Naseem Shah

Pakistan are known for producing fast bowlers and also have this knack of throwing up prodigies out of nowhere. Naseem Shah is the latest in the list, having got his maiden Test call-up for the tour of Australia in late 2019, despite playing just five First-class matches. At just 16, he has already generated massive hype across Pakistan with his pace levels, discipline and ability to swing/seam the ball. Needless to say, Naseem is still raw even in First-class cricket, let alone Test cricket. Pakistan have taken a huge gamble with his selection, as Australia can be baptism by fire for rookie pacers. Naseem is blessed with all the attributes for being a potent pacer across formats but a lot of his future will depend on the kind of grooming he will get. He shot to fame while representing Pakistan U16 and also played for the U19 side. Naseem's fast-tracking has happened due to Misbah-ul-Haq who is now Pakistan's head coach as well as chief national selector.

Written by Hariprasad Sadanandan