Former Pakistan Test pacer and acclaimed coach Aaqib Javed wants the PCB to pick the brains of Indian curators, who are regularly preparing rank turners in their own backyard. The Pakistan cricket team’s cricket board has come under severe criticism for preparing humble wickets for the ongoing Test series with Australia, in which the batsmen have scored a lot of runs with no help to the bowlers.
The first Test in Rawalpindi resulted in a drawn out draw and the second contest saw Pakistan bat in their first innings, Australia made a contest out of it before ending in a draw.
“Why go anywhere else? I would say find out from the curators in Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai etc. how they make the turners which are dominated by the Indian spinners. I am surprised that Pakistan has not been able to make a pure turning track till now. Which will help our spinners.”
He insisted that Pakistan could beat Australia only through spin as the Pakistani fast bowlers were not as experienced as the fast bowlers were.
The third and final Test of the series will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore from March 21 and the PCB has reportedly sought the help of Toby Lumsden, the former head curator of the ICC Academy, to oversee the preparations for the final match.
A PCB official said he would also help local curators understand the modern requirements of pitch preparation.
Lumsden, who has also been a curator at the MCG, is currently overseeing all preparatory work in Lahore, where the results of the pitch are expected after the first two Tests are drawn.
Lumsden is not the first foreign curator to be appointed by the PCB, which in the past has brought in other foreign curators to help prepare the pitch during home series as well.
A reliable source in the board said that PCB chairman Rameez Raja is paying a lot of attention to the improvement of the pitches in Pakistan.
“He wants to change and improve the process of preparing pitches and may also be given a lengthy job helping Lumsden train local curators,” he said.
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