/wion/media/agency_attachments/2024/12/26/2024-12-26t112006978z-wion-white-logo-for-website-2-1.png){kind=logo}
/wion/media/agency_attachments/2024/12/13/2024-12-13t071548098z-wionlogo.webp)
/wion/media/post_attachments/files/2024/08/25/451368-untitled-design-2024-08-25t215359657.png)
Kolkata, India
Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly says the reason behind Pakistan Cricket's downfall is 'dearth of talent' in the country. The comments come days after Pakistan's 0-2 loss against Bangladesh in the home Test series. It is the first time Pakistan lost a Test to Bangladesh at home and that too by 10 wickets (first one in Rawalpindi).
"I see a genuine dearth of talent in the country. Every time we think of Pakistan, we remember Miandad, Wasim, Waqar, Saeed Anwar, Mohammad Yousuf, and Younis Khan."
"That's the memory of Pakistan for us, but that doesn’t win matches in the modern generation of cricket. Every generation has to produce outstanding players to win, and when I look at Pakistan in world cricket -- I saw them in the West Indies World Cup, in India during the World Cup, and now after the Bangladesh series loss -- there is a dearth of talent in that country," Ganguly said while talking to news agency PTI.
"The people connected with the sport in Pakistan will have to look into it. I'm not saying this with disrespect. Pakistan of the old had some great cricketers, which I don't see in this squad," Ganguly added.
Pakistan cricket is caught in turmoil ever since failing to make it to the semis of last year's ODI World Cup.
Babar Azam was removed from the captaincy across formats and Shan Masood was made Test skipper with pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi sharing the responsibility in the T20Is.
The changes, however, did not bear any fruit as Pakistan lost both T20I and Test series in Australia earlier this year - the first one since the ODI World Cup 2023.
After the Australia tour, Babar Azam was handed back the captaincy in the T20Is while Masood remained in position. The loss against Bangladesh, however, has put Masood under pressure and the upcoming home Tests against England could be his last as skipper if the team does not perform well.