Akhtar questions decision to appoint Younis as Pak team's batting coach

Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar feels the position of national team's batting coach is not a suitable one for ex-captain Younis Khan.

"Younis Khan has wrongly been made batting coach, he should be training players in the National Academy with Mohammad Yousuf as the Pakistan batting coach," said Akhtar while speaking on a local Pakistan news channel as per Cricket Pakistan.

The outspoken Akhtar also said that Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is not managed well.

"PCB is mismanaged. The more you keep good people away, the further cricket will go downhill. If I got a chance to work in PCB, I'd bring in foreign investment. I would work for free and ensure that no one calls me up and tells me to select their kid," he said.

Recently, Pakistan batting coach Younis Khan urged talisman Babar Azam to convert starts into big hundreds in their upcoming Test series against England.

The two teams are scheduled to play three Tests and as many T20Is after England's series against West Indies.

For all his talent, Azam hasn't gone past the three-figure mark in the longest format as often he has done in ODIs. He has scored just five centuries in 26 Tests in comparison to 11 tons in 74 ODIs. Moreover, he hasn't hit a single score in excess of 150 in Test cricket, with his highest being 143.

"I have tried to work with everyone in the side including Babar Azam. These players are our future. I have no doubts about the skills of Babar," Younis told reporters via videoconference.

"I want him to keep performing better and better. He should strive for a 150 when he makes a 100 and then go on to even 200," he added.

Indo-Asian New Service