Pakistan Team Discussion

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I agree. Azhar Ali is moreover a defensive captain and now cricket is mostly aggresive.

Sarfraz will be a good choice for ODIs. In tests I think Younis Khan should lead the side at least for a year and meawhile we can groom a captain in shape of Imaad Wasim, or Babar Azam, or any other play which PCB and management think will be capable of.

You guys may hit me but I am hearing some good news about Ahmed Shehzad as well in a leadership role :p I think after induction, Shehzad can be tested as well, But Imaad seems quite mature and he really posses the leadership quality atleast the way he is appearing so far.. Aussies should watch out his bowling. He will be a threat to Warner in the ODI series.
 
I think he has the potential, one or two bad patches don't write him off. He looks for the future. Azhar Ali is the defensive freak in my opinion, He is not a captaincy material at all. He is a forced captain and I truly wish that he only continues as a player.. Azam for VC?.... Strange.... Sarfraz seems the likely choice to have ODI captaincy for long time.... On the other hand, I also see Imad Wasim as a good choice for a future leader.

I'm not doubting Sarfaraz as a positive stroke maker or someone who can create chances as a positive captain. He can make things happen, no doubt. However, unlike the shorter formats, in test cricket, he is mainly in the side as a WICKET KEEPER. I think he clearly has technical deficiencies and while I'm no longer big on technique, to me, it simply seems he doesn't crouch enough or in layman terms, doesn't stay low enough for long enough. MS Dhoni is a classic case study of having improper technique, but his is more down to catching the ball in unusual ways (crocodile catching) and not down to fitness or staying low. If you see test matches of him in India, where the ball is spitting venom on Day 5, he may well concede byes to deliveries that jump of a good length, but never to those that stay low. The key is, chances generally are the ones that stay down. Slip fielders generally cover those chances that tend to jump and in any case, MS was 9/10 to even those that jumped. Considering how poor countries are when travelling, each chance is huge in the context of the game. In my opinion, Sarfaraz doesn't cut it in test matches and this has been going on for a long long time. It's just that when you win, as Pakistan have, these things get erased from debriefs and analysis.

On to Azhar Ali, while I agree he's awful in limited overs and simply doesn't cut the mustard as a ODI/T20 cricketer, you can only blame him and his defensive tactics so much. Sorry if I hurt you guys by saying this, but as well oiled a test side as Pakistan have been in the past decade, their limited overs is at least 10-15 years outdated. What do you want a captain to do? Can you name one dynamic batsman from Pakistan after Inzamam who can consistently make tons at a run a ball? Every next 'big thing' has either allowed to let his own hype get into his head (Umar Akmal) or he's been hyped for absolutely no apparent reason. Your best ODI cricketer at the moment is Shoaib Malik (I rate Azam highly, but there is time yet to rank him as the best in Pakistan) and Shoaib Malik is not even in the top 20 ODI batters in world cricket. At his absolute destructive best he will strike at 140's and there are ten names at the top of my head that can do so at 140 consistently and make runs twice as more consistently. So, while Azhar Ali has been poor, any ODI/T20 Pakistan captain will be made to look poor simply because of the lack of fitness, fielding prowess and explosive batting. I don't see any other valid candidate to captain Pakistan in tests. On the basis of sheer load of runs, Azhar Ali deserves a proper chance with Asad Shafiq as his deputy.
 
I'm not doubting Sarfaraz as a positive stroke maker or someone who can create chances as a positive captain. He can make things happen, no doubt. However, unlike the shorter formats, in test cricket, he is mainly in the side as a WICKET KEEPER. I think he clearly has technical deficiencies and while I'm no longer big on technique, to me, it simply seems he doesn't crouch enough or in layman terms, doesn't stay low enough for long enough. MS Dhoni is a classic case study of having improper technique, but his is more down to catching the ball in unusual ways (crocodile catching) and not down to fitness or staying low. If you see test matches of him in India, where the ball is spitting venom on Day 5, he may well concede byes to deliveries that jump of a good length, but never to those that stay low. The key is, chances generally are the ones that stay down. Slip fielders generally cover those chances that tend to jump and in any case, MS was 9/10 to even those that jumped. Considering how poor countries are when travelling, each chance is huge in the context of the game. In my opinion, Sarfaraz doesn't cut it in test matches and this has been going on for a long long time. It's just that when you win, as Pakistan have, these things get erased from debriefs and analysis.

On to Azhar Ali, while I agree he's awful in limited overs and simply doesn't cut the mustard as a ODI/T20 cricketer, you can only blame him and his defensive tactics so much. Sorry if I hurt you guys by saying this, but as well oiled a test side as Pakistan have been in the past decade, their limited overs is at least 10-15 years outdated. What do you want a captain to do? Can you name one dynamic batsman from Pakistan after Inzamam who can consistently make tons at a run a ball? Every next 'big thing' has either allowed to let his own hype get into his head (Umar Akmal) or he's been hyped for absolutely no apparent reason. Your best ODI cricketer at the moment is Shoaib Malik (I rate Azam highly, but there is time yet to rank him as the best in Pakistan) and Shoaib Malik is not even in the top 20 ODI batters in world cricket. At his absolute destructive best he will strike at 140's and there are ten names at the top of my head that can do so at 140 consistently and make runs twice as more consistently. So, while Azhar Ali has been poor, any ODI/T20 Pakistan captain will be made to look poor simply because of the lack of fitness, fielding prowess and explosive batting. I don't see any other valid candidate to captain Pakistan in tests. On the basis of sheer load of runs, Azhar Ali deserves a proper chance with Asad Shafiq as his deputy.

For a captain, I see it in a different perspective. Captain is not on purely excellent performance based, As every great performer doesn't guarantee a successful and fine captain. The biggest example is Sachin Tendulkar, Who the best batsman of the World but was very below average as captain. The decision to name a captain should bank on the leadership skills plus good performance rather than just excellent performance with worst leadership qualities, Azhar Ali is one of the best test batsmen in the side but with poorest leadership skills at the moment and he has not improved thus far. Wasim Akram said when Pakistan toured England that give Azhar sometime but later on Akram convinced that Azhar is not good enough for captaincy role. Misbah's case was special, The team scenario was different, The team needed stability at those hard times and there was no option except to appoint Misbah as test captain though I and many others in Pak but In Pakistan cricket you are better off having one captain in all three formats. The Misbah formula can not and should not be applied now. We need a strong and attacking mindset of captain who posses the born leadership abilities as well and the names what majority here think are Sarfraz and Imad Wasim. As far as Sarfraz's technical deficiencies are concerned as a wicket keeper, Fair enough, But if your deficiencies are not THAT threat to the team's win or loose then its just one single thing which can be ignored, like Kamran Akmal's wicket keeping was threatening to the team's performance and he was poor with the bat as well. Sarfraz brings new and fresh blood in the game with his energy, performance and leadership abilities and remember even born leaders learn by time they are not free from mistakes. That is why He can be groomed as a deptuy to Younis Khan for Test Matches for a year or so and can captain the ODI alongside T20 side. But this is just a wish and opinion, Knowing PCB I am afraid decisions can be otherwise....
 
Pakistan needs to change their ODI captain to Sarfraz and make Babar or Imad as his deputy. The sooner they do this transition the better it is because Azhar Ali does not even deserve a place in modern day ODI teams. Also anyone who try to change the batting position of Babar should be fired straight away.
As far as future of Hafeez is concerned, he is a good allrounder but he should bat in the middle order and leave the opening place for someone who can start quickly by taking singles regularly. Sarfraz or Kamran Akmal is probably the best choice right now to open with Sharjeel.
My team for Champions trophy will be,

Sarfraz Ahmad (C)(WK)
Sharjeel Khan
Babar Azam
Kamran Akmal
Shoaib Malik
Mohammad Hafeez
Umar Akmal
Imad Wasim
Mohammad Amir
Hassan Ali/ Wahab Riaz
Junaid Khan
 
Haris Sohail any day over him.
Its not about personal preference, but its necessary to have players that are continuously performing in the domestic circuit. BTW Haris Sohail hasn't played a single match since 2015 according to cricinfo.
 
Its not about personal preference, but its necessary to have players that are continuously performing in the domestic circuit. BTW Haris Sohail hasn't played a single match since 2015 according to cricinfo.
He is fit now and will play in the PSL. Have a look at his stats before he got injured.
 
He is fit now and will play in the PSL. Have a look at his stats before he got injured.
He will have to play atleast a season of domestic cricket before being consider for Pakistan team, on the other hand Kamran Akmal is scoring heavily for considerable period of time. You need to give chances to the players who are performing well in domestic circuit. I am sure Haris Sohail is the future but to be realistic, he will not be available for Champions trophy.
 
He will have to play atleast a season of domestic cricket before being consider for Pakistan team, on the other hand Kamran Akmal is scoring heavily for considerable period of time. You need to give chances to the players who are performing well in domestic circuit. I am sure Haris Sohail is the future but to be realistic, he will not be available for Champions trophy.

I will consider him for national selection if he performs well in the PSL. Otherwise, I think he a lost cause for Pakistan.
 
I believe that players like Haris Sohail doesn't need a complete domestic season to worth their comeback, He should be in the team after PSL.

I am all for good scores in domestic but this is your best chance to get rid of Akmal, Hafeez and Maliks forever[DOUBLEPOST=1485251051][/DOUBLEPOST]PS: Aamir needs a serious work from someone like Aaqib Javed/Wasim Akram who can make his action complete and bring his angle, banana swing and action back.
 
Meanwhile, Misbah is lingering on like anything. Come on Man, Enough is enough. We respect your performances and role but please have a good respectable exit. Give chance to younger lot, We are quite sure that younger players will perform well atleast in Dubai and West Indies Conditions.
 

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