LAHORE: The coaches of the Pakistan men’s Under-19 team have spoken about preparations for the tour of England and the development of players, saying that particular attention is being given to refining the abilities of young cricketers.
Fast bowling coach Rao Iftikhar Anjum, spin bowling coach Zohaib Khan, fielding coach Humayun Farhat, physiotherapist Obaidullah and strength and conditioning coach Abrar Ahmed appeared on the programme “Straight Drive with Salman Butt”.
Rao Iftikhar Anjum said he is attempting to teach fast bowling as an art. He said the squad is taking Rizwanullah to England, describing him as a tall and talented fast bowler.
Spin bowling coach Zohaib Khan said the Under-19 team includes a left-arm spinner, a left-arm wrist spinner, a leg spinner and an off spinner. The spinners have been made aware of the importance of using the wrist in their bowling, he said.
Fielding coach Humayun Farhat said fielding is a discipline in which improvement is not possible until a player takes a personal interest in it.
He described Hamza Zahoor as an excellent wicketkeeper, adding that he is also capable of batting at any position.
The composition of the spin attack the coach describes is unusually varied for an age-group squad. Carrying a left-arm orthodox spinner, a left-arm wrist spinner, a leg spinner and an off spinner provides four distinct types of turn and trajectory, allowing the captain to match a bowler to the conditions and to the handedness of the batter in a way that a conventional attack cannot.
The left-arm wrist spinner, in particular, is a rarity at any level of the game, and the variety it offers has become increasingly valued in white-ball cricket.
The emphasis on wrist position reflects standard coaching orthodoxy at development level. Revolutions imparted through the wrist and fingers determine the extent of dip, drift and turn a delivery generates, and technique established during the teenage years tends to persist through a career, which is why age-group coaching concentrates on mechanics rather than results.
The fast bowling coach’s characterisation of the discipline as an art speaks to a longstanding element of Pakistan’s cricketing identity. The country has produced a sustained succession of high-quality fast bowlers across generations, and the development pathway that identifies and refines them remains central to the national setup.
England presents a particular educational value for a touring age-group side. Conditions favouring seam and swing require adjustments in both bowling and batting technique that cannot be replicated in subcontinental practice, and exposure at Under-19 level is intended to shorten the adaptation period should those players progress to senior international cricket.
The presence of a physiotherapist and a strength and conditioning coach within the touring support staff reflects the increased emphasis on workload management for young fast bowlers, a group at elevated risk of stress-related injury during periods of rapid physical development.
Wicketkeepers who can bat with flexibility across the order, as described of Hamza Zahoor, provide selection balance that is particularly valuable in age-group tournaments with compressed schedules.
The tour forms part of Pakistan’s Under-19 development calendar.
– Reported By Rana Azar
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