Pakistan head coach Aaqib Javed addressed the absence of pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi from the Test lineup, citing a lack of domestic four-day cricket as the reason behind the decision. Afridi, a key figure in Pakistan’s all-format setup, last played a Test during the heavy defeat to England in Multan, where Pakistan conceded a staggering 823 runs in an innings.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the second Test against West Indies in Multan, Aaqib said, "If you're playing all three formats, then in one series you're bowling in Tests, where you need to bowl 25-30 overs, and then for three months, you're not playing any four-day games. This is why fast bowlers' energy levels drop when you need them to bowl to the tail-enders after sending down 20-25 overs in a day."
