Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Ramiz Raja announced on Wednesday that he is a man on a mission who will not “rest" until Pakistan becomes a world-class team and achieves the feat of defeating Australia on their home soil.
The former Pakistan captain addressed a press conference in Karachi alongside newly appointed CEO Faisal Hasnain wherein they discussed a variety of issues, including the low turnout for the recent Pakistan-West Indies series, the necessity for permanent coaches, and squad selection.
India, who has won a Test series in Australia in 2018-19 and the tour earlier this year by a 2-1 margin, has shown the cricketing world that it is possible to defeat the mighty Aussies on their home turf. As a result, Asian touring nations like Pakistan also aim to put that feather in their cap.
Raja is focusing on the larger picture in a bid to create a cricket culture that helps alleviate the team’s status. For example, drop-in pitches have been introduced by the former Pakistan cricketer to assist Pakistani players perform better on overseas tours by simulating the conditions available there.
“We’re striving to make cricket a strong product,” Ramiz stated, as reported by Dawn. “The aim is to beat Australia in Australia.” He added, “We are a mid-tier team in Tests and ODIs and the good thing about that is that gives us a chance to experiment.”
Pakistan has never won a Test series in Australia, and the T20 World Cup in 2022 is also set to take place there. Ramiz confessed that while Pakistan had found a winning formula in T20s, Tests and ODIs were still a work in progress.
Since the World Cup, former Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq has served as interim coach of the Pakistan team, with former Australian batter Matthew Hayden and former South African all-rounder Vernon Philander serving as batting and bowling consultants. Raja believes in a far more radical approach when it comes to the selection of coaches.
“Long-term coaching contracts get stuck sometimes and we’d rather hire specialists on a series-by-series basis,” he said.
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