Karachi : Former Test cricketer and selection committee chairman Salahuddin Ahmed Sallu Wednesday said he feels that local talent should have been given the priority over the foreign referring to the probable selection of former Australian cricketer Dav Whatmore.
Dav Whatmore, who coached Sri Lanka, in its only World Cup glory in 1996, is the frontrunner to be appointed as Pakistan s head coach.
Salahuddin pointed out that Whatmore was not the only reason that Sri Lanka won the World Cup because before he became coach of Sri Lanka, Sir Gary Sobers of West Indies was its coach and actually Sobers was the main character in transforming the then Sri Lankan cricket team.
It is the decision to be taken by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and they would consider the best option available for Pakistan cricket team, Sallu said.
However, when asked whether he endorses PCB s decision for a probable selection of Whatmore as a coach, Sallu poetically said that he thinks the local talent should be given the priority.
Meanwhile, Sallu said that Pakistan would have an edge over England in the upcoming series against England in UAE because of the home-ground like advantage in UAE. The weather, crowd and pitch would favor Pakistan, he said.
The series begins 17th January with the first Test in Dubai. The three Tests would be followed by four ODIs and three T20s.
The ranking of a team doesn t mean that they could not be knocked out of that position. So, I don t think that Pakistan cannot conquer top placed England. Pakistan needs to be more consistent in fielding and other than that have the ability to beat the England, Sallu said.
He further added that spin maestro Saeed Ajmal would play crucial role for Pakistan during the testing series.
Ajmal would play a crucial role in the series. But I would advise him not to bowl his Doosra much too often because the players would become used to it and its deadly impact would fade away, Sallu added.
