Sarfraz ‘will’ make his Test debut in Hobart, says adamant Alam

Pakistan cricket coach Intikhab Alam has insisted that reserve wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed will make his Test debut in Hobart on Thursday.

Intikhab said that he has spoken to vice-captain and regular wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal about falling on his sword after his disastrous performance in Sydney.

Kamran will have a vote in deciding his own fate for the Test, as he is part of a four-man selection committee that picks the teams on tour, alongside Alam, captain Mohammad Yousuf and team manager Abdul Raqeeb.

“I have already spoken to Kamran and he understands these things happen in cricket. I'm sure he is good enough to come back.

“After these Test matches we have five one-dayers and a Twenty20 match and he is a good enough wicketkeeper/batsman to come back into the side. Sarfraz will be playing, definitely,” he added.

Alam has still not ruled out dropping Kamran and suggested that he might be included in the playing eleven as a specialist batsman.

“We will wait and see if Kamran can play as a specialist batsman,” Alam had said.