‘Kohli’s career picked off amazingly because he found MS Dhoni’: Ahmed Shehzad on lack of support in Pakistan cricket

Pakistan opener Ahmed Shehzad has opened up about the environment in the Pakistan cricket setup, lack of support from seniors, and deliberate intentions to sack him out of the team. Shehzad started his career in 2009 at a similar time to Virat Kohli and the two were expected to have a healthy competition over a period of time. However, while Kohli rose to the highest level, Shehzad’s career never actually took off. While talking to Cricket Pakistan, Shehzad blamed it on Pakistan’s cricketing culture and said that the seniors in Pakistan cannot digest other players’ success. He also added that Dhoni boosted Kohli’s career to the next level. “I have said this before and I will say it again, Kohli’s career picked off amazingly because he found MS Dhoni but unfortunately, here in Pakistan, your own people cannot stand your success. “Our own senior players and ex-cricketers cannot digest seeing someone succeed in the cricketing world, which is unfortunate for Pakistan cricket.”

However, Kohli has been struggling with his form lately and is not able to score in the manner he used to earlier. “Kohli’s been struggling for form for the past two years, I was cast aside after two matches. I was told to perform in the Faisalabad tournament and I was the highest scorer there but still, I was not handed another chance,” Shehzad said talking about Kohli’s form. Shehzad last played a T20I in October 2019 and has not featured in longer formats since 2017. But he is training and thinking about a comeback to the national side. “I have been busy with my training and have been focusing on things from the sidelines. The point is to assess things for my personal growth and how I can benefit Pakistan.” The right-hander also reacted to Waqar Younis’s 2016 report which supposedly put a brake on his career. Waqar being the head coach of the national side back then had written in a report that Shehzad along with Umar Akmal must play domestic cricket to make a comeback to the Pakistan team. “I have not seen the report myself but a PCB official told me that these remarks have been said regarding me. But I believe that these things should be discussed face-to-face and I am ready to take on that challenge. Then we will see who is right and who is wrong.

“Maybe I have more things to say and I might even have a bigger reach than them but I opt to stay quiet because you need to live up to your own standards. But their words hurt my career, especially since I was not allowed to present my case.” Shehzad also said that it was pre-planned to sack him out of the team. “I requested the media to not pay any importance to such controversies but everyone wanted to enjoy these controversies and that is alright because I am not bothered by it anymore.”