Pakistani cricketers are currently participating in a fitness training camp at the Military Academy in Abbotabad, Kakul. The arrangements have been made by the Pakistan Cricket Board, in the hope that players will increase their fitness levels ahead of their tour of England, which starts in July.
However, former Pakistan leg spinner Abdul Qadir believes such boot camps will not help Pakistan cricket.
"What is the purpose of this boot camp? It has been organized to improve fitness of the players but to me the most important area in which our players need to work on and improve for the England tour is in the batting or skills department," Press Trust of India quoted Qadir as saying.
Pakistan have been performing poorly of late, as was witnessed in the World T20 and Asia Cup, both of which were played in Subcontinental conditions. Their bowlers might have been decent, but the batsmen lacked consistency. Hence, Qadir feels that instead of such boot camps, Pakistani cricketers should practise on seaming pitches, and prepare for the England tour.
"It would have been far more sensible to prepare four to five seaming pitches in Lahore or any other venue and have the probables for the tour play proper four-day matches among themselves," he said.
"These matches on pitches similar to what we should encounter in England would have helped our players prepare properly for the coming Test series where our batting will be the most vulnerable," he said.
With English bowlers like James Anderson and Stuart Broad said to be dangerous with the new ball, Pakistan batsmen will have to be careful while dealing with the duo.
Qadir's frustration does not end with the training camp, and he is surprised with the absence of the newly appointed coach, South African Mickey Arthur, in Kakul.
"Only our board can agree to such contracts. I don't know when Arthur will be able to take charge. May be just few days before the team leaves for England. What can one expect him to deliver? It was necessary for him to attend the camp to assess each and every player's abilities and skills," Qadir said.
