Aaqib Javed, the senior Pakistan selector and head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA), has revealed that he has been studying India's successful cricket structure to find ways to improve Pakistan's own cricketing system. In a recent Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) podcast, Javed stated that India's dominance in recent tournaments offers valuable lessons for any nation serious about achieving long-term success in cricket.
Javed pointed to India's recent triumphs, including the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean last year, the Champions Trophy in Dubai earlier this year, and the Asia Cup in September where they defeated Pakistan in the final, as evidence of their system's effectiveness. He believes that India's consistency stems from a well-developed system rather than individual brilliance. "I have looked at India's success and have tried to execute plans for the betterment of Pakistan cricket," Aaqib said. "Any cricket nation's success is based on the quality of its talent".
Javed admitted that Pakistan has "fell away in doing the basic things correctly in our cricket system". He stressed that merely appointing new captains, coaches, or selectors will not solve the underlying issues without a focus on nurturing quality talent. According to Javed, a strong infrastructure and increased competition are essential for talent development. He emphasized the importance of increasing bench strength to ensure a consistent supply of skilled players. "Quality of talent can be assured by increasing bench strength and competition, and this is only possible with proper infrastructure and system," he said.
Javed highlighted that during India's tour to Pakistan in 2006, an official from the Indian side praised the LCCA ground in Lahore as one of the best academies and facilities in the region, showing that Pakistan had the infrastructure in place at one point but lost its way.
Despite past shortcomings, Aaqib expressed optimism about the future of Pakistan cricket, especially with the T20 World Cup early next year in India and Sri Lanka. He believes the timing is perfect for Pakistan to make an impact. "Indications are all there, we have good players, they have combined well, and importantly, there is a choice of players now," he said. He also acknowledged that modern talent goes beyond just skill, with mental strength becoming increasingly important due to the constant scrutiny players face.
Addressing potential criticism, Javed remained unfazed, stating that criticism is inevitable after poor performance. He believes that continuous improvement and resilience are key to success. Javed's message is clear: Pakistan needs to stop treating crises as personality problems and focus on fixing the system to ensure a consistent flow of talent.
