R Ashwin expresses sympathy for Pakistan's Test captain Shan Masood
What's the story
India's seasoned spin all-rounder, Ravichandran Ashwin, has expressed his sympathy for Pakistan's Test captain Shan Masood.
This comes after the latter faced criticism following Pakistan's 0-2 home Test series loss to Bangladesh.
Ashwin acknowledged Masood's potential but highlighted the challenges he faces leading a team where Babar Azam is a prominent figure.
Here are further details.
Praise
Ashwin praises Masood's cricketing intellect
Ashwin praised Masood's cricketing intellect on his YouTube channel, stating, "Shan Masood is a very smart cricketer. I know that guy. He speaks a lot of sense."
He further acknowledged the difficulties Masood faces in his current role due to Babar Azam's popularity.
"But handling a Pakistan cricket team, where Babar Azam is not the captain and he is a poster boy for Pakistan, it cannot be an easy dressing room, right?"
Challenges
Masood's struggles as Pakistan's Test captain
Masood was appointed as captain last year after Babar stepped down from all formats following a poor campaign in the ODI World Cup 2023.
Despite showing promise during their tour of Australia, Masood's team was unable to secure a win in the three-Test series.
Under his leadership, Pakistan has played five Tests and suffered defeat in each one.
Performance
Pakistan's Test cricket performance raises concerns
Pakistan's next Test series is against England next month on home soil.
The team has not secured a Test victory at home for a significant period, going winless in their last 10 Tests including four draws.
This performance has led to their fall to eighth place in both the ICC Test Team Rankings and World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 points table, nearly eliminating them from the WTC 2025 final race.
Reflection
Ashwin reflects on Pakistan's downfall
Ashwin expressed his surprise at the current state of Pakistan's cricket team, reminiscing about their stronger performance a decade ago.
He said, "Pakistan cricket, to see where it is right now, it wasn't possible 10 years ago with Misbah, Younis Khan."
The 37-year-old cricketer contrasted this with India's successful home record since 2012 and his own significant contribution to that success.