Naseem Shah in Test cricket (Source:@ICC/X.com)
Pakistan's squad for the two-match Test series against South Africa is out, and there are some notable exclusions in the team. The likes of Saim Ayub and Naseem Shah have not been included, while Shaheen Afridi is back for the home Test series after a long time.
The exclusion of Naseem Shah is an interesting one, as the bowler is considered one of the most skilled pacers in the country and was once touted to lead Pakistan's bowling attack. However, lately, he has been going through a tough time and was not even part of Pakistan's Asia Cup squad.
In Test cricket, he was not part of the two-match Test series against the West Indies earlier this year, while he played one Test in South Africa before that. So, let's see what the reasons are for Pakistan ignoring Naseem Shah.
Naseem Shah's mediocre performance under Shan Masood
Naseem Shah came into the Pakistan Test squad at the age of just 16. He delivered some decent performances but was not as impactful as people expected him to be. He has picked 60 wickets in 33 innings at an average of 35.13 which shows that he has struggled to get wickets as frequently as one expects from a top international bowler.
Naseem Shah under Shan Masood captaincy
| Criterion | Data |
| Innings | 5 |
| Wickets | 9 |
| Average | 42.55 |
| Strike-Rate | 61.6 |
Moreover, since Shan Masood has taken over, he has picked up just nine wickets in three Test matches. The average has shot up to 42.55 while he has not taken a five-wicket haul since the one in 2019. Thus, Naseem Shah has consistently underperformed in Test cricket, and it went a notch lower in 2024.
Pakistan's new approach of spin-heavy attack in home Tests
Pakistan pacers have traditionally dominated cricket in the country. On the bowling front, more often than not, their pacers have been the heroes, and captains have always been dependent on them to make an impact. However, the poor run in home Tests in the last couple of years triggered a big shift in Pakistan cricket, and during the home Test series against England, they decided to dish out turning tracks.
Pakistan lost the first Test of that series, and then decided to field a playing XI full of spinners, which helped them win that series. The strategy continued against the West Indies, where they played just one seamer in the playing XI, and it is all set to be continued against South Africa.
Thus, there are just three frontline pacers and one seam-bowling all-rounder in their squad for the South Africa series. Therefore, Naseem Shah, with his mediocre performances in recent times, has missed out.
Return of Shaheen Afridi And Other Experienced Pacers
The three frontline pacers selected by Pakistan for the tour of South Africa are all more experienced in home conditions, with truckloads of wickets in first-class cricket. Also, Shaheen Afridi is back, and he displayed signs of getting back to his best in the Asia Cup. The pace was up, and if Pakistan play only one seamer in the playing XI, Shaheen Afridi might be the preferred one.
| Players | First-class wickets |
| Naseem Shah | 118 |
| Shaheen Afridi | 156 |
| Hasan Ali | 318 |
| Khurram Shahzad | 210 |
Hasan Ali has more than 300 first-class wickets while Khurram Shahzad too has over 200 wickets. Thus, these pacers have the experience of playing in varied pitches of Pakistan, and so selectors have trusted them to deliver against South Africa.
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