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Azhar Ali finally getting the recognition he deserves as a top-class Test batsman

New Yorker said:
Right but winning in NZ used to be taken for granted. And we lost the next one miserably. Then dropped pretty hard and fast from that no 1 spot.
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Winning in NZ was never easy. Anyone who thinks it doesn't understand cricket..
 
Hawkeye said:
Glad you finally realized it.

Anyway, he's a top Test bat, resilient along with Sami. Both will make a great pair.

They aren't dynamic but get the job done with their style of play.
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So he's not a 'bad investment' now ?
 
Sherlock said:
I've had my issues with Azhar Ali in recent years, but I think I'm right in saying he's been the most reliable after the England series involving Shafiq/YK/Misbah.

Shafiq just about got his form back last Test, but Azhar Ali has been the main batsmen the others have failed to play around.

I saw the stat yesterday saying barring 1 year, since his debut in 2012 he's averaged more than 50+ in 3 out of 4 years. That is a fantastic record tbh.
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And yet you've had an issue with him..it's time people with issues get with the programme...
 
the Great Khan said:
And yet you've had an issue with him..it's time people with issues get with the programme...
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Err..."Had" being the the emphasised word, mate. Saying that it's only in the LOIs and not in Tests either. Maybe a reading programme may help you :O
 
"He's just nice to watch, Azhar Ali" from Shane Warne.

Azhar's also been playing a few shots, has really upped his game in the past year or so.

It shows in his improved strike rate but of course, people will claim with no evidence whatsoever that he hasn't shown any improvement on that front.

Just a few runs away from becoming the highest scoring Pakistan player in one series in Australia.
 
That is a fifty in every single on the last 4 test matches for Azhar Ali. Consistently scoring runs as an opener in foreign conditions. Top run-scorer from both sides as he is level with Steve Smith. Will go past him tomorrow InshaAllah and score another 100!
 
His defense has been unflappable, and he has replaced Butt as the Pakistani GOAT in Australia. Easily the best batsman in the team.
 
Mamoon said:
His defense has been unflappable, and he has replaced Butt as the Pakistani GOAT in Australia. Easily the best batsman in the team.
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[MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION] won't like it reading your post.
 
Mamoon said:
His defense has been unflappable, and he has replaced Butt as the Pakistani GOAT in Australia. Easily the best batsman in the team.
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Abdul said:
[MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION] won't like it reading your post.
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Actually I'm just delighted for him.

He has had a wonderful tour.

Congratulations to him.

(I just wish he'd had Salman Butt as his partner instead of Sharjeel!)
 
The hard work has paid off. He isn't naturally gifted which taints his chances of being grouped in the modern elite category of players. But he is a great batsman in his own right that has made use of whatever he has in the tank.
 
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He's cemented his place in history now :azhar2

Pakistan's best current batsman
 
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A great investment. Azhar delivering another slap to armchair PP experts.
 
westindies tour is usually tough for pakistani batsmen , even against weak west indies sides we have struggled in west indies. As per ftp we are going to play 4 test matches in west indies , yet another chance for pakistan to their first series there. Azhar ali will be the key there.
 
Azhar was always a top class Test batsman; now he is opening which suits his game.

I think, comparison with the other 4 isn't fair. It could have been, when he was batting at 3 - he was comfortably a rank or 2 below; but in last 10 Tests, he has opened & played innings like 139, 49, 30*, 302*, 79, 91, 67, 75, 203*, 55*, even a 31 in 4+ hours - these are outstanding efforts overall for an opener, more importantly, for an Asian opener - 7 of those 10 Tests are outside Asia (but not in Zim/WI). And, he has an unbeaten triple & double, which indicates once set, he is really difficult nut to crack. If he can continue such form for 2/3 years he'll end up as a cricket great.

Advantage that Cook had is he played almost 140 Tests in 10/11 years - had Azhar got the chance to play 35-38 Tests in his best 2/3 years; he can easily score another 12-18 hundreds. Besides, 4/5 Test tours help batsmen more than bowlers - they get acclimatized with the condition while bowlers get burnt out, that's why often better batsmen or batsmen in form piles up big scores in 3rd, 4th & 5th Test, which Azhar will never get in his life unless earthquakes crashes PCB to 10 feet under ground.

I sincerely hope that he is not burdened with Captaincy, rather allowed to play with complete focus on piling runs.
 
It's gotten to a stage where everytime he goes to bat, a fifty is a formality, I am almost shocked when he is dismissed for less than 100
 
The one and only positive from this shambolic test tour so far.
 
I remember on his first England tour with Pakistan he was one of the only batsmen who would knuckle down and tough out some runs- not easy for a young player in totally new conditions. I was pretty sure then he'd make it as a serious batsman.
 
MMHS said:
Azhar was always a top class Test batsman; now he is opening which suits his game.

I think, comparison with the other 4 isn't fair. It could have been, when he was batting at 3 - he was comfortably a rank or 2 below; but in last 10 Tests, he has opened & played innings like 139, 49, 30*, 302*, 79, 91, 67, 75, 203*, 55*, even a 31 in 4+ hours - these are outstanding efforts overall for an opener, more importantly, for an Asian opener - 7 of those 10 Tests are outside Asia (but not in Zim/WI). And, he has an unbeaten triple & double, which indicates once set, he is really difficult nut to crack. If he can continue such form for 2/3 years he'll end up as a cricket great.

Advantage that Cook had is he played almost 140 Tests in 10/11 years - had Azhar got the chance to play 35-38 Tests in his best 2/3 years; he can easily score another 12-18 hundreds. Besides, 4/5 Test tours help batsmen more than bowlers - they get acclimatized with the condition while bowlers get burnt out, that's why often better batsmen or batsmen in form piles up big scores in 3rd, 4th & 5th Test, which Azhar will never get in his life unless earthquakes crashes PCB to 10 feet under ground.

I sincerely hope that he is not burdened with Captaincy, rather allowed to play with complete focus on piling runs.
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These are some serious scores.
 
MMHS said:
Azhar was always a top class Test batsman; now he is opening which suits his game.

I think, comparison with the other 4 isn't fair. It could have been, when he was batting at 3 - he was comfortably a rank or 2 below; but in last 10 Tests, he has opened & played innings like 139, 49, 30*, 302*, 79, 91, 67, 75, 203*, 55*, even a 31 in 4+ hours - these are outstanding efforts overall for an opener, more importantly, for an Asian opener - 7 of those 10 Tests are outside Asia (but not in Zim/WI). And, he has an unbeaten triple & double, which indicates once set, he is really difficult nut to crack. If he can continue such form for 2/3 years he'll end up as a cricket great.

Advantage that Cook had is he played almost 140 Tests in 10/11 years - had Azhar got the chance to play 35-38 Tests in his best 2/3 years; he can easily score another 12-18 hundreds. Besides, 4/5 Test tours help batsmen more than bowlers - they get acclimatized with the condition while bowlers get burnt out, that's why often better batsmen or batsmen in form piles up big scores in 3rd, 4th & 5th Test, which Azhar will never get in his life unless earthquakes crashes PCB to 10 feet under ground.

I sincerely hope that he is not burdened with Captaincy, rather allowed to play with complete focus on piling runs.
Click to expand...

I agree with every word, he is in the current top tier in Tests.
 
MMHS said:
Azhar was always a top class Test batsman; now he is opening which suits his game.

I think, comparison with the other 4 isn't fair. It could have been, when he was batting at 3 - he was comfortably a rank or 2 below; but in last 10 Tests, he has opened & played innings like 139, 49, 30*, 302*, 79, 91, 67, 75, 203*, 55*, even a 31 in 4+ hours - these are outstanding efforts overall for an opener, more importantly, for an Asian opener - 7 of those 10 Tests are outside Asia (but not in Zim/WI). And, he has an unbeaten triple & double, which indicates once set, he is really difficult nut to crack. If he can continue such form for 2/3 years he'll end up as a cricket great.

Advantage that Cook had is he played almost 140 Tests in 10/11 years - had Azhar got the chance to play 35-38 Tests in his best 2/3 years; he can easily score another 12-18 hundreds. Besides, 4/5 Test tours help batsmen more than bowlers - they get acclimatized with the condition while bowlers get burnt out, that's why often better batsmen or batsmen in form piles up big scores in 3rd, 4th & 5th Test, which Azhar will never get in his life unless earthquakes crashes PCB to 10 feet under ground.

I sincerely hope that he is not burdened with Captaincy, rather allowed to play with complete focus on piling runs.
Click to expand...

Good assessment.

He's a gun player,is reliable,especially during the last couple of years.
 
Fantastic player. Delighted for him.

Now I just hope he gives up ODI captaincy and plays solely as a player in Tests and even ODIs if he can keep a 40+ average at an SR of even 75+, and I'll go back to backing him fully as I did before he began his captaincy stint.

Insha'Allah he gets 9k runs in Tests and maybs 5-6k in ODIs too.

Great lad.
 
I think he has spent more time on the field than any other player this series. Tribute to his fitness
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">"Azhar Ali's been a rock for Pakistan, he's shown real courage and class" : Bill Lawry <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvPAK?src=hash">#AUSvPAK</a></p>— PakPassion.net (@PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/PakPassion/status/816858761897902080">January 5, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Lol the amount of time he has been on the field is ridiculous. Pakistan need more players with Azhars work ethic
 
Looks like starting your career as a leggie increases your prospects of becoming the best batsman in your team.:smith:azhar2
 
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