Geoffrey Boycott on Shahid Afridi:

"He can't change his game because he is a hitter of the ball. He is a wonderful hitter and I think he is one of the biggest hitters that the game has seen. He has a wonderful physique and is a strong lad. But he has no brain. He can't think. He can't stop swiping even if you stood on his shoulder and told him not to hit the ball before the bowler bowled.

I love him to bits and I think he is a smashing lad. He has the gift of natural hand-eye co-ordination to hit the ball, but I am sorry, God didn't give him a cricket brain to think his way through cricket situations. He doesn't have a cricket brain to play technique cricket, so he cannot change. I think he has a natural skill at bowling. But I am afraid, Naseeh, that you and I, and lots of his fans have to love him for what he is, not for what we'd like him to be."

(The full interview)

Boycott makes sense.

Its the golden words at the end where he says that you have to like him for what he is rather than what you want him to be is what truly makes sense.

I have been saying it forever.

It is high time the world stops expecting batting fireworks from Shahid Afridi.

He is a bowler, was a bowler, and forever remain a bowler.

Those constantly asking for his ouster from the team, I would like to ask one question - who would you replace him with?

Since Afridi is the lone spinner in the XI, the replacement has to be a spinner, right?

Pakistan's spin options currently are Kaneria, Fawad Alam, Mansoor Amjad, Rizwan Ahmed, and Abdul Rahman.

Shahid Afridi is better bowler than each one of them.

I reckon that even in test matches, Afridi will be more potent than Kaneria. Where Kaneria picks 5 wickets in 50 overs, Afridi has the ability to do so in 20.

Pakistan needs Shahid Afridi and you gotta believe and understand Boycott's words above.