Shahid Afridi Was A Better Test Player As Compared To ODIs: Shoaib Akhtar

Published - 27 Apr 2020, 12:14 AM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:05 AM

Shahid Afridi (Credits: Getty)

Former Pakistan fast-bowler Shoaib Akhtar believes his ex-teammate Shahid Afridi was a better Test cricketer and could have excelled in the oldest format of the game. The former Pakistan allrounder made a name for himself with his hard-hitting skills and represented his country in all the three formats.

But despite being one of Pakistan’s most talented cricketers during his time, he could not cement his place in the Test team. Shahid Afridi made his debut in the longest format of the game back in 1998 and impressed straightaway. However, he could only play 27 Tests, scoring 1,716 runs at an average of 36.51. But in those 27 games, he scored five tons and eight fifties.

In just his second game, he scored a stunning 141 against arch-rivals India in the testing conditions of Chennai. And while Shahid Afridi featured in more ODIs and was an integral part of Pakistan’s limited-overs team, Shoaib Akhtar believes that the allrounder was a better Test cricketer. He also said that Afridi was a better bowler than a batsman.

“I always told Shahid Afridi that you are much better Test player as compared to ODIs. I have always believed that he was a much better bowler than a batsman,” Akhtar was quoted as saying on a local sports channel.

Another former Pakistan cricketer, Rashid Latif also echoed the same sentiments. Latif opined that Shahid Afridi shouldn’t have given up on Test cricket.

“Shahid Afridi should not have left Test cricket because he had a decent record. We also advised him against quitting Test cricket but he had made up his mind about focusing on white-ball cricket,” Latif mentioned.

Shahid Afridi retired from Test cricket in 2006. But he came out of retirement for a solitary Test in 2010 before announcing his retirement again. He then played ODIs and T20Is and led Pakistan in 2011 World Cup as well as 2016 T20 World Cup.