Fast bowlers finding success in all three forms is “difficult,” according to Pakistan’s interim chief selector Shahid Afridi. After Pakistan’s ODI lineup for the upcoming series against New Zealand was revealed, Afridi spoke in Karachi about the need for rest for fast bowlers and the necessity of managing formats.
“You need to keep two bowlers whose priority is Test cricket,” Afridi said. “We’ve selected 5 fast bowlers [in the ODI squad] to allow other fast bowlers to rest. It’s not possible to continuously play all three formats for years on end. The pitches are such that even if the spinners are bowling 60-70 overs, they’ll burn themselves out.”
This season, there has been more focus on Pakistan’s fast bowler management. Due to an injury suffered during the T20 World Cup final, Shaheen Shah Afridi has been unable to play any Test cricket. Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf also had injuries that prevented them from playing for most of the series against England and New Zealand. In the two innings of the current Test against New Zealand, Naseem, who is back, has been by far Pakistan’s finest fast bowler.
However, after both fast bowlers were selected for the side for the ODI series against New Zealand next week, concerns about how seriously Pakistan takes the well-being of the fast bowlers will undoubtedly arise.
It suggests conversations around workload management haven’t yet translated into the sort of rest pace bowlers – particularly those boasting high pace – get in other parts of the world. The selection of multiple fast bowlers means Pakistan does have the option of rotating, though, with an ODI World Cup at the end of this year, it is not inconceivable Naseem and Rauf end up playing all three matches.
The 19-year-old fast bowler took on the majority of the fast-bowling duties in each innings, so there wasn’t much of an element of easing Naseem back into the Test team. He would bowl 24 overs in the first, more than Mir Hamza or Hasan Ali, and 13 overs in the second, the most of any of his countrymen who bowled seam.
Naseem, one of the fastest seam bowlers in the game who is making a full recovery from a shoulder injury, has bowled the most overs thus far in the Test with his total of 37 overs despite the fact that New Zealand still has a full day of bowling to go. He has bowled 1241 deliveries in various formats since July 2022. After Mitchell Starc, that is the second-highest number of balls bowled by a fast bowler. For someone as young as he is, and as fast as he is, it is a considerable load to put his body through.
Mohammad Wasim and Rauf are also among the top 20, so understandably, it’s an issue that has piqued the concern of Pakistan fast bowling coach Shaun Tait, too. “I don’t think playing all three formats consistently can happen,” he said after the fourth day’s play. “There’s too much cricket. We’re aware of that. It’s going to be an important year for Pakistan with a couple of big tournaments towards the end of the year, so management of the fast bowlers is going to be critical.”
