ISLAMABAD: Squash legend Jansher Khan on Wednesday urged the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) to focus on junior players, a move which he said would put the game in the right direction.

Jansher said the PSF should reassure the holding of junior international tournaments along with senior events.

“Resuming junior international squash in the country will automatically lead to the improvement of Pakistan squash. Moreover, through holding junior events new talent will also emerge,” the 50-year-old Jansher said in a statement issued here.

Jansher insisted that if more attention was paid on grassroots level across Pakistan the game would flourish. “The PSF should pay more attention towards junior national academies as investing on junior players will prove productive for the federation,” he underlined.

“Our [junior] players are very talented but they don’t want to go through intensive training, therefore the PSF should pay special attention on their physical training.”

He said there was a time when Indian players were nowhere in international rankings but now they were among top 15. “Whereas, Pakistani players are not even in the top 80 which is very disappointing,” Jansher, who retired from the game in 2001, said.

Meanwhile, Jansher congratulated Air Vice Marshal Aamir Masood, who was elected as PSF senior vice-president last week.

“I am happy with the fact that PSF SVP is an athletic man and a good squash player. AVM Aamir knows much about squash as he also invited all former legends to join hands for the improvement of the game,” Jansher said.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2019