He may be under the scanner for his wayward ways but Shoaib Akhtar got a vote of confidence from his captain Inzamam-ul Haq who said the speedster would "definitely" tour India provided he is fit.
"Shoaib is our strike bowler and he did quite well in Australia. He has a little fitness problem. (But) when he gets the fitness clearance, he will definitely tour India," the Pakistan skipper told reporters in New Delhi on Monday before his departure to Lahore.
| |||||||||||
"This is not a decision of the players. The Board is dealing with it. It is keeping in mind the players' interest," he said.
Asked about the prospects of his team, Inzamam said his inexperienced players had the wherewithal to match the Indians.
"Most of the players have one to two years' of experience of playing at the highest level. But they play with a lot of passion. People will definitely love watching them play," he said.
The Pakistan team is slated to play three Tests and five one-dayers during the tour commencing later this month.