As Pakistan gears up for the first Test match against Bangladesh, all-rounder Salman Ali Agha has expressed his enthusiasm for taking on the role of the team's alone spin bowler.
With PCB opting to exclude their specialized leg-spinner, Abrar Ahmed, from the squad, Salman is set to be the team's only spin option in the opening Test, which starts on Wednesday at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Salman is undeterred and views the opportunity as a challenge he is eager to embrace.
During a press conference at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium ahead of the team's training session on Sunday, he said, "I am excited to take up this challenge, and I'm ready for it. When I go out to bat, I only think that I am a batsman. Similarly, when I go out to bowl, I always think about bowling."
Salman, an off-spinner, has been a consistent performer for Pakistan in Test cricket, having taken 12 wickets in as many matches.
His recent performance in the three-match Test series against Australia was particularly noteworthy; he bowled 76 overs and claimed three wickets in the absence of the injured Abrar Ahmed.
While monsoon rains are forecasted to potentially disrupt the first Test, Salman and his teammates remain focused on the task at hand. "Rain is not in our control, we don't think much about it," Salman remarked.
"What we know is that the conditions are not new to us, and we know it will help our fast bowlers."