New Delhi [India], September 12 (ANI): Shaheen Shah Afridi has made it clear that reclaiming his place in Pakistan’s Test side remains a priority, as he featured in the President’s Trophy on Saturday, marking his first competitive red-ball appearance in domestic cricket since 2019.
The left-arm pacer is currently out of the Test setup after being left out of Pakistan’s squads for the tours of the West Indies and England. Since making his Test debut in 2018, Afridi has claimed 126 wickets in 34 matches, and will now look to use his domestic return to stake his claim for a Test comeback.
"Red-ball cricket is always my first priority," Afridi said, as per the ICC website.
"I've always loved it. I didn't get enough time to play because of international cricket, but I haven't been playing much cricket for the last couple of months. So it's an opportunity to play red-ball cricket," he added.
Pakistan will be hoping that Afridi's comeback trail bodes well for the Test side that's coming on the back of a 3-0 ICC World Test Championship series defeat against England.
A packed international calendar across all three formats has kept Afridi away from red-ball rhythm for long stretches in recent times.
He remains captain of Pakistan's ODI side, and a home tri-series against England and Sri Lanka is next on the calendar, followed by a home Test series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand later in the year, assignments he will have his sights set on.
"I learned a lot from my elder brother Riaz Afridi, because he's played a lot of first-class cricket," he said. In the longer format, the longer you spend time on the ground (the better it is) for your confidence, and for your line and length to get fine-tuned."
Afridi was clear that his approach with the ball would mirror what fans have seen off him wearing the whites for Pakistan.
"I'll try to bowl the same way in first-class cricket as I've bowled in Test cricket," Afridi said.
The gap since his last extended red-ball run has been considerable, and Afridi acknowledged that stepping away from Test cricket while remaining busy across white-ball formats brings its own challenges when it comes to switching gears.
"I've not played red-ball cricket for the last few months. Before that, I'd been playing red-ball cricket continuously," he said.
"If you play international cricket, then coming back to domestic cricket can be challenging. Because you've been playing international cricket constantly in all three formats, it keeps you busy. When you're free, you should play domestic cricket."
Afridi has continued to show his class with the ball in ODI cricket too, finishing as the leading wicket-taker in the recently concluded Champions Cup, a tournament he also led his side to win, registering bowling figures of 7/36 in the final.
Pakistan are currently ninth in the WTC Standings, having won only two of their nine games so far in this cycle. (ANI)
Shaheen Afridi eyes Test comeback, says red-ball cricket always "priority"
