Afridi: Unusually Talented or just Mad

[manee]

Before I start my half term homework, I pose the question to you: Is Afridi talented at all or is he simply an unusual mental case who does not value his wicket.

Can (could) other people recreate Afridi's matchwinning innings' if they practised and played with no value on their wicket or is Afridi specially talented at this particular style of play?

Furthermore, could Afridi have achieved scoring greatness had he concentrated more and only picked the bad ball to hit?

 

[RoboRocks]

I get the feeling he would be a better player if he valued his wicket.
Its something I have thought out myself.

He seems to have a great eye and pretty good footwork and I'm surprised that he hasn't thought about doing that.

 

[surendar]

Furthermore, could Afridi have achieved scoring greatness had he concentrated more and only picked the bad ball to hit?

If Afridi had concentrated more, then he should have rusted like Sehwag in my opinion.. Leave those natural hitters alone.. Let them enjoy cricket in their way.. We spoiled Sehwag already forcing him to concentrate more! Whatever they get.. 30 runs, say from 15-20 balls is definitely going to be a bonus for the team.

 

[RoboRocks]

If Afridi had concentrated more, then he should have rusted like Sehwag in my opinion.. Leave those natural hitters alone.. Let them enjoy cricket in their way.. We spoiled Sehwag already forcing him to concentrate more! Whatever they get.. 30 runs, say from 15-20 balls is definitely going to be a bonus for the team.

I don't believe in moulding players to what you want but I feel Afridi is brainless at times. Bowlers and captains feel that everytime he walks out, he's going to give you a chance and are going to be ready for the big shot early.
I feel he could add accumulation to his game in which would help Pakistan if their in a jam. Since I feel he has the ability to do so.

 

[Leicester Fox]

If your team needs 3 an over but only has a 3-4 wickets left and you try and bat agressively then you quite simply are mad. Some eople just can't think during the split second to takes the ball to get to them i guess, and Afridis natural reaction must be to try and hit out of the country.

 

[evertonfan]

Glorified.Slogger.

Great talent, never uses it.

However, i'd have him in my squad as a bowler.

 

[manee]

Great talent, never uses it.

That is my question though. Is he a great talent or is he simply a good talent with unusual use of his hand-eye cooridination.

 

[khan31]

Did you see his batting today? Pakistan needed 25 off about 30 balls. Easily done when you have a recognised batter and Abdur Rehman (can bat) at the crease. What does afridi do? Slices one sky high and gets out. Pakistan end up losing the game (AND the series). If he had just nudged the singles and hit hard, but along the ground, then he could have taken pakistan home.

You need him in the team purely for his bowling. Anything he does with the bat is a bonus. You can't fluke over 5000 runs at a strike rate of 110 (career strike rate!). He has bags of talent but doesn't use it to its full potential. If he did he would be one of the legends of cricket. Do you know any other PLAYING cricketers in the world more well-known than him? Does anyone get more cheers from almost any crowd? We all hope he performs every game but he doesn't. When he does, he does it big.

 

[ZoraxDoom]

Ans: All of the above.

He could be great, better than Viv Richards or Lara or any other destructive batsman in this world. If he were more steady natured, he'd be better than Bradman.

He admits that he wants to bat more responsibly, but when he gets out there, he wants to just entertain the crowd. He is an entertainer, and just wants to play his natural game without stress. For some batsmen their natural game is to play it easy, or to take a few risks. For Afridi, it is to smash every ball out of the ground. And honestly, I think this is the best way to make use of his talent, I really do. He is a teriffic bowler too, so his batting is probably second to him. He always says he is just a bowler. Made his Pakistan debut on that pretense.

 

[wicked_dude]

afridi shud learn from dhoni..dhoni is also similar to afridi..he likes to entertain crowd wit big sixes..but he changed his game..and result he is consisent and he
became captain of india odi team..afridi shud just curb his natural instincts...
u cant just hit every ball out of the ground..u cant just make ur team win by hitting the ball as hard as u can..

 

[AbBh]

He could be great, better than Viv Richards or Lara or any other destructive batsman in this world. If he were more steady natured, he'd be better than Bradman.

Don't get carried away.

By batting the way he did today he's shown that he isn't willing to learn.

 

[Will_NA]

Both but more of the latter. He has the brawn but lacks the brains. He has the talent but doesn't maximise it. Someone like Collingwood or Chanderpaul maximise their (limited) ability whereas Afridi doesn't.

His bowling has really come along though

 

[ZoraxDoom]

He isn't willing to learn, but if he were, he'd be great.

 

[Vcassano]

If he cared about his wicket he'd be just another quite talented batsman, not outstanding but solid. He wouldn't be remembered if he wasn't how he is now.

 

[Dare]

im all for Afridi destrpying bowling atacks and things like that. making 30 runs of 15 balls but when your team needs you to win the game for them than he is absolutely the worst player in the world for the job. thats why he needs to open the inings, the fielding restrictions and less presure on him will probably alow him to be a better batsman.

what hapened to Afridi is what hapened to Pathan in India, Pathan started focusing on his batting and his bowling got worse. same thing for Afridi except he focused on his bowling and his bating got worse.