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Lahore, April 23(ANI): Discarded Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal is eyeing a comeback to the national team as a “specialist batsman.”

Kamran’s repeated follies behind the stumps- including some vital dropped catches- have cost Pakistan a lot. Not only his keeping against India in the 2011 World Cup semi-final was untidy, he scored just 19 runs opening the Pakistan innings.

The butter-fingered Kamran was subsequently replaced by 29-year-old Mohammad Salman as wicketkeeper in both Twenty20 and one-day matches for the West Indies tour.

“If Pakistan can find a better wicketkeeper than me then I will try to make a comeback as a specialist batsman because batting is something I enjoy a lot and I can bat at any position,” the Daily Times quoted Kamran, as saying.Kamran, who has hit six Test and five ODI centuries so far, said that he was working hard on both wicketkeeping and batting, and added: “I want to serve my country in whatever role the selectors see for me in the side.”

He said that he was not deterred by reports that the selectors were also going to drop him from Pakistan’s Test squad for the West Indies.

“It is true that I have had some bad matches in recent months, but my performances should be viewed on overall basis,” he argued.

Kamran, who has played 53 Tests and 137 one-day internationals, complained that critics and some former players tended to pick on his bad matches, but did not discuss his overall performances behind the stumps and as a batsman.”Overall my performance as a wicketkeeper has been fine, and I’ve one of the highest dismissals among all the wicketkeepers who have played for Pakistan. I am the only Pakistan wicketkeeper who has over 400 dismissals across all the formats of the game,” he pointed out

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ijaz Butt had recently said that Kamran should bid adieu to international cricket following his flop show in the ICC World Cup 2011. However, the player said that he had no intentions of calling it a day from international cricket, and that would continue to fight to reclaim his place in the national squad.

“I am not going to let any criticism affect my morale and I know I have the capability to make a comeback to the national team soon,” Kamran said.

“I have had a tough time in recent months because of many issues. But now I have resumed my training and I will try to make a comeback on pure performance basis,” he added. (ANI)