Arshad’s feat motivated cricketers too: Shan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan cricket Head Coach Jason Gillespie and captain Shan Masood praised Arshad Nadeem’s heroics, saying that his Olympic gold medal has motivated the cricketers to do something good for Pakistan.

Shan in his interview for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) podcast said that Arshad’s achievements have motivated the entire nation while Gillespie expressed the desire to invite Arshad to the dressing room to share his experience with cricketers.

“Arshad has made all of us emotional. Seeing him on the podium waving the flag and ringing the Olympic bell was incredible. He deserves all the recognition he’s getting and is a national hero. His achievements highlight the talent in Pakistan, and we’re all proud of him.

Does it put pressure on the team? I don’t see it as pressure but as a privilege. Representing Pakistan is a huge honor, and every day we play is a privilege. We should feel extremely proud and grateful to represent our country. Arshad Nadeem’s success motivates us to seize our opportunity to do something good for Pakistan.

Starting from August 21, we aim to play cricket that people in Pakistan and around the world enjoy watching. We want to be a team that wins games and brings smiles to people’s faces,” Shan said.

The Test team head coach wanted to invite Arshad to have interaction with the cricketers. “We would love to invite Arshad to the dressing room as well. I saw all the Shaheens cheering him during the Olympics. Having him visit and share his gold medal with the team would be a fantastic boost, especially with the Olympic spirit still in the air. As Shan said, it was a wonderful moment and we extend an open invitation for him to visit the dressing room.”

Gillespie vowed full support for those players who are committed and want to perform to their best abilities. “If a player is fully committed to and doing what is required from a team perspective, they will have our backing and support. As a coach, as long as players are committed, putting in the time and effort to improve and are ready to perform for the team, they will have our full support. Yes, results matter, and I understand that as a coach, I am judged on them. However, I will support our players and our coaching staff to help the players be their best and create an environment where they can play with a clear mind.”

Same sentiments were expressed by Test captain Shan Masood. “From a coaching and captaincy perspective, you have to support those players who are committed to the team’s cause and purpose. I believe in a top-to-bottom structure where how you perform at the top impacts the players who follow.”

Gillespie praised Shan Masood’s approach. Shan spoke to the boys in detail last night about how he sees our team, areas for us to address and improve, which was fantastic. It was well-aligned, and we wanted input from the players as well.

“We’re equally confident that the ones who step in -- the new guys like Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Muhammad Ali, and even Aamer Jamal to an extent -- when they step in, whether Shaheen or Naseem Shah or another isn’t available, they all offer something that can win Pakistan games and pick those 20 crucial wickets.”

The challenge now for the batting is that if we do play in such conditions, like when we go to South Africa, how can we convert those 50s into hundreds, and those 250-300 total scores into 350-400 if we’re batting first?

On selection of one spinner for the Test series against Bangladesh, Gillespie said: “You can look into whatever you want. But to start, I think we’ve got two special spinners. Salman Ali Agha is good enough to be classified as a specialist spinner. From what I’ve seen, he has a lot of potential with his off-spin. Abrar (Ahmed), obviously, is a fine young bowler in the early stages of his career. So, I think we’ve covered a lot of bases. We have a lot of seam bowling options and spin bowling options. Our batting is varied as well. I believe we have all bases covered, and it’s a very exciting time for the Pakistan Test side.”

On dressing room atmosphere, Test captain said: “The dressing room culture is crucial, and everything starts from there. How you play on the field begins with the environment and conversations within the dressing room. When you’re assigned captaincy, maintaining or creating a positive dressing room culture is a primary responsibility. Great sporting teams have strong dressing room cultures that contribute to their success. This includes everything from disciplines and routines to agreeing on how to play.

“Addressing leaks and maintaining confidentiality in the dressing room are vital. It’s important to convince players of the significance of keeping the dressing room a sacred space. The betterment of everyone -- whether coaches or players -- starts with a strong, respectful dressing room culture.”