36, 35, 37, 39 = FC averages for 4 out of top 5 Pakistan batsman! Do we really expect to win?

[asifp]

Azhar ali = 36.5
Inam = 34.9
Asad = 37.1
Babar = 38.8

Harris is the only one above 40, inf fact over 50.

This is true first class average, that is total FC minus their test Record.


So four of our top 5, don;t even average over 40 in First Class cricket in Pakistan, which according to most people is crap standard. Now, do we really expect these guys to win? Azhar, I know has a decent Test record, but still 3 out of the 5 with poor records. I am not sure what the selectors are expecting..

To put it in perspective, the 3 guys on the bench, their FC averages

Fakhr - 41.9
Usman S - 46.5
Saad A - 46.9

Micky has been in charge of the test team for a while, not sure what he is thinking, but this is starting to look like a car crash waiting to happen.

 

[boomboom6]

this has been going on since 2010 really when Azhar and Shafiq were picked despite averaging in 30s ... Azhar has somewhat paid off with mid 40s avg. but Shafiq after nearly 60 tests is barely averaging 40 which is not good enough for a specialist batsman.

More of the same will continue with test team till they play guys who are proven FC performers instead of favoritism.

 

[PakSarZameen]

Let's not add Azhar to this list. He worked very hard off the field to be where he is today.

 

[ads101]

Have no idea. Why I say he isn't a good coach. He makes some truly bizarre decisions.

I can understand Fakhar playing. But Fahim at the expense of a batsman? Our batsmen need practice in these conditions, and you can't sit one of them out to try out someone who is probably not going to start.

If they wanted to try Fahim, drop a bowler. Not even a bad call too, as he's likely to play if we decide to drop Shadab.

Both Usman and Saad should be playing today so we can potentially see which one we are bringing. I'd probably bring both of them and sit out Babar.

 

[boomboom6]

Babar keeps playing despite failing in this format ... should be replaced by Usman or Saad for the actual matches.

 

[Syed1]

Babar, Shafiq and Imam have no business being anywhere near the test side.


Thank you Inzi

 

[Fahdi]

For someone who has been a regular in tests for 8 years this true FC average is a pointless statistic. Asad and Azhar need to be judged solely on their international performance

 

[Plumb]

Azhar ali = 36.5
Inam = 34.9
Asad = 37.1
Babar = 38.8

Harris is the only one above 40, inf fact over 50.

This is true first class average, that is total FC minus their test Record.


So four of our top 5, don;t even average over 40 in First Class cricket in Pakistan, which according to most people is crap standard. Now, do we really expect these guys to win? Azhar, I know has a decent Test record, but still 3 out of the 5 with poor records. I am not sure what the selectors are expecting..

To put it in perspective, the 3 guys on the bench, their FC averages

Fakhr - 41.9
Usman S - 46.5
Saad A - 46.9

Micky has been in charge of the test team for a while, not sure what he is thinking, but this is starting to look like a car crash waiting to happen.

couple of questions and comments,

how many series(In Aus/Eng/SA/NZ) we won when we had players with FC avg of 40+?
So, Micky 'll check FC avg. and replace permanent member Asad(though I agree Asad has been getting free ride for sometime now) with someone who is making debut? when that doesn't work people will complain how can you replace Asad.

Imam may not the best but doing good so far.

Babar: Management have high hopes and thinks he can be the backbone of the team so investing in him, even though he is playing really bad test cricket but that's what it looks like.

Bottom line Micky is doing his best to introduce young players slowly but surely. Relax and give someone a chance for few games and then make judgement.

 

[MenInG]

Add Sarfaraz to this list also.

 

[boomboom6]

For someone who has been a regular in tests for 8 years this true FC average is a pointless statistic. Asad and Azhar need to be judged solely on their international performance

Asad is not even averaging a clean 40 in test cricket after playing 58 matches.

 

[boomboom6]

couple of questions and comments,

how many series(In Aus/Eng/SA/NZ) we won when we had players with FC avg of 40+?
So, Micky 'll check FC avg. and replace permanent member Asad(though I agree Asad has been getting free ride for sometime now) with someone who is making debut? when that doesn't work people will complain how can you replace Asad.

Imam may not the best but doing good so far.

Babar: Management have high hopes and thinks he can be the backbone of the team so investing in him, even though he is playing really bad test cricket but that's what it looks like.

Bottom line Micky is doing his best to introduce young players slowly but surely. Relax and give someone a chance for few games and then make judgement.

the only guys with a FC avg of 40+ in the last 8 years that were in the team at one point: Shehzad, Younis and Misbah ... So no we have not had a bunch of playing at all.

 

[Bleedgreen4ever]

Azhar ali = 36.5
Inam = 34.9
Asad = 37.1
Babar = 38.8

Harris is the only one above 40, inf fact over 50.

This is true first class average, that is total FC minus their test Record.


So four of our top 5, don;t even average over 40 in First Class cricket in Pakistan, which according to most people is crap standard. Now, do we really expect these guys to win? Azhar, I know has a decent Test record, but still 3 out of the 5 with poor records. I am not sure what the selectors are expecting..

To put it in perspective, the 3 guys on the bench, their FC averages

Fakhr - 41.9
Usman S - 46.5
Saad A - 46.9

Micky has been in charge of the test team for a while, not sure what he is thinking, but this is starting to look like a car crash waiting to happen.

Azhar"s figures are misleading he batted lower down the order for many FC matches as he started as a spinner.

TBF their FC averages are similar if not better to Vince,Stoneman,Malan,Moeen

 

[Chief Destroyer]

Doesn't mean a thing. Azhar's test average proves that.

Right selection from Mickey and Inzi. These guys are our best technical players. Would prefer Salahuddin to play over Shafiq.

 

[Fahdi]

Asad is not even averaging a clean 40 in test cricket after playing 58 matches.

And that is a perfectly valid criticism and one for which he should be held accountable for.

 

[Cric1234]

You forgot Aslam with a huge FC average of 35 nightmares for Anderson and Broad.

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

Hey you have a point but Babar is just a kid, and just when he started to find his feet in longer version of the game (scored a 200 in one of his last domestic matches) he is mostly on international duty. Similar to domestic, he is one big 100 away to find his feet in test cricket.

Averages should be taken with a context though, for example Usman's average of 46 is superior to Fawad's 55 something as Usman has played a lot for Lahore and on difficult pitches of North Punjab. He would have been a better investment than Shafiq and also imo Azhar too. Similarly we wasted Haris', who was a class above the rest in domestic, peak 5 years (2011 - 2015 when he was not injured) for Misbah and Shafiq and were happy on winning in UAE.

 

[Savak]

An Average of 50 in Domestic Cricket is no guarantee of Batting success in English Conditions either

 

[Abdullah719]

The only one to really worry about is Asad. Azhar doesn't fall in the same bracket.

The rest have time on their side.

 

[Lefthanded]

Azhar is ranked #10 in ICC batter rankings, couple of points behind Markram. Runs in this series, and he could easily push ahead afterwards.

Amla is #11 but 30+ points behind Azhar.

Aside from Azhar, the only other Pakistan batsman who could make a merit based World XI of the last few years retired with 10K+ runs.

If people are going to rubbish the only Test class batsman we have, why bother watching a team with zero Test class batsmen and a couple of horrid FC averaging debutants?

 

[Lefthanded]

Hey you have a point but Babar is just a kid, and just when he started to find his feet in longer version of the game (scored a 200 in one of his last domestic matches) he is mostly on international duty. Similar to domestic, he is one big 100 away to find his feet in test cricket.

Averages should be taken with a context though, for example Usman's average of 46 is superior to Fawad's 55 something as Usman has played a lot for Lahore and on difficult pitches of North Punjab. He would have been a better investment than Shafiq and also imo Azhar too. Similarly we wasted Haris', who was a class above the rest in domestic, peak 5 years (2011 - 2015 when he was not injured) for Misbah and Shafiq and were happy on winning in UAE.

Babar

6 of his 11 Tests were against weak and injury-hit SL/WI sides. Failing against weak and strong teams isn't going to help a kid's confidence. He needs a break from Tests.

And as much as I want him to be the batting star we're hoping for, he's looked like a walking wicket. The best fail in England, and there's no need to expose him. Let him score heavily in domestics and ODIs, get a county deal if possible and get another look-in. It's not like we'll have Indian fab-four like middle order in the meantime.

There's no point in selecting people like Saad Ali in the squad who merit selection, while Babar's been given 11 Tests to average 20 odd.

I'd be delighted if I'm proven wrong by Babar's bat against England.

 

[Justcrazy]

Asad is mediocre player. Consistency is part of being a good batter. After 60 Test matches he is averaging less than 40 . He is a very poor investment.

 

[asifp]

the only guys with a FC avg of 40+ in the last 8 years that were in the team at one point: Shehzad, Younis and Misbah ... So no we have not had a bunch of playing at all.

Let me tell you guys that averages more than 40+ in first class

Younus
Misbah
MoYou
Inzi
Miandad
Saeed Anwar
Salim Malik
...
...

Do I need to tell you what we achieved with these guys?

Literally since Mid 2000's we decided to introduce players with crappy first class averages

 

[HuzaifaE]

Azhar Ali is proof that this accountancy approach of FC average obsession is faulty

 

[Syed1]

Saad and Salahuddin still not good enough to get in the eleven

 

[asifp]

Azhar Ali is proof that this accountancy approach of FC average obsession is faulty

This statement is ridiculous its not even funny!. So you pick one guy in the 60 years we have been playing cricket and use him as the example. Why not look at the other 20 that prove domestic averages mean everything!

 

[silent ischemia]

This statement is ridiculous its not even funny!. So you pick one guy in the 60 years we have been playing cricket and use him as the example. Why not look at the other 20 that prove domestic averages mean everything!

Agreed. By selecting such players what message are you giving to the batsmen who are toiling hard in the domestic circuit to gain national selection

 

[ads101]

Azhar Ali is proof that this accountancy approach of FC average obsession is faulty

He isn't.

Azhar Ali started off as a bowler and reinvented himself as an opener. His opening stats are very impressive, he was averaging 50 or something for a few seasons before selection. If he'd have been left in domestic instead of picked for internationals, his domestic average would be much higher.

He isn't someone who under performed in domestic. And this doesn't hold true for many other players, very few of them started as a bowler/batsman and then switched to the opposite.

Guys who have improved significantly and reworked their game entirely can be considered for selection e.g. Azhar. What I don't agree with is picking guys who do not top the charts regularly in domestic with the assumption they'll exceed their domestic numbers. The only bat I can think of from Pakistan in the last two decades is Yousuf. And even then Yousuf was blooded in at a very young age and is possibly down to the fact he didn't have a chance to become great at domestic cricket (as was pretty much a regular as soon as he debuted).

And yet for some reason we continue to pick guys thinking somehow they'll be the one guy who indeed will exceed domestic averages. The chances are just so small, I don't understand why the selectors keep trying again and again.

People forget, the last guy who selectors were sure was better than his domestic stats was Asad.