Sarfaraz should be relieved of Test captaincy: Afridi

Former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has advised the Men in Green’s skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed to leave the Test reigns.

While speaking to media in Karachi, swashbuckling all-rounder said that the wicketkeeper-batsman should focus on limited-overs cricket.

“It is a correct decision to appoint Sarfaraz as skipper in One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is),” said Afridi. “Sarfaraz should have been removed as Test captain after the South Africa tour as it is a difficult challenge to lead the side in three formats.”

“I had advised Sarfaraz to leave Test cricket after the South Africa tour irrespective of the result, but he didn’t listen,” he added.

READ MORE: Raja slams Misbah for ‘safe’ selection

Afridi also appreciated the Pakistan skipper on his improved fitness since the 2019 International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup.

“Few days ago, I saw couple of his [Sarfaraz] pictures from the training camp and he looks extremely fit,” he said. “He seems to have given himself time and has worked hard on his fitness, which will help him going forward in limited-overs cricket.”

The 41-year-old also showed his support towards the new domestic structure.

“Introduction of provincial teams and limiting the first-class cricket to six teams is a good move,” he said. “It should be given time to succeed, as lesser teams will improve the quality of cricket.”

Earlier, former Test cricketers Zaheer Abbas and Mohsin Khan had also voiced their opinion regarding relieving Sarfaraz from Test captaincy.