• Source:JND
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Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ramiz Raja has strongly lambasted Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood for his prolonged batting slump, warning that his leadership role won't be enough to secure his place in the team.

Following Pakistan's historic defeat to Bangladesh in the first Test, Raja expressed his disapproval on his YouTube channel, stating that Masood's captaincy alone cannot guarantee his spot in the team.

Raja emphasized that Masood's batting form has been underwhelming, with no Test centuries in the last three seasons, his most recent hundred coming four years ago during Pakistan's tour of England amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Masood's batting woes continued against Bangladesh, as he was dismissed for a duck in the first innings, courtesy of a contentious umpiring decision, and managed a mere 14 runs in the second innings, compounding his struggles with the bat.

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"Masood needs to improve his batting and needs to show that you have some knowledge of the game. He is an experienced skipper, having led in PSL and County matches. I don't know on what basis he picked four pacers for the Rawalpindi track in the month of August. He needs to work on his batting. It's not like he is a great captain and would maintain his place in the side if he keeps getting out on ducks," Raja said on his YouTube channel.

"Shan Masood needs to first bat well and then show his knowledge of the game a little because he is decently experienced as far as captaincy is concerned. He captains in county cricket and has captained his team in the PSL. I couldn't understand on what basis he thought that if you leave grass on the Pindi pitch in August, the ball will swing a lot," he further added.

Masood's captaincy has been marred by a string of four straight Test losses, including a disappointing series sweep by Australia in 2023, culminating in a crushing 10-wicket defeat at the hands of Bangladesh in Pakistan's own backyard, raising concerns about the team's performance under his leadership.

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"Firstly, he has to take the correct direction. It was a massive faultline from the selection point of view. His batting has gone down. He is not Mike Brearley or a great captain and he will continue to have a place even if he keeps scoring zero. He needs to pull his batting up," the former PCB chief added.

In the Test against Bangladesh, Masood chose to field an all-pace bowling lineup, anticipating assistance from the pitch for his fast bowlers. 

However, this strategy ultimately proved counterproductive for Pakistan, as the Bangladeshi spinners dominated on Day 5, claiming seven wickets between them and putting Pakistan on the back foot in their home conditions.