Former Test cricketer Tanvir Ahmed took a dig at the chief selectors of the Pakistan team to date for ignoring consistent domestic performer Usman Salahuddin.
Salahuddin, 32, made his ODI debut in 2011 against West Indies. He was given just two ODIs before getting dropped. The right-handed batter kept working hard and proved himself quite often in domestic cricket.
Later on, he made his Test debut in England in 2018. Once again, he got very limited time to prove himself as he managed to play solitary Test.
"What is the fault of Usman Salahuddin, why selectors don't pick him despite his consistent performance in domestic cricket," said Ahmed who appears as a cricket analyst on different local tv channels.
"Just look at his centuries, his average, his runs, there is no comparison of him in middle-order batting. Selectors, not only the current ones, should be questioned about ignoring such a performer," he added.
Tanvir said teams like India and Australia carry players aged 36. "They make his age an excuse. Just go and watch players aged 36 are playing in Australia and India teams," he gave the example.
"Why his name is not even coming in the Shaheens squad? Where should he go? People say I discriminate between cities but I have always spoken about players like Usman who are not from Karachi," he concluded.
PCB today announced 16-member squad for two-match Test series in Sri Lanka next month. Young Mohammad Hurraira and Aamer Jamal got their maiden Test call-up. Shaheen Shah Afridi returns to Test squad as Pakistan are all set to start the third cycle of the ICC World Test Championship next month in Sri Lanka.
Pakistan squad
Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (vc & wk), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi and Shan Masood
Expected schedule
First Test – July 16-20
Second Test – July 24-28