored just 105 runs over four innings against Bangladesh for an average of 26.25. Again during the series played in Australia, his batting was average. Commenting on that, the 34-year-old stated:

“I am not worried for my job security. I took this job to make the changes we believe will help this team. If I believe this team can go in a certain direction, even if my personal failure takes Pakistan to that direction, I will be content. However much time I get, I’ll be grateful for and do my best.”

With 35 Test matches under his belt, Masood has amassed 1,883 runs at an average of 28.53, including four centuries and ten half-centuries.

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