Rizwan says he asked Babar to drop him in Tests and pick Sarfaraz
Cricket
Rizwan says he asked Babar to drop him in Tests and pick Sarfaraz
LAHORE (Web Desk) – Pakistan wicket-keeper batter, Mohammad Rizwan has reportedly said he requested the team management to be dropped from the home Test series against New Zealand, and to have former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed play in his place instead.
Rizwan revealed this during an interview with a local media outlet. He stated that after a poor performance during the home Test series against England, in which the Pakistan team was defeated, he felt he did not deserve a spot in the playing XI. Despite poor batting, with 141 runs in six innings at an average of 23.50 and not scoring a single fifty, Rizwan recognised Sarfaraz's deserving position in the side based on his impressive domestic performance.
He approached the coach and captain and asked to be dropped from the team, with two other players witnessing the conversation. “Sarfaraz has been performing in domestic and deserves his chance now. So I was happy to see Sarfaraz perform because I asked for his inclusion. Whoever performs best for Pakistan deserves to play,” he said.
Sarfaraz excelled in the two Tests against New Zealand, scoring 335 runs at an average of 83.75, earning him the title of Player of the Series after his hundred and half-century in the second Test.
Rizwan emphasized that he never feels demotivated after being dropped, citing an example from his time with the Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Karachi Kings, where he was often benched. He believes that being dropped was an honest decision made for the benefit of the team.
