Pakistan’s left-handed batter Saim Ayub opened up ahead of the Green Shirts' three-match Test tour to Australia, saying that if the approach is fearless, positive results will follow.
Saim, who got his maiden Test call, is ready to prove himself a match-winner and said that the team is well prepared to play in Australia.
“Whenever I’m given a chance, I always try to win the match for the team and prove myself a match winner. We are well prepared, we are trying to fit in our subconscious all that can come useful in Australia,” Saim said in a video posted by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on X, formerly Twitter.
“You should always have a fearless approach, but sometimes you’ve to play according to the conditions, you have to respect the bowlers because they dominate [the match] sometimes. The momentum keeps changing during the game, sometimes it favours batters the other time it favours bowlers. You just have to adjust accordingly.”
The 21-year-old also added that nothing is impossible in cricket and a player makes things easy or difficult for him, but the key to results is the fearless approach.
“I believe that a player makes things easier and difficult for himself, if we go with our minds prepared, then there is nothing impossible in cricket. If the approach is fearless, there will be positive results.
“Our minds are clear, we have to play with positive intent and that is what we have practised with. I have never been to Australia, yes there are fast tracks but the ball spins too on day four or five, we have everything in mind and we are going well prepared,” he added.
The left-handed batter stated that he doesn’t want to become a specialist in one format. The 21-year-old wasn’t shy to admit that playing in Australia would be more fun due to the nature of cricket there.
“I want to be a specialist of cricket, not just of any single format. I have all [three] formats in mind, and you have to change yourself with the requirements of that format but your approach remains fearless.
“If you ask me then I guess it is more fun to play in Australia because it's fast cricket there and when you get out of your comfort zone, you face a challenge and I think that when you get a challenge, you grow a lot,” he concluded.
Pakistan squad
Shan Masood (c), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafiq, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Nauman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Afridi, Saud Shakeel, Sarfaraz Ahmed.
Schedule of Pakistan’s Test tour of Australia
The four-day match against Prime Minister XI: December 6-9, Manuka Oval
First Test: December 14-18, Perth Stadium
Second Test: December 26-30, Melbourne Cricket Ground
Third Test: January 3-7, Sydney Cricket Ground
- Saim Ayub