A blueprint for Pakistan to use the Pandemic to emerge stronger

[Junaids]

All of us understand the score currently.

The Novel Coronavirus has led to the shutdown of most societies. It affects the young relatively mildly, but it is highly contagious and can quickly overwhelm even advanced health services. Until a treatment or a vaccine arrive we are all highly restricted in our freedom of movement.

Pakistan has already lost the second half of its World Test Championship series against Bangladesh, but faces losing the England series too, followed later in the year by hosting South Africa, visiting Australia for the World T20 and touring New Zealand.

The players cannot get overseas contracts and domestic cricket cannot be safely staged.

But to me this sounds like a huge opportunity for both the PCB and for Misbah-ul-Haq as Chief Selector and Head Coach. It is a chance to camp intensively and to roll 2 or 3 years development into the next few months.

The players are losing income and fitness and their skills. But they don't have to. This is my suggestion.

I would suggest that the Pakistan Cricket Board should take 30 players into a several month long camp at a site where they can live in isolation and play cricket on decent surfaces. It could be at the National Cricket Academy at Lahore or it could be anywhere, even an isolated exclave like Gwadar.

Misbah-ul-Haq has numerous questions that he needs to find answers for. I may disagree with posters like [MENTION=134608]Hawkeye[/MENTION] about his skills or training, but we probably agree that he needs to work out:

1. Whether Azhar Ali has a future.
2. Whether Shan Masood is a viable alternative.
3. Whether the likes of Haris Raif or Mohammad Hasnain have a red ball future.
4. Whether Shadab Khan, Sajid Khan and Zafar Gohar are good enough to have a Test future.
5. Whether Zeeshan Malik, Rohail Nazir and Imran Butt are close to international quality or still far away.

My solution is to take into camp the 15 established internationals, 10 up-and-coming young players and 5 journeymen.

And then have them play tough cricket against one another, preferably televised for the sport-starved public. For at least 10 weeks, and preferably longer.

How much would it cost to have these players in camp? Not very much!

Here would be my suggestions for the two teams - and I have been brutal about the Emerging Team featuring someone like Rohail Nazir instead of a veteran like Sarfraz Ahmed.

Pakistan Tigers
1. Azhar Ali (c)
2. Abid Ali
3. Asad Shafiq
4. Babar Azam
5. Haris Sohail
6. Fawad Alam
7. Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
8. Yasir Shah
9. Shaheen Shah Afridi
10. Naseem Shah
11. Mohammad Abbas

Emerging Pakistan
1. Zeeshan Malik
2. Sami Aslam
3. Imran Butt
4. Shan Masood (c)
5. Rohail Nazir (wk)
6. Aamer Yamin
7. Shadab Khan
8. Faheem Ashraf
9. Zafar Gohar
10. Haris Rauf
11. Mohammad Hasnain

Shared bowling reserves (as the batsmen all need to play)
23. Mohammad Asghar
24. Sajid Khan
25. Junaid Khan
26. Usman Shinwari
27. Ehsan Adil
28. Amad Butt
29. Sameen Gul
30. Kashif Bhatti

There are a number of advantages to this model. It would clearly be high quality cricket. But it would also directly test whether Misbah is right to favour experience over promise - we would directly compare his veterans with the merging talent.

The cricket could be played in conditions of near-total isolation, with the players released to return home every 8 weeks for 2 weeks subject to passing Coronavirus testing both upon departure and return.

There would be a 4 week red ball block, a 2 week 50 over block and a 2 week T20 block.

I am really not seeing why this can't be done. And it might just not only accelerate player and team development, but also the development of Misbah-ul-Haq as both a selector and as a coach.

 

[zain7077]

All of us understand the score currently.

The Novel Coronavirus has led to the shutdown of most societies. It affects the young relatively mildly, but it is highly contagious and can quickly overwhelm even advanced health services. Until a treatment or a vaccine arrive we are all highly restricted in our freedom of movement.

Pakistan has already lost the second half of its World Test Championship series against Bangladesh, but faces losing the England series too, followed later in the year by hosting South Africa, visiting Australia for the World T20 and touring New Zealand.

The players cannot get overseas contracts and domestic cricket cannot be safely staged.

But to me this sounds like a huge opportunity for both the PCB and for Misbah-ul-Haq as Chief Selector and Head Coach. It is a chance to camp intensively and to roll 2 or 3 years development into the next few months.

The players are losing income and fitness and their skills. But they don't have to. This is my suggestion.

I would suggest that the Pakistan Cricket Board should take 30 players into a several month long camp at a site where they can live in isolation and play cricket on decent surfaces. It could be at the National Cricket Academy at Lahore or it could be anywhere, even an isolated exclave like Gwadar.

Misbah-ul-Haq has numerous questions that he needs to find answers for. I may disagree with posters like [MENTION=134608]Hawkeye[/MENTION] about his skills or training, but we probably agree that he needs to work out:

1. Whether Azhar Ali has a future.
2. Whether Shan Masood is a viable alternative.
3. Whether the likes of Haris Raif or Mohammad Hasnain have a red ball future.
4. Whether Shadab Khan, Sajid Khan and Zafar Gohar are good enough to have a Test future.
5. Whether Zeeshan Malik, Rohail Nazir and Imran Butt are close to international quality or still far away.

My solution is to take into camp the 15 established internationals, 10 up-and-coming young players and 5 journeymen.

And then have them play tough cricket against one another, preferably televised for the sport-starved public. For at least 10 weeks, and preferably longer.

How much would it cost to have these players in camp? Not very much!

Here would be my suggestions for the two teams - and I have been brutal about the Emerging Team featuring someone like Rohail Nazir instead of a veteran like Sarfraz Ahmed.

Pakistan Tigers
1. Azhar Ali (c)
2. Abid Ali
3. Asad Shafiq
4. Babar Azam
5. Haris Sohail
6. Fawad Alam
7. Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
8. Yasir Shah
9. Shaheen Shah Afridi
10. Naseem Shah
11. Mohammad Abbas

Emerging Pakistan
1. Zeeshan Malik
2. Sami Aslam
3. Imran Butt
4. Shan Masood (c)
5. Rohail Nazir (wk)
6. Aamer Yamin
7. Shadab Khan
8. Faheem Ashraf
9. Zafar Gohar
10. Haris Rauf
11. Mohammad Hasnain

Shared bowling reserves (as the batsmen all need to play)
23. Mohammad Asghar
24. Sajid Khan
25. Junaid Khan
26. Usman Shinwari
27. Ehsan Adil
28. Amad Butt
29. Sameen Gul
30. Kashif Bhatti

There are a number of advantages to this model. It would clearly be high quality cricket. But it would also directly test whether Misbah is right to favour experience over promise - we would directly compare his veterans with the merging talent.

The cricket could be played in conditions of near-total isolation, with the players released to return home every 8 weeks for 2 weeks subject to passing Coronavirus testing both upon departure and return.

There would be a 4 week red ball block, a 2 week 50 over block and a 2 week T20 block.

I am really not seeing why this can't be done. And it might just not only accelerate player and team development, but also the development of Misbah-ul-Haq as both a selector and as a coach.

Absolutely brilliant idea and would probably result in Pakistan being the in form team post lock down but the possibility of this happening is close to nil.

 

[Bigboii]

Emerging would be handed innings defeat in a row

 

[Junaids]

Emerging would be handed innings defeat in a row

What is wrong with that?

Nobody thinks that Pakistan needs an entirely new team. Ideally an international team replaces the two oldest players each year and never enters a transition period.

If you look at my Pakistan team, the Top Six has an average age of 34 if you exclude Babar Azam. I would be happy if Pakistan won every game by an innings, but someone like Zeeshan Malik or Rohail Nazir stands out as far superior to the other emerging batsmen. Then we at least know who should be next in line.

The same applies to Pakistan's veteran batting line-up. The worst case scenario is for them all to fail simultaneously due to old age.

But this camp effectively provides 4 Test-quality matches every 8 weeks. If Azhar Ali or Haris Sohail or Fawad Alam proves to have passed his best at least you would find out for certain, and they could be replaced before the next major series rather than following the Pakistan custom of letting players carry on past their best until they lose the team a major series.

 

[Junaids]

Never forget, what elevated Marnus Labuschagne from being a mediocre fringe player to being a top international batsman was half a season of First Class County Cricket.

This would be a higher level again: just look at the two bowling attacks:

Shaheen / Abbas / Naseem / Yasir

Haris / Hasnain / Faheem / Shadab / Zafar

There would be no hiding place for batsmen: it’s genuinely high level competition.

 

[Savak]

The idea is very practical. I hope someone can email these suggestions to the PCB, Ehsan Mani, Wasim Khan etc

 

[Junaids]

The idea is very practical. I hope someone can email these suggestions to the PCB, Ehsan Mani, Wasim Khan etc

I am surprised that this idea is not gaining any traction at all.

What's the point of having the NCA if you don't use it?

This would cost almost nothing, but it would equip Misbah well for future assignments.

 

[GreenKhan]

I think this is a fantastic idea , however I see very little chance of any of the current top 6 being dropped on the basis of these matches especially if they have had decent outings in there last few matches which I think most of them .
It would be the equivalent of dropping a player after a few low scores in the opening rounds of county cricket or shield cricket , when they have scored in their most recent test outings . It does not really suggest consistency in selection.

Also somebody like Fawad Alam who has waited for his turn so patiently on the back of solid domestic numbers should be given a good few tests to establish him self in the test team . We can’t judge on age until we see how they perform at that level , as longevity varies from player to player .

I do feel however that the emerging teams is a good idea and will allow us to earmark players for the future with a view to bringing them in to the line up as and when required . It will increase competition for places and which inshallah will bode well for the future .

 

[chazam]

PCB's options for cricket in COVID19

So it seems like IPL may go ahead and T20 world cup will be postponed and India and Australia will play to make some cash.
Other boards also will try something similar, but since PCB cannot play with India and nor participate in T20 world cup, they are bound to lose some cash. What are there options then.
I believe PCB should work with Windies, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh boards to
create bio-secure place in some city of Pakistan, near to a Cricket Stadium
and the host a quadrangular or Pentagular Cricket T20 series.
Even Zimbabwe, UAE and Afghanistan can be considered.
Start putting a plan now, so that all the involved players have a target in mind and they also a have a goal rather then waiting in this situation.
Also, practice matches can be organized with teams of international players mixed with local Pakistan talent, if needed.

 

[Hasan123]

I don't agree with a lot of Junaids theories but I admire his passion for Pakistan cricket. Also at least he does come up with solutions instead of complaining about scenarios.

This doesn't seem like a bad idea to me. If it was to happen I would be interested to see this.

 

[inam ahsan danish]

I think its a great idea, somebody should enlighten up the pcb with this idea,,anyways i rate dilbar hussain more than haris rauf. He is a skiddy type bowler, his pace is more than 140kph most of the times with short run-up just like mark wood , i think he is a better prospect than haris rauf.

 

[Slog]

I don't agree with Junaids a lot and am often frustrated by his posting but he for sure is a cricket connoisseur

 

[Slog]

Players have families and stuff

You cant just lock them up in an island for experiments tho