Ex-cricketer suggests Babar Azam as batting coach amidst chaos in Pakistan's coaching staff

Former cricketer Basit Ali criticized the Pakistan cricket management ahead of the first Test match against Bangladesh, expressing his disapproval of the decision to opt for an all-pace bowling attack. The team has prepared a green top at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, indicating a shift in playing approach under the new head coach, Jason Gillespie. Gillespie has chosen to exclude a specialist spinner from the playing XI, instead relying on pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad, and Mohammad Ali. Ali's comments suggest a lack of confidence in this bold strategy for the series opener.

Meanwhile, Saud Shakeel and Salman Ali Agha will be Pakistan's part-time spin options against Najmul Shanto and Co.

Basit took a sarcastic dig at the Pakistan team for not having a batting coach and said only Babar Azam is eligible to guide them now.

"The opposition is like a team of kids. Do Pakistan have the courage to prepare a pitch like this (grass) against England? There was no need for a batting coach with Gary Kirsten at the helm, right? So, now with Jason Gillespie, why do we need a separate bowling coach? Who is going to tell them about batting? Only Babar Azam is left. Make Babar the batting coach as well then," he said on his YouTube channel.

The Pakistan team has been under the scanners over the past year after it failed to produce positive results on the big stage across formats.

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Basit further lashed out at the PCB for allowing Gillespie to bring a new coach to NCA's High-Performance Centre.

"Jason Gillespie has played a lot of cricket and has also had a great coaching tenure with Yorkshire. But please don't do such things in Pakistan. He is from Adelaide and brought someone from Adelaide for the role of NCA's High-Performance Centre coach. Are the PCB officials sleeping? The NCA coach doesn't even know how to do drills properly. He was previously removed from Adelaide," he added.

Pakistan's playing XI for the 1st Test against Bangladesh

Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (C), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel (VC), Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali. (ANI)

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