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Axing of experienced all-rounder Shahid Afridi for the three Tests against India may have taken Pakistani cricket community by surprise but chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed alias Sallu justified his decision, saying the player was not in top form and needed to get his confidence back.

“We want him to play some domestic cricket and get back to his normal form. He is such a senior player that we don’t want him travelling with the team as a reserve player,” Salahuddin said on Saturday.

Afridi batted at different positions in the four one-dayers against India and won the second match at Mohali with his bowling and batting.

His batting and bowling have both been off-colour in the last two matches in Kanpur and Gwalior and his body language has also not been as positive as it normally is.

Afridi’s supporters point out that there is definitely something wrong with the way his body language has fallen since Mohali. “He is normally a very positive player and always on the move,” former captain Rashid Latif noted.

But the chief selector said it was difficult to strike a balance in the Test playing XI and pick Afridi if the tour selection committee decided to play three pacers and one spinner.

But Afridi’s supporters say that his record in Tests is far more impressive than some of the other players retained for the longer version matches.

Afridi has in 26 Tests scored 1683 runs with five hundreds and eight fifties at an average of nearly 38 and has also taken 47 wickets with his leg spin.

Source:Cricket News