Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Which two batsmen will replace Misbah and Younis in Pakistan's Test XI?

From Javed Miandad to Inzamam Ul Haq to Mohammad Yousuf to Younis Khan, Pakistan have always had a formidable number 4 in Test matches. In most of Pakistan's Test XIs, the number four batsman is usually their primary batsman.

Javed Miandad fulfilled that role for most part of his career. He batted at number 4 in 140 out of his 189 test innings.

Once he retired, Saleem Malik took over the number four position briefly, before moving back to number five and promoting Inzamam Ul Haq up the order.

Inzamam batted at four in half of his total career innings and made that position his own before moving down the order and promoting Mohammad Yousuf to four, who was at the time at the peak of his batting prowess.

Younis Khan, who had batted at number three for most of his career and formed part of Pakistan's best test middle order with Inzamam and Yousuf, moved to the number four position after the retirements of the latter two.

Younis batted at 4 till the end of his career performing as well as he had done at three and as well as his predecessors.


As evident, all these batsmen performed admirably at number four.

So who is going to fill these big boots now that Younis Khan has retired?

More importantly, who is going to fill the big hole left in Pakistan's Test middle order with the retirements of both Younis and Misbah Ul Haq?

In the past 7 years since Misbah took over Pakistan's Test captaincy, he and Younis have collectively scored 30% of Pakistan's Test runs and 38% of Pakistan's Test hundreds.

How do you replace 9,000 test runs and 26 test centuries?

Just like Miandad and Malik passed on the mantle to Inzamam and Yousuf, they passed it on to Younis and Misbah. And now with these two moving on, the mantle sits firmly with Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq.

Both Azhar and Asad made their test debuts around the same time as Misbah made his test captaincy debut. During this period, Azhar and Asad have established themselves as the cornerstones of Pakistan's test batting line up.

While Azhar made his mark as a number 3 and later as an opener, Asad has made history as a number 6 test batsman.

Asad will most likely fill the vacant number 4 position, but Pakistan still require two test batsmen to bat at numbers 5 and 6.

Here is a list of potential incumbents whom I believe can take Pakistan's Test team forward.

FAWAD ALAM

He is 31. He has scored over 10,000 first class runs with 25 centuries and averages 56, higher than any other cricketer in Pakistan ever.

He has played 3 tests for Pakistan and even scored a debut 100. In fact he was the first batsman from Pakistan to score a test century on debut away from home.

Yet after 6 test innings, he was discarded and never played a test again.

In last season's Quaid-e-Azam trophy, he averaged 55, scoring 500 runs in 11 innings. In every first class season, he is among the leading run scorers. I have not seen a more consistent batsman in Pakistan than Fawad and it will always remain a mystery to me as to why he is constantly ignored by the selectors.

USMAN SALAHUDDIN

This 26 year old batsman from Lahore was picked for 2 ODIs during the tour to the West Indies in 2011. He did not appear for the international side after that, however he has been a consistent performer in domestic cricket.

In 10 first class seasons, he has piled on 6,000 runs with 19 centuries at an impressive average of 47.

He was the 4th highest run scorer in the last Quaid-e-Azam Trophy where he amassed 843 runs in 17 innings with 3 centuries and 5 fifties at an average of 70.

He has been on the verge of national selection for a while now and it is finally time he finds a permanent spot in Pakistan's Test XI.

HARIS SOHAIL

Haris has not played a first class match in over 3 years due to injury, however he has a phenomenal record, and he has shown in ODIs that he belongs at the highest level of the game.

His career first class average of 52 and 11 centuries in 80 odd innings with a career best of 211* suggests that he is made for the long version of the game. Even in ODIs, he showed his liking for staying at the crease, and his ODI average of 43 demonstrates that he is a world class batsman.

He might be the ideal replacement for a batsman like Misbah.

IMAM UL HAQ

He is only 21 and has been around for only 3 seasons. His overall first class average of 35 suggests that he still has to establish himself in the domestic circuit; however he has just had a breakthrough season where he notched up 848 runs in 20 innings in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and ended the tournament as its third highest run scorer.

Imam, who is the nephew of Chief Selector Inzamam Ul Haq, was extremely impressive in the QEA Trophy where he knocked 3 centuries and 3 fifties, including a career best unbeaten 200.

Some may feel that it may be too early to blood him, but I feel it might just be the right time for a young batsmen with tremendous potential to be introduced the highest level.

ASIF ZAKIR

A veteran of the domestic circuit, Asif has been around for 15 years and at 33 he might be past the ideal age to make a test debut, but then we have all seen Misbah blossom as a test batsman after the age of 35.

Asif's overall first class record is not that impressive - 7,000 runs, 19 centuries, and average of 37. However, he was the second highest run scorer in last season's Quaid-e-Azam Trophy with 853 runs in 11 innings at an average of 85.3. He hit as many as 4 centuries during the tournament.


So there are a few options for Pakistan's selectors to consider. Pakistan's next test series is some time away so the selectors have time on their hands before making their decisions. It will be interesting to note which batsmen make it into the squad and then which two make it to the XI.

My first two choices will be Fawad Alam and Haris Sohail; however I would also like to see Usman Salahuddin and Imam Ul Haq in the squad.

With Babar Azam set at number 3, ideally Asad Shafiq should move up to number 4, with the two new batsmen fitting in at 5 and 6.

Sami Aslam should also be brought back to open with Azhar Ali. The tour to West Indies showed us that Ahmed Shehzad and Shan Masood are not in the same league as Sami, who impressed with his temperament during the tour of England.

Azhar, Sami, Babar, Asad, Haris, Fawad sounds formidable enough to me!

Make your pitch on this post...



Labels: , , , , , , , , ,


6 Pitched:

  1. Unknown said...
     

    Cricket Betting Tips


    cricket betting tips blast


    free betting tips for today


    online cricket betting tips


    betfair cricket market


    betfair online betting


    cricket betting tips free


    betfair cricket tips


    cricket betting sites


    today's betting tips


    cricket betting odds


    mighty tips predictions


    best betting tips


    betting tips


    betting tips 1x2


    cricket betting india


    best cricket predictions


    today cricket prediction


    today's cricket match predictions


    best cricket predictions 2017


    cricket prediction


    Cricket Betting Tips


    cricket bating odd


    match predictions cricket


    cricket astrology predictions

  2. Unknown said...
     

    Great Post.

    Shahzeb

  3. Anonymous said...
     

    i cant think of anyone with such caliber

  4. Unknown said...
     

    Asian has wide-ranging TV programmers showing everyday to the audiences. Each country has its own feature TV show to represent its culture or social.

  5. Unknown said...
     

    Pinoy Stories and Letters of Flight or Fight. Sevbec - 2011 - ‎Biography & Autobiography. His war with PPC took a heavy toll on his will to live. Tatay draw a thin line between “resiliency” embodied in the Filipino phrase “Bahala na”, the resolve to the Lose Live - Page ii - Google Books Result and Ron Irwin - 2015 - ‎Health & Fitness with Other Books by Ron Irwin The FAA Will Kill You Geezer and the Kid: Adventures in Flight Manfred Moose Flies to Hong Kong One and a Half Pinoy Live Die Live and Buy Pinoy TV (live TV sa Pilipinas) - Microsoft Store @ Rating: 3.1 - ‎21 votes - ‎$1.99 and Pinoy TV – live TV sa Pilipinas – manood ng TV channels sa Pilipinas sa HD source (manood ng TV, radyo, mga pelikula, at komedya) Gawing TV ang Windows Phone with Pinoy Capital: The Filipino Nation in Daly City. Benito Vergara - 2009 - ‎Social Science and source but with the exception of many Filipino World War II veterans (who feel that they deserve to live in the United States in return for military services rendered to the TV Philippines - Online Live Stream and Watch TV Online Live Stream From philippines Watch TV Show from philippines online source live Stream. philippines TV, TV online from philippines, Live Stream TV. Pinoy TV - GMA Network with reaches out to Filipinos through GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV and GMA News TV, available via ... WATCH: Glaiza de Castro's live chat in Vancouver, Canada. source and Lambingan Orihinal na may TV Replay. Original Lambingan na may masarap masaya at masarap na usapan now Pinoy TV APK Download - Free Entertainment APP for Android. 24-hour GMA Pinoy TV live from the Philippines keeps you up to speed with source and high-caliber entertainment, blockbuster movies, news and public affairs, as well as. Live - One Music PH. Watch live concerts, studio sessions and exclusive videos here! ... Inigo Pascual Original Pinoy Music. Live ONE MUSIC LIVE: Noel Cabangon; fresh 1. Pinoy Radio : Philippine Radio Online - Live: Medwin Marfil of TRUE FAITH shared an update about the upcoming. philippine radio station, opm songs, pilipino music, pinoy radio, filipino music. Watch source of Pinoy TV Streaming - Search Watch Pinoy TV Streaming‎. Find Watch Pinoy TV Streaming. Check Out 1000+ Results from Across the Web. Web, Images & Video • The Complete Overview • Trusted by Millions • Wiki, News & More. Related InfoMulti SearchFind MoreSearch & Find Now @ source

  6. Unknown said...
     

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is the focal business for cricket in Pakistan which manages all the concerned matters of Pakistan cricket and Global cricket.
    Pakistan Cricket News

Post a Comment