One of the most critical decisions made by the PCB during the two-Test series against New Zealand was to replace Mohammad Rizwan with Sarfaraz Ahmed.
However, Rizwan stated that he believed he “didn’t deserve to play” for Pakistan at the time based on his performance up to that point.
“You can ask the head coach Saqlain Mushtaq what I told him after the end of the England Test series,”
Rizwan said in an interview with Cricket Pakistan.
“I personally thought that since I wasn’t able to perform, I didn’t deserve to play in the next series.”
Rizwan’s batting performance has declined throughout the period of his last six Test matches, scoring 262 runs in 12 innings without reaching fifty at an average of 21.83.
Despite the fact that it was much lower than his lifetime average (38.13), it was thought that his skill behind the stumps provided him with sufficient protection from exclusion.
Changes were seen on the field as well, however, not long after the PCB chairman Ramiz Raja was fired in a major reorganization. Sarfaraz, who was taking part in his first Test game in more than three years, took Rizwan’s position.
While there were numerous dropped catches and missed stumpings throughout both Tests, worries about his wicket keeping still exist, his batting form was unquestionable. With 335 runs, he was the series’ leading scorer.
Mohammad Rizwan helped Pakistan escape with a draw by scoring three half-centuries and a hundred on the final day of the second Test. He was later recognised as the Series’ Player of the Year.
“I was happy to see Sarfaraz perform because that is what I wanted,”
Rizwan said.
“Sarfaraz has been performing domestically and deserves his chance now. I asked for his inclusion. Whoever performs best for Pakistan deserves to play.
“Some players said that every player goes through this phase and you can’t sit on the bench based on a few failures. But I went to the coach and captain myself and told them that you can drop me because I haven’t performed. Two players are witnesses to this conversation.”
Rizwan’s existence between the two matches hadn’t caused anyone to take notice the first time. For the majority of his career with the Karachi Kings, he was widely left on the bench; in his final two seasons with the team, he played just seven times.
He was made team captain after transferring to Multan Sultans in 2021, and he finished as the second-highest run-scorer in the PSL while leading the team to their first championship.
Rizwan supported the decision made by his previous franchise.
“I was never hurt when I was benched during the PSL in the past. I thought that Karachi Kings were honest with the team, and it was the team’s requirement at the time to keep me on the bench.”
When the PSL begins on February 13th, Rizwan will continue to play for Multan and serve as their captain for a third straight year.