'India and Pakistan should play regularly': Waqar Younis shares his thoughts on why Pakistan does not produce great players anymore

‘India and Pakistan should play regularly’: Waqar Younis shares his thoughts on why Pakistan does not produce great players anymore originally appeared on Cricket News.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Waqar Younis believes India and Pakistan should play each other more regularly.
• He feels infrequent matches between the rivals make it difficult to see the best from their players.
• He also blamed Pakistan’s limited Test cricket exposure for the decline in player quality.

Waqar Younis wants India and Pakistan to play more regularly

Pakistan legend Waqar Younis has suggested that both India and Pakistan should engage in more games against each other, stating that because of the non-regularity of games between the two rivals, players have limited opportunities to prove their worth in pressure situations.

Speaking on Shubhankar Mishra’s podcast, Younis emphasised the need for high-intensity games, in particular between Pakistan and India, to bring the best out of cricketers.

“Pakistan and India cricket matches should be more often because these matches are not regular, if you play one match in two or three years, you cannot see the best of the best players,” he said.

India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series since 2012-13, however, they have faced off in multi-national tournaments like ICC and ACC contests. 

Younis considers the rivalry to provide a unique competitive situation in which players have to deal with immense pressure and perform against a tough opponent.

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Waqar Younis identifies lack of Test cricket as another problem for Pakistan

Younis also cited Pakistan’s lack of exposure to Test cricket as another factor in the perceived decline in the quality of players produced by the nation.

“Pakistan plays less Test cricket, and that is another reason why you (Pakistan) cannot produce quality players anymore. So these are a few issues, that if they are solved, [Pakistan] cricket will get better,” he noted.

Technical precision, patience, and adaptation are some of the skills needed to be proficient at Test cricket. More exposure in the long form of the game can help improve these skills among the players to get them ready for tough international duty.

Pakistan are known to produce some of the greatest bowlers and batters in the past, however, in the last couple of decades their cricket is in a steady decline. 

Younis feels increased exposure to Test cricket, along with increased high-profile encounters against India, may help Pakistan overcome some of the problems in cricket.

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Can more India-Pakistan matches help Pakistan produce better players?

Younis has highlighted two key areas for Pakistan cricket to address: the quality of competition and experience in Test cricket.

Regular matches against India would give Pakistan’s players opportunities to perform under pressure, while more Test cricket could strengthen their technical and mental skills.

However, playing India more often alone would not guarantee improvement. Consistent domestic cricket, stronger development pathways, stable selection policies and long-term planning are also essential.

Ultimately, Younis believes Pakistan needs more high-level competition alongside sustained investment in player development to produce its next generation of international cricketers.

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