Azhar Ali said that he was working to get rid of the fear factor from the Pakistan team so that a relaxed environment can be created in the dressing room.
Pakistan's Azhar Ali leaves the field after being dismissed during the fifth and final day of the first Test cricket match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on December 15, 2019. (Photo by Aamir QURESHI / AFP)
Pakistan Test team captain Azhar Ali has said that he would want his nation to play fearless cricket all around the globe to regain their number one spot in the Test ranking.
Azhar, who was a part of the Misbah-ul-Haq-led team that reached the pinnacle of red-ball cricket, has set his desire to achieve the same, now under the guidance of his former captain as the coach of the Pakistan cricket team.
“My plan is to play fearless cricket. The target is to prove ourselves as one of the best Test sides and for this, we have to perform exceptionally in home and away series. In our series against England and New Zealand, we need to prove our mettle, as this will be a great step towards becoming a No.1 side,” Azhar was quoted as saying on the official website of ICC.
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“We can’t be a No.1 Test team if we win [only] the home series. We need to produce extraordinary results in the away series as well. In home series, we have to outclass the opponents convincingly … If every player plays fearless cricket, shoulders his responsibility and gives a consistent performance, no one can stop us from achieving our goal,” the Pakistan skipper added.
Azhar, who is regarded as a defensive batsman much like Misbah, has admitted that his batting trait doesn’t affect his captaincy and he would not want to be recognised as a defensive captain.
“I bat with composure and I take time, that does not mean I am a defensive captain. In Dubai, [if] a fast bowler is bowling, you can’t keep four slips. In Pakistan also, where conditions are flat, you have to have balance,” Azhar explained.
The 35-year-old further said that he was working to get rid of the fear factor from the Pakistan team so that a relaxed environment could be created in the dressing room. He has also asked for team ethics more than personal brilliance from his players.
“I am trying to get rid of the fear factor. They should play with a free mind. That team culture needs to be developed. Every player should think about the team and there should be a relaxed atmosphere. You cannot perform under pressure and with level-headed approach, consistency will come. It will also help in decision-making,” Azhar said.
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