Former Pakistan Bowling Coach Urges Team to Move Away from Defensive Cricket

Former Pakistan bowling coach Shaun Tait has delivered a blunt assessment of Pakistan’s current cricket approach, saying the team must move away from defensive thinking and build a more attacking structure around its best players.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with PakPassion.net, Tait said Pakistan should not single out Babar Azam for criticism, but instead use his talent properly by surrounding him with more aggressive players.

“It’s like the Babar Azam chat that’s been going on for the last few years,” Tait said. “At the end of the day, he’s the best batter in Pakistan. So rather than just singling him out about being too defensive, let him play his game and then get the pieces around him. Get the attacking pieces around him to cover the rest of it.”

Tait added that Pakistan should use Babar as a central figure rather than blaming him for wider problems in the team.

“If you play a little bit more attacking cricket around a guy like Babar, who’s a generational talent, that’s the way to do it,” he said. “No, you’ve got to look at the stuff around your best player and best utilise his talent.”

The former Australian fast bowler also criticised Pakistan’s recent approach to Test pitches. He said he does not agree with producing spin-friendly wickets in Pakistan Test cricket and believes the tactic has not helped the team.

“I just don’t agree with the spin wicket stuff in Test cricket for Pakistan,” Tait said. “I don’t think it’s worked and I don’t think it’s produced very good cricket.”

Tait said Pakistan has always been known for fast bowling and should create pitches that encourage pace bowlers to attack. He argued that more grass, bounce, or carry would help fast bowlers and make them more interested in Test cricket.

He said that when he worked with Pakistan a few years ago, the Test pitches were often very flat and batter-friendly. According to Tait, those surfaces did not break up, seam, or offer much assistance to bowlers.

Tait also spoke about Pakistan’s current fast-bowling concerns. He said Hasan Ali has had a long career, so it may be difficult for him to maintain high pace throughout. However, he said the problem should not simply be blamed on the players.

On Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali dropping from around 145 kph to the 130–135 kph range, Tait said Pakistan should take “a leaf out of Bangladesh’s book” and put more grass on the wickets.

Tait said Pakistan still has fast bowlers who can run in and bowl around 145 kph, but the conditions need to support them. He believes better pitches would also encourage the next generation of quick bowlers.

He also discussed Pakistan’s young pacers, including Ali Raza, and said the country will always produce fast bowlers, even if there are phases where fewer come through. Tait said the key is to identify the right players, back them properly, and help them through injury issues.

Tait mentioned Fawad Ali, a young fast bowler he worked with at Karachi Kings, who was hitting 150 kph in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) before suffering back stress fractures. He said Fawad was strong, young, and raw, and he hopes he can make a comeback.

The former speedster also warned Pakistan against over-coaching and over-analysing fast bowlers. He said too much focus on data, technical instructions, and long meetings can stop young quicks from doing what they are naturally meant to do: bowl fast, attack the stumps, hit the batter’s feet, or use short-pitched bowling.

Tait said Pakistan fast bowlers need confidence, support, and freedom, with guidance rather than too many limits. He used Naseem Shah as an example, describing him as an “incredibly intelligent fast bowler” who often knew what he wanted to do and only needed guidance.

He also confirmed that the Pakistan Cricket Board had not contacted him since he resigned as Bangladesh’s bowling coach. However, he said he remains interested in Pakistan cricket after working with the national team and in the PSL.