LAHORE: Director Academies Mudassar Nazar on Tuesday expressed concerns over Pakistan’s longstanding opening issues, stating that several opening batsmen from 2002 to 2010 saw their careers get ruined.

However, the former Test all-rounder claimed that there were many cricketers who can replace ageing middle-order batmen Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq in future, adding that one of them was ready to replace either of the senior pros while stopping short of revealing the name of the young batsman.

Talking to reporters at the start of the High Performance Camp here at the NCA, Mudassar said that Pakistan had been struggling in the opening department but it was also a fact that from 2002 to 2010 the country did produce several talented opening batsmen whom, he said, “were destroyed by our failure to use them properly.”

“It is so bizarre that technique issues are taken up with an opener after he scores 2500 or more runs. It has never happened with any other team that they have changed five to six openers in this period [from 2002 to 2010] but we tested many openers and subsequently rejected many talented players even after they succeeded in scoring more than 2500 runs,” commented the Director Academies.

Talking about alternatives of Younis and Misbah, the former Test all-rounder said that there was no dearth of talent in Pakistan. “We have good alternatives of Younis and Misbah for future and one of them can easily serve Pakistan team for a long time. But at present I will not disclose his name.”

Talking about the High Performance Camp, Mudassar, who has recently taken charge of the NCA, said that it would take 10 years to put Pakistan cricket on the right track. Notwithstanding, he looked positive while talking about players taking part in the High Performance Camp.

“I am happy that many talented players are here. Some are not here because they have already been tested. Overall, the boys are very good, skilful, competent and in high spirit,” Mudassar remarked.

“It is easy to work with them at this level because they are talented. However, I still believe that any exact position about talent in Pakistan could be gauged after watching players at U-19 level.”

Answering a question that the trio of talented players Ahmad Shahzad, Umar Akmal and Fawad Alam were not invited to the High Performance Camp, he said: “All the three are my students and I have a great love for all of them. But it is the domain of selectors who might not have selected them since they might think that they don’t need any training at the camp,” maintained Mudassar.

Both Shehzad and Umar have been sidelined on disciplinary grounds after former head coach Waqar Younis and incumbent batting coach Grant Flower complained against their behaviour in their reports.

Answering a question, Mudassar said it was hard for current cricketers to maintain their performances as they had to play in all three formats of the game.

“In our era we have to play mainly Test cricket and later ODIs also came but now a player has to play in all the three formats which is not an easy job,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2016