Mohammad Rizwan has been my role model since beginning of my cricket career, says Maaz Sadaqat

Role Model Talk, But Numbers Don't Lie: The Rizwan-Sadaqat Dynamic

Sadaqat, the 2005-born allrounder, has publicly crowned Mohammad Rizwan as his career role model. Respectable narrative. But let's separate sentiment from substance here.

The selection picture is brutal for Sadaqat. Missed both Tests vs West Indies (that 1-1 draw), and still sitting outside the England series. Six ODIs cap, yet 1,000+ in every domestic format. Potential is there, but selection panels clearly want more proof under pressure.

Meanwhile, the so-called anchor is under fire. Rizwan—Pakistan's biggest batting name—got dumped from the 3rd Test squad after opening figures of 12, 41, 7, 1. For a guy with 7,000+ international runs and a 40+ whiteball average, this is a glaring slump. The PCB sent home seven players post-Lord's and imported five uncapped Test talent. That's not rotation; that's a crisis response.

The structural shake-up matters more than the drama. PCB swapped redball coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul for whiteball specialists Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke to lead Test cricket. Betting the house on whiteball coaches running red-ball setup—a bold, risky move. I'd flag it as a red flag unless they've got data backing the transition.

Bottom line: Sadaqat admires the greats, but he's the one needing to perform. And Rizwan's absence proves nobody's safe when form dries up. In my world, sentiment doesn't keep jobs—results do.

Packed 3rd Test XI includes Babar (c), Masood, Shafique, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, and new-look squad throughout.

Source: Crictracker