New Delhi: Pakistan all-rounder Salman Ali Agha will take the field during the upcoming first Test against Bangladesh as the sole spinner for his side. He showed faith in excelling at the dual role with complete assurance as he relished its prospect. The Pakistan cricket team made headlines when their selectors decided to sideline their only specialist Test spinner Abrar Ahmed for the first Test.
The selectors rather named Salman as the lone spinner and that he would bat at number seven. Talking about the dual role that he will put in action, the right-arm off-spinner told the media, “I have played before in Australia as a lone spinner in the side and it is not new for me. When I bat I consider myself as a batsman and when I bowl I am confident to consider myself as a pure bowler.”
The two-match Test series was to be hosted by Rawalpindi and Karachi but a development on Sunday ruled Karachi out due to the ongoing construction work there, with PCB naming Rawalpindi as the venue for the second Test as well. Salman believes that the management relied on a four-pace attack due to the pitch conditions, which are expected to help the pacers.
“I have no issues fulfilling the role of the only spinner and bowling long spells. But we have to see how the pitch eventually behaves in the test,” Salman said on Sunday. The Pakistan Cricket Board also announced that the team would be using Kookaburra balls for the Test matches they will be playing at home this season and Duke balls for domestic cricket.
Differences in team?
Salman also addressed on the reports running rife on social media about differences in the Pakistan dressing room. Quashing all of them, he said, “This talk about differences is just on social media. In the team, we support each other and the environment is very good.” He also talked about the “pace-friendly pitches,” saying that he has played a lot of domestic cricket and that he is used to such turfs.
“You get pace-friendly pitches mostly in domestic cricket and you just have to adjust accordingly being a professional,” the 30-year-old said. He has two centuries and six fifties to his credit with an average of 42 and has also scalped 12 wickets in the 12 Tests that he has played so far. He also termed Bangladesh as a very balanced outfit having some good fast bowlers and that it would be a good series between the two nations.
Salman Ali Agha has been named as the lone spinner in Pakistan’s squad for the upcoming first Test against Bangladesh, scheduled to be played in Rawalpindi from August 21. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
