Saeed for separate teams for Tests and one-dayers

Karachi, Feb 11: Pakistan captain Saeed Anwar on Friday called for different teams for Tests and one-day internationals. Talking to reporters here at the National Stadium during his team's opening training session, the left-hander said there were few senior players who can still deliver in Tests.

"I think that it is time that Pakistan has separate teams. I haven't talked to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman about this idea but I will definitely try to convince him to implement it," he said.

Saeed was named Pakistan captain on Thursday after Wasim Akram relinquished captaincy in an effort to concentrate more on his cricket and domestic commitments.

He said when Australia initiated the plan of having different teams, the world was laughing at them and contesting their strategy. "But the results were delivered in three years as now they are the undisputed world champions of one-day cricket.

"Players like Michael Slater, who can easily walk into any team, doesn't find place in the one-day squad because he doesn't qualify in the fielding standards the Australians have set for themselves," Saeed argued.

He added that there were players in the Pakistan setup who are still very good at Test level. Without mentioning anyone's name, he said but those senior players may not be very sharp in the field for one-dayers.

"That is why I believe that they should be played in Tests and youngsters play in one-dayers."

Saeed, commenting on the newcomers, admitted that he hasn't seen them "but Aamir Sohail has played with them in the domestic circuit and speaks very highly of everyone who has been called for the first match."

Saeed said he saw the spark and talent when the youngsters batted in the nets. But he stated that youngsters can't be groomed overnight. He said the players need sometime to settle and overcome international pressure.

"I would like to use them (youngsters) in the entire series. And I will talk to the chairman of the PCB about it."

The skipper said it was his and the senior players duty to give them the confidence and required tips so that they can cement their places in the team.

Saeed said he had watched Sri Lanka play in Zimbabwe on television. "I have found that they are a very competitive side. It is going to be a really tough series and we will have to play really well to beat them."

The skipper, asked to comment on Intikhab Alam's observations that the players lacked cricketing sense, clarified that what the coach actually meant was that when the players come into Pakistan team they have no knowledge of the game.

"I mean that the youngsters don't know how to run between the wickets or how to attack the ball in the field. Intikhab's point was that if there was a cricketing academy in Pakistan, these things can be taught to them at the grassroots level."

He added that Intikhab, while making that statement, was comparing the Pakistan players with the Australians.