Shahid Afridi rules out returning to Test cricket

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Pakistan’s limited-overs captain Shahid Afridi has made it clear that he will never return to Test cricket- the longest format of the game that he had quit last year.

Afridi was initially installed as Pakistan’s captain for all three formats last year after he came out of his Test retirement to lead the team against Australia in England last summer, but retired from Test cricket again after Pakistan suffered a heavy defeat against the Aussies at Lord’s in the opening Test.

Some experts, including former Pakistan captain Imran Khan, wanted Afridi to lead the national team in all three formats again.

“I don’t intend to return to Test cricket because I think I am not the best choice for this format,” The News quoted Afridi, as saying.

The flamboyant allrounder, who failed miserably with the bat in the recently concluded World Cup, said that he would focus on getting some runs in the upcoming West Indies tour.

“I will really work hard to improve my batting because it has been pretty bad for quite some time,” he said.

“Even my daughter has started calling me Baba Boom Boom Out because of my poor batting performance,” he added.

Pakistan, considered underdogs before the start of the 2011 World Cup, made it to the last four stage of the tournament before their campaign ended in a 29-run defeat at the hands of India in the semi final clash at Mohali on March 30.

Noting the recent improvement in his team, Afridi said that Pakistan could emulate the mighty Australians with proper planning and hard work.

“Our team has improved a lot recently and our performance in World Cup was commendable because we played it under pressure because of a series of setbacks before the tournament,” he said.

“I believe that if we continue the same progress we can become like the Aussies who were considered as invincible till a few years back,” he added.