Wasim Jaffer baffled by Pakistan's treatment of Fawad Alam, Junaid Khan

Pakistan once again snubbed Fawad Alam as well as their fast-bowler Junaid Khan for their upcoming tour of Australia. While Junaid has played international games in recent times, Fawad Alam has not turned up for Pakistan since 2015. In fact, he played his last Test way back in 2009. Pakistan’s treatment of Fawad is really mysterious and puzzling.

Pakistan cricket has gone a number of changes in the last decade but it has not changed Fawad’s fortunes. The closest he came to selection was in 2018 when another fine season in the domestic arena helped him get a call for a 25-man training camp ahead of a tour to Ireland and England. However, he could not make it to the final 16-member squad.

Since then, Fawad has not even come close to a call-up. In fact, it would not be very wrong to say that he is not even in the picture right now. Despite Pakistan’s struggles for a consistent batting line-up, Fawad has not managed to break into the team. At 34, he is not getting any younger and the way things are going on at the moment, it looks like he would finish his career with only three Tests.

It is really baffling considering Fawad’s record in first-class cricket. The left-handed batsman has scored over 11,000 runs in first-class cricket at an astonishing average of 55.77 with the help of 31 centuries and 58 fifties. Before being dropped, he played 3 Tests, 38 ODIs and 24 T20Is, scoring over 1,000 runs across formats.

On the other hand, Junaid last played for Pakistan during the ODI series against England in May. He was a part of the preliminary World Cup squad before Pakistan dropped him to make room for veteran Wahab Riaz. A frustrated Junaid had not shied away from venting his frustration on Twitter although it has not made any difference.

Wasim Jaffer surprised

Like many, former India opener Wasim Jaffer is also utterly baffled with the way Pakistan have treated Fawad Alam and Junaid Khan. The Vidarbha star took to Twitter to state that it surprises him to not see Fawad and Junaid in Pakistan teams. He was also quick to point out Fawad’s first-class average, writing, “It amazes me to not see @iamfawadalam25 and @JunaidkhanREAL in Pakistan teams. Fawad Alam averages 56 in first-class cricket and Junaid Khan has always done well whenever he got opportunities.”