Should Pakistan introduce Razaullah in whiteball cricket?

Razaullah may have been one of the few genuine positives to come out of Pakistan’s disappointing tour of England. His pace, aggression, energy and ability to contribute with both bat and ball have made him an exciting prospect for the future.

But perhaps the most important thing Pakistan can do with Razaullah right now is not rush him.

The youngster was fast-tracked into international cricket after playing only a handful of first-class and domestic matches. There is no question that the talent is there, and Pakistan desperately needs players with his confidence and energy. However, talent alone does not mean a player is ready to handle the demands of international cricket across all three formats.

Razaullah made an encouraging start, but clear areas of his game still need development, particularly his bowling. He needs time, proper workload management, and careful grooming rather than being thrown into every format simply because he has impressed early on.

This is especially important because of the environment surrounding Pakistan cricket. Players can quickly go from being labelled the next big thing to being called a failure after a few poor performances. Razaullah could easily become another victim of that cycle if expectations are allowed to rise too quickly.

His style of cricket also makes failures inevitable. As a batsman, he plays an attacking, high-risk game, which means there will be matches where he simply does not deliver. As a fast bowler, he will also have difficult days, particularly on flat pitches where there is little assistance.

That should not change how Pakistan view him.

The answer is not to remove Razaullah from international cricket. It is to protect him while developing him.

Pakistan should decide carefully which formats and conditions are best for him at this stage. His workload should be managed, his bowling should be refined and his batting should be given room to mature. Most importantly, he should not be expected to solve every weakness in his game overnight.

A player who can bowl at speeds approaching 150kph and has the ability to change a match with the bat is an extremely valuable asset in modern cricket.

Pakistan has spent years searching for players with that kind of natural ability.

Now that they appear to have found one, the priority should be simple: don’t waste him by rushing him.