Don't give Mohammad Rizwan undue favours, Sarfaraz Ahmed deserved to be vice-captain: Rashid Latif

Add as a preferred source on Google

After Pakistan appointed Mohammad Rizwan as the vice-captain for team's upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka, former Pakistan cricketer Rashid Latif said the wicketkeeper-batter should not be given undue favour.

Rashid Latif, who played 37 Tests and 166 ODI matches for Pakistan, said former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed was the more deserving candidate for the role. He reminded everyone of Sarfaraz's stellar show in the Test series against New Zealand in the absence of out-of-form Rizwan.

"Sarfaraz is the kind of player they [PCB] could have named the vice-captain on this tour. He is capable. He made a comeback after Rizwan's drop in form. Sarfaraz will be part of the playing XI due to previous performance. So retaining Rizwan as vice-captain is not justifiable," Latif said on his YouTube channel.

"I think Babar should be captain in all formats. However, don't give anyone undue favours and make him vice-captain. If there is anyone else deserving of a leadership role in Tests, then that person is Sarfaraz and no one else" he added.

Notably, 36-year-old Sarfaraz scored 335 runs in the two-match Test series against New Zealand in January this year. He registered scores of 86, 53, 78 and 118 in the four innings and was adjudged Man of the series.

Pakistan will be touring Sri Lanka for a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka in July. The schedule for the series, which will kick off Pakistan's World Test Championship 2023 (WTC 2023) campaign, is yet to be announced.

Star left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi is making his long-awaited Test comeback with the series. Pakistan have also named two uncapped players in batter Mohammad Huraira and all-rounder Aamir Jamal.

Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (vc & wk), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi and Shan Masood.