Players' fitness vital, says PCB

Board issues stern warning to centrally contracted players.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has issued a stern warning to several centrally contracted players to improve their fitness levels. A round of physical tests is scheduled for Monday in Lahore, where players will be assessed by the team's fitness trainer and physiotherapist.

Following a previous fitness test where multiple players failed to meet the required benchmarks, the PCB has made it clear that there will be no compromise on fitness standards.

"The players who have central and domestic contracts have been told in clear terms that there will be no compromise on fitness and they have to meet the benchmarks set by the team's fitness experts," a board official said, as quoted by PTI.

The decision to prioritize fitness comes after a series of disappointing performances by the Pakistan cricket team. Former Team Director Muhammad Hafeez and former skipper Misbah ul Haq revealed that the previous coaching staff had relaxed the fitness requirements to focus on performance on the field.

The PCB's tough stance on fitness is also supported by the team's foreign head coaches, Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten. They have emphasized to the PCB Chairman that fitness is a non-negotiable aspect for professional cricketers.

"The two foreign head coaches, Jason Gillispie and Gary Kirsten had told the PCB Chairman that no player should be given any benefit as far as fitness levels are concerned," the official said.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to conduct fitness tests on September 30 for approximately 8 to 10 players, some of whom missed previous assessments while others struggled to meet fitness standards.

To ensure fairness, the PCB aims to provide these players with a second chance, emphasizing that fitness concerns alone will not lead to penalties. A crucial component of the test will be the 2-kilometre run, where players are encouraged to enhance their performance.

In addition, the PCB plans to hire a Sports Medicine consultant to address fitness issues among cricketers at both domestic and international levels.

Ex-player, coach Jalal advises Pak team on strategy

Former Pakistan Test cricketer Jalaluddin has expressed his belief that the inclusion of two spinners in the 15-man squad announced for the first Test against England indicates Pakistan's intention to prepare spin-friendly pitches for the series.

The national selection committee on Wednesday unveiled the squad for the Multan Test, and Jalaluddin, a seasoned coach, told the mediamen that while home advantage is crucial, Pakistan's team also struggles on spin-heavy tracks. He emphasized that the batsmen need to improve their performance on such pitches, as England also boasts skilled spinners.

"Our batsmen always struggle on spin-friendly pitches. Besides, England also have good spinners," Jalaluddin said.

The former cricketer criticized Pakistan's curators for failing to produce pitches conducive to the team's success, highlighting the recent 2-0 defeat to Bangladesh as evidence of this issue. The 65-year-old advocated for the preparation of sporting wickets that support medium pacers in the early days and spinners in the latter stages, a strategy that has proven successful for Pakistan's batting lineup.

Regarding the captaincy, the former pacer endorsed the appointment of Shan Masood, stating that Pakistan has limited options in this regard. He stressed the importance of Babar Azam scoring runs to ensure Pakistan's success against England, urging other batsmen and all-rounders to contribute significantly to the batting lineup.

"Other batsmen and all rounders should contribute in the batting line up and score handsome amount of runs. Otherwise Pakistan would not survive against England," he said.

"England have changed their cricket. They don't fear losing matches. They go all out for winning matches and take risks. Sometimes they aren't successful in winning matches but their strategy and planning is result oriented," he added.

"They could suddenly declare the innings and give a target to make the match result oriented. It depends on Pakistan how they accept the challenge," he said.

"Pakistan have the only option to play without fear of defeat and work on England's weaknesses," he added.

The former cricketer predicted a possible bowling combination of Aamir Jamal, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed, and Noman Ali for the series.