Pakistan players training for "the Olympics or WWE" slams Aamer Sohail

The former Test opener says the national team are focused on the wrong type of fitness and less bothered about preparing themselves for cricket

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Pakistan's players have been criticised for focusing too much on attaining fitness better suited to the Olympic Games or WWE wrestling.

Strength and conditioning has been a PCB priority in recent years though the body shape of captain Sarfraz Ahmed was criticised during the World Cup by Shoaib Akhtar.

Former opener Aamer Sohail, who played 47 Tests and 156 one-day internationals for Pakistan, believes there is too much onus on the wrong type of fitness.

"It seems that we are worried less about bowling tactics and more about fitness for our bowlers," he wrote on PakPassion.net.

"The fact is that we do not have the expertise to work on players’ techniques and this is why we are concentrating more on fitness and so it appears that we are preparing our players less for cricket and more for The Olympics or WWE Wrestling. 

"I am actually very worried about youngsters coming into the Pakistan side as there could be a lack of expertise to train them."

Though Misbah-ul-Haq began his tenure as head coach and chief selector with an ODI series win over Sri Lanka, Pakistan's fortunes have quickly come crushing back down to earth.

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Lack of fitness denied Aamer Sohail more than his 47 Test appearances

The tourists completed a 3-0 whitewash in the T20 series amid a number of curious selection decisions made by Misbah, which included Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad being recalled from international exile.

The decision to give Misbah responsibility to select and coach the team has drawn much criticism and Sohail feels the dual role doesn't work.

"To me, the fiasco with the Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad comebacks is also a clear indication of the fact that Misbah-ul-Haq has no idea of what job he has to do and what is expected of him," he added.

"But then let’s not be too harsh on him as it's really the people who appointed him who should be taken to task for this mistake.

"If a person who has never had any experience of being a coach is appointed as Head Coach of Pakistan and also given the task of being Chief Selector, then who should be blamed for that?

"The fact is that players will not find it easy or possible to interact with a person who is their head coach and also chief selector and so PCB have made a blunder and they must now suffer the consequences."

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