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'If You Can Play Leagues...,' Pakistan Coach Breaks Silence On Shaheen's Test Exclusion

Bhargav Dixit

Aaqib Javed comments on Shaheen Afridi. [Source: @PakPassion & @thePSLt20/X]Aaqib Javed comments on Shaheen Afridi. [Source: @PakPassion & @thePSLt20/X]

The curiosity around Pakistan speedster Shaheen Afridi’s absence from Test cricket just doesn’t seem to come to an end. Multiple reports and contrasting statements have turned a selection decision into a controversy.

Addressing the media on the eve of the second Pakistan-West Indies Test match in Multan, head coach Aaqib Javed was expectedly asked the rationale behind leaving Afridi out of the Test squad.

Having not played a first-class match since the last of his 31 Tests against England in October last year, Afridi represented Pakistan in both the limited-overs formats before plying his trade for Fortune Barishal in the Bangladesh Premier League.

“If they can play leagues before Test matches, they also need to play four-day cricket to ensure their stamina if of that level. If you play all three formats, you might bowl in Tests during a series, but then for the next three months, you don’t play any four-day cricket. So, when you return to Test matches, you have to rebuild yourself for bowling in that format,” Javed told the reporters on Friday.

To further prove his point forward, Javed specifically mentioned how dropping Afridi made way for Mohammad Abbas in South Africa. Playing international cricket after more than three years, Abbas was a primary reason behind Pakistan being on the verge of winning the Cape Town Test.

Shaheen Afridi Hasn’t Been At His Best Lately

Irrespective of the format, there is no going into a safe house around the fact that Shaheen Shah Afridi hasn’t been at this absolute best since returning from an injury. Promoted as Pakistan’s next big thing for a long time, there’s a reason why he hasn’t been selected for the last six Tests.

Having said that, it was earlier revealed that Afridi is being rested to manage his workload. The left-arm bowler himself justified his ouster from the Test squad citing the same. As per Afridi, he decided to remain unavailable for Test cricket in preparation for ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

It was due to the same reason that he participated in the BPL 2024/25. Afridi, however, hasn’t given up on Test cricket. What doesn’t work for Pakistan cricket is the frequent changes in team management which results in responsible voices differing from each other every second series.