Pak’s domestic level batting basket “totally empty” : Ex-coach

Karachi, Aug.6 (ANI): Pointing fingers towards defective domestic system, a former Pakistan cricket coach has said that there aren’t enough talented batsmen in the country who could shine at the Test level.

The coach, while requesting anonymity, described Pakistan’s domestic level basket as “totally empty”.

“You can’t do anything about it. Your basket is totally empty. There aren’t any young batsmen on our domestic circuit, who can be trusted at the Test level especially against top teams like Australia, South Africa or England,” The News quoted the coach, as saying.

Pakistan’s middle order has weakened considerably over the past few years especially after the retirement of Inzamam-ul-Haq and veterans like Mohammed Yousuf and Younis Khan being sidelined on one pretext or other.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has tried several youngsters in the recent past, but apart from Umar Akmal none of them have clicked, and the former coach blamed the country’s first-class system for their failure.

“It’s the fault of our system that is not good enough to produce batsmen with the right technique and temperament,” he said.

He pointed out that the there is no quick solution for Pakistan’s ‘perennial’ batting problem, and that the country would have to wait for some time before it is addressed.

“I think it’s like a ten-year cycle. West Indies went through it. The Aussies came out of it stronger. The English have survived it. Now we are going through a lean phase but should learn from other teams,” the former coach said. (ANI)