Pakistan all-rounder Kamran Ghulam opened up about being denied his debut cap ahead of the 1st ODI against Australia in Melbourne earlier this week. Ghulam, who slammed a century on his Test debut last month, featured at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Monday as Pakistan lost the series opener by a narrow margin. Prior to his Test debut against England last month, where he had replaced star batter Babar Azam who was dropped from the team owing to poor form, Ghulam had only played one international match before.

For the unversed, Ghulam made his ODI debut as a concussion substitute on 13 January 2023, against New Zealand at Karachi. However, he did not get to bat or bowl in that game, having replaced Haris Sohail in the second innings as a concussion substitute.

During a freewheeling chat with fellow all-rounder Aamer Jamal, Ghulam, in a video shared by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), recalled the scenes ahead of the 1st ODI in Melbourne. He also recalled Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan’s chat, where he was told that he won’t be getting a cap at the MCG as he had already made his ODI debut last year.

“I was also waiting eagerly, hoping that I’d get my debut ODI cap. But, Rizwan told me that ‘you’ve already made your debut, so you won’t be getting a cap’. My debut was in a concussion situation, but I was neither a bowler or a batter. Haris Sohail had a concussion, although he went on to bat after that. I fielded for 50 overs,” Ghulam said in the video.

Meanwhile, Rizwan won the toss as Pakistan opted to bowl in the second ODI in Adelaide.

Pakistan named an unchanged side with fast bowler Naseem Shah declared fit after leaving the field during the first match, apparently with a cramp. 

Australia made one change with veteran Josh Hazlewood returning in place of Sean Abbott to join his long-time pace partners Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc.

Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matt Short again open the batting in the absence of Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head and will be keen to make their mark after falling cheaply in the opening match.

(With AFP Inputs)