'Being a cricketer, I have suffered': Ex-Pakistan captain on why he doesn't want his son to take up cricket

Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has said he doesn't want his son to become a cricketer despite his interest in the sport. Sarfaraz is one of Pakistan's most successful captains having led the team to a memorable Champions Trophy triumph in 2017. Pakistan had defeated arch-rivals India in the final to clinch the Champions Trophy title that year.

Sarfaraz led Pakistan across all formats for a number of years and also has a terrific record as captain in T20Is having won 29 and lost just 8 matches for Pakistan in the shortest format. He was sacked from captaincy post the team's debacle in the 2019 ODI World Cup with Babar Azam getting appointed as the new skipper.

Having dealt with several highs and lows in his cricketing career and having witnessed the kind of mental and physical stress a cricketer has to endure in his career, Sarfaraz doesn't want his son Abdullah to follow in his footsteps in the game.

"Abdullah is passionate about playing cricket. But, I don't want him to become a cricketer," Sarfaraz was quoted as saying to a news channel by Cricket Pakistan.

"Actually, being a cricketer, I suffered many things that I don't want Abdullah to face. It's human nature. Being a cricketer, I want my brother or son to be selected immediately. Otherwise, it hurts," he explained.

Sarfaraz made his debut for Pakistan in the year 2007 but it took him several years to cement his spot in the side before being appointed as the captain of the side. The wicket-keeper batter has so far played 49 Tests, 117 ODIs and 61 T20Is in his international career amassing 2657, 2315 and 818 runs in the three formats respectively.

Despite being a pretty successful cricketer himself, Sarfaraz wants his son to stay away from the game and achieve his dreams himself. The former Pakistan captain revealed how the likes of former Pakistan cricketer Moeen Khan and Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza have praised Abdulla's cricketing skills in the past.

"A lot of people said to me that Abdullah is talented and I should let him play cricket. Moin Bhai had praised Abdullah's skills, also, Sania Mirza once told me that Abdullah has the potential to become a cricketer. But, I want him to achieve his goals by working hard. Nobody should give him an easy way just because he is my son," said Sarfaraz.

The former Pakistan captain is no more a regular member of the Pakistan squad in any format of the game ever since the arrival of Mohammad Rizwan. Rizwan is currently Pakistan's first-choice wicket-keeper across formats and has been doing well with the bat as well.

Sarfaraz managed to play only one ODI for Pakistan last year where he scored 13 runs, and a T20I game where he got 6 runs. He has been playing regularly in the Pakistan domestic circuit.