Rashid Latif Explains Pakistan's Poor Bowling Show: 'Our Support Staff is Not Doing a Proper Job'

Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Rashid Latif dropped a Jasprit Burmah reference while talking about a fast bowling decline in his country. Pakistan recently conceded a 10-wicket defeat to Bangladesh in Rawalpindi with the team’s pacers failing to show up. Talking about the team’s fast bowling disaster, Latif highlighted how Pakistan’s trainers were failing at their jobs to maintain the fitness of their pacers. “Our trainers and physios are to blame. If you look at a Jofra Archer, he comes back after two years of hiatus but does not lose a yard in his pace. Same with Jasprit Bumrah — he comes back from an operation and bowls with the same velocity,” he wrote on CricBuzz.

Rashid Latif felt Pakistan no longer boasts the pace bowling strength they were once famous for. He deemed it one of the primary reasons why the Asian giants failed to overcome Bangladesh in their opening Test. He voiced that the team’s fast bowlers cannot deliver at a ‘breakneck’ pace. Latif also said that the speed of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Khurram Shazad have all dipped in recent years.

Taking the example of Australia skipper Pat Cummins, Rashid Latif also explained how Pakistan’s support staff were responsible for a fast bowling decline. “Pat Cummins… he was out of cricket for a long time due to injury. When he came back, he did not show any signs of slowing down. Why are our bowlers slowing down? Obviously, our support staff is not doing a proper job. A bowler of 144 kmph speed has come down to 128 kmph,” he wrote.

Rashid Latif concluded by saying that Pakistan does not have any bowlers left who can endure the rigours of Test cricket. According to him, none of the players have the ability to bowl 30 overs in the format. He felt that Pakistan pacers were now only effective in white-ball cricket.

Pakistan are now facing plenty of heat for their performance against Bangladesh. Many experts and fans severely criticised Pakistan’s team selection for the first Test. Pakistan opted for an all-pace bowling attack, benching their spinner Abrar Ahmed. Pakistan declared their first innings before crossing the 500-run mark. The decision proved to be detrimental as Bangladesh managed a 117-run lead before dismissing the hosts for 146. The visitors, eventually, secured a comfortable victory by 10 wickets.