Pakistan's Test team is battling persistent fitness issues, as confirmed by head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed, prompting a new conditioning camp before their crucial tours to the Caribbean and England under new captain Babar Azam.
Key Points
- Pakistan Test team coach Sarfaraz Ahmed confirms persistent fitness issues ahead of Caribbean and England tours.
- A short conditioning camp in Islamabad is scheduled to resolve remaining fitness concerns.
- New Test captain Babar Azam is prioritising fitness and discipline for improved team performance.
- Pakistan will play two Tests in the Caribbean and three in England from July to September.
- Babar Azam stresses the importance of red-ball cricket performance in the ICC World Test Championship.
Pakistan's Test team head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed has admitted that fitness issues still remains a concern in the national side ahead of its upcoming tours of the Caribbean and England.
Sarfaraz told the media in Karachi on Wednesday that fitness issues had cropped up during the month-long red-ball training camp in Lahore.
Pakistan Cricket Team's Fitness Challenges
"Some of the fitness issues were resolved during the camp but some still remain and we will have another short conditioning camp in Islamabad from tomorrow (Thursday) and try to sort them out as well," he said without elaborating further.
Sarfaraz said he had spoken to new Test captain Babar Azam and he was confident that he skipper would deliver on the coming tours.
The former Pakistan captain said that Babar carried a lot of experience behind his back and having remained captain before he knew about the challenges up ahead.
Babar this week told a Pakistan Cricket Board podcast that he would emphasise on fitness and discipline as captain as both these were important to get performances on the field.
Pakistan will be playing two Tests in the Caribbean and three in England in July, August and early September.
Babar also admitted that Pakistan needed to step up their game in the ICC World Test Championship's remaining matches as despite the influx of white-ball cricket a player was defined by his performances in red-ball cricket.
