‘If you want to be remembered as a great, play Tests’ - Wasim Akram as Haris Rauf pulls out of Australia Tests

Haris Rauf is one of Pakistan's premier fast bowlers in white-ball cricket but he has played only one Test match in his three-year international career so far.

Pakistan are set to play a highly-anticipated three-match Test series against Australia. Rauf was in contention for a spot in the side as the team management and selectors reckoned that his pace and bounce would be handy on the surfaces Down Under. However, the right-arm seamer opted out of the series and the decision rubbed chief selector Wahab Riaz the wrong way. 

Legendary Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram recently gave his take on the incident. He explained how difficult it it to play Test cricket compared to the T20 format as bowlers are required to bowl eight-over spells at times. Akram also noted that doing well in Test cricket is essential to be remembered as a great player of the sport.

"That’s his decision. He’s a contracted player, so there’s a lot of controversies back home. There are some white-ball specialist cricketers in this day and age … if he thinks he’s not there as yet, then that’s his call," Akram said at the Kayo Sports’ Summer of Cricket launch event.

"Test is a big boy’s game at the end of the day. You’ve got to bowl eight-over spells. In T20 you bowl four overs and stand at fine leg. Piece of cake. Test cricket is a long race, and if you want to be remembered as a great of the game, that’s where Test cricket comes in," he added.

Ideally this is not the best tour for any young captain or your team to come into: Wasim Akram

After Babar Azam stepped down from captaincy, following the debacle in the ODI World Cup 2023, Shan Masood was appointed as the new Test captain for the 'Men in Green'. The 57-year-old said that starting against the mighty Australians would be a huge test for new skipper Masood. However, if the team performs well, it will give them a lot of confidence for the future.

"It’ll be tough, the last time Pakistan won here was 1995. New captain, new management. It will take some time. Ideally this is not the best tour for any young captain or your team to come into. It will be very tough for them … it will be a big test. I think it’s kind of a blessing in disguise. It’s a tough start for a new captain, but if they do well here, if they can compete with the mighty Australians, that will give them a lot of confidence for future games as well," Akram explained.

The first Test gets underway on Tuesday, December 12, at the Perth Stadium. Pakistan are currently playing a four-day warm-up fixture against Prime Minister's XI in Canberra.