LAHORE – Former head coach of the Pakistan national team, Jason Gillespie, has likened young opener Saim Ayub to legendary batsman Saeed Anwar.
Responding to a fan’s question on a social media platform, Gillespie heaped praise on the rising Pakistani opener, drawing comparisons between the emerging talent and former star opener Saeed Anwar.
“Saeed Anwar was one of the greatest players in history, and I see glimpses of him in Saim Ayub,” said the former cricketer and coach.
Earlier, several former cricket analysts had also remarked that Saim Ayub’s aggressive batting style and early career trajectory resemble that of Saeed Anwar. They noted that if the young opener maintains consistency, he has the potential to serve Pakistan cricket for a long time.
Saim Ayub impressed during Pakistan’s tours of Australia and South Africa in 2023, scoring 360 runs in six matches.
Saim Ayub’s brief career overview:
International Debut: March 2023 (T20I vs Afghanistan)
Total Runs: 1,377 (across all formats)
Half-Centuries: 5
ODI Centuries: 3
Saim was ruled out of the Champions Trophy after suffering an injury during a Test match on the South Africa tour. However, he made a comeback to the field three months later.
