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Babar Azam's replacement for 2nd Test: Fakhar Zaman, Usman Salahuddin, Saad Ali or Sami Aslam?

Babar Azam's replacement for 2nd Test: Fakhar Zaman, Usman Salahuddin, Saad Ali or Sami Aslam?

  • Total voters
    104
Has to be Salahuddin. He's been waiting too long for a chance.
 
It is almost certain it is between usman vs fakhar.i think given how fahim and shadab have step up well from odis to test he will definetly go with fakhar
 
Also it depend on if win against england or not. if we loses the test it will most probably usman
 
I would play them both if the pitch is green and rest Shadab. England need to come at us at Headingly, even a draw there will mean that we win the series. No need to be overly attacking.
 
Bilal7 said:
I would play them both if the pitch is green and rest Shadab. England need to come at us at Headingly, even a draw there will mean that we win the series. No need to be overly attacking.
Click to expand...

We haven't even won this match yet bro relax
 
I for one do not think Mickey will go for Fakhar. That will make the batting very brittle with Imam at 1 and Sarfraz, Shadab and Fahim at 6, 7 and 8.
 
PakSarZameen said:
We haven't even won this match yet bro relax
Click to expand...

Not many teams lose after getting a lead of 170 odd specially those that have a gun bowling line up like ours. England will have to double their first innings score for Pakistan to even be challenged.


I hate this Pakistani trait of constant pessimism
 
Syed1 said:
Not many teams lose after getting a lead of 170 odd specially those that have a gun bowling line up like ours. England will have to double their first innings score for Pakistan to even be challenged.


I hate this Pakistani trait of constant pessimism
Click to expand...

This is Pakistan. The same Pakistan that was around 14-3 chasing 160 against a mediocre Ireland attack.
 
Syed1 said:
Not many teams lose after getting a lead of 170 odd specially those that have a gun bowling line up like ours. England will have to double their first innings score for Pakistan to even be challenged.


I hate this Pakistani trait of constant pessimism
Click to expand...

Have you ever watched Pakistan in the 4th innings before? A total of 50 could be disastrous for them to chase.

:))
 
Sherlock said:
Have you ever watched Pakistan in the 4th innings before? A total of 50 could be disastrous for them to chase.

:))
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This is a new ruthless Pakistan. The sides that struggled to chase 50 had the likes of Akmals, Farhats and Faisal Iqbals in their ranks.
 
By merit, it should be Usman. Had been in the squad for a year and performed in his only innings in the tour so far.
 
Syed1 said:
Not many teams lose after getting a lead of 170 odd specially those that have a gun bowling line up like ours. England will have to double their first innings score for Pakistan to even be challenged.


I hate this Pakistani trait of constant pessimism
Click to expand...

The problem is not that we have to chase in the 4th innings but that we are now effectively down to only 10 players...
 
Fakhar should come in down the order. No reason why he can't emulate his success from LOIs into tests.
 
Syed1 said:
Not many teams lose after getting a lead of 170 odd specially those that have a gun bowling line up like ours. England will have to double their first innings score for Pakistan to even be challenged.


I hate this Pakistani trait of constant pessimism
Click to expand...

This particular time it's more.like not jinxing it, something me and some other Indians posters do well.
 
Junaids said:
Sami Aslam!

With Azhar Ali dropping to 3.
Click to expand...

What sense does it make to play Sami who is horribly out of form and low on confidence to play over in form Fakhar and Usman? Why would you again change Azhar's position when he's arguably the best test opener in the world at the moment?
 
The_Odd_One said:
What sense does it make to play Sami who is horribly out of form and low on confidence to play over in form Fakhar and Usman? Why would you again change Azhar's position when he's arguably the best test opener in the world at the moment?
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Because he topped the batting averages in England just two years ago, averaging 55.67 against Anderson and Broad and Stokes.

Whereas none of the others have ever played a Test match.
 
They've got to go for similar players. Both Babar and Usman are middle order players, no point bringing an opener, Fakhar, and trying to make him a middle order batsman. It's too much of a risk. Also not sure about Saad yet, he's not really showed anything yet to suggest he's international class.
 
Fakhar gives me no hope as a test batsman, he looks like Sarfaraz at the crease, and as we all know can't play proper shots these days to buy him a run
 
Has to be Usman he has waited a lot and grabbed only chance provided on this tour.
 
Syed1 said:
Not many teams lose after getting a lead of 170 odd specially those that have a gun bowling line up like ours. England will have to double their first innings score for Pakistan to even be challenged.


I hate this Pakistani trait of constant pessimism
Click to expand...

We have had 2.5 4th innings collapses in about last 5 matches from what I remember
 
Bilal7 said:
I would play them both if the pitch is green and rest Shadab. England need to come at us at Headingly, even a draw there will mean that we win the series. No need to be overly attacking.
Click to expand...

I would have taken this idea had Shadab not performed with bat
 
Doubt Azhar will change his position now that he's found some form so it has to be Usman.
 
Sami Aslam to open, Harris at 5 to give lower order some balance. Azhar at his best position that is number 3. Actually a better line up without babar.
 
SaadAliG said:
Sami Aslam to open, Harris at 5 to give lower order some balance. Azhar at his best position that is number 3. Actually a better line up without babar.
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We are talking about the highest scorer in the Pak line up atm
 
MenInG said:
We are talking about the highest scorer in the Pak line up atm
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Babar can be replaced with a tweak in batting order. Azhar is better at number 3. Harris is good at number 5. Sami Aslam played well in England last time.
Who is the highest scorer by the way? Highest scorer for the past how many series or what?
 
SaadAliG said:
Babar can be replaced with a tweak in batting order. Azhar is better at number 3. Harris is good at number 5. Sami Aslam played well in England last time.
Who is the highest scorer by the way? Highest scorer for the past how many series or what?
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Think this series - the present. Past is no guide for future greatness!
 
Whilst I would like to see Fakhar opening it should be Usman in this instance due to his batting position as a replacement for Babar.
 
Iddy said:
Whilst I would like to see Fakhar opening it should be Usman in this instance due to his batting position as a replacement for Babar.
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Yes that is true.

Sami Aslam messed his chance in warm-ups but then one could say he didnt get good conditions to bat in
 
MenInG said:
We are talking about the highest scorer in the Pak line up atm
Click to expand...

MenInG said:
Think this series - the present. Past is no guide for future greatness!
Click to expand...
What?
This series? One innings in which he has scored 60 odd?
I am a big fan of Babar Azam and happy that he played well again but the fact remains that he's a batsman with the worse batting average in test cricket history with more than 20 matches played.
That was not even the point to begin with. We can improve our batting lineup without babar. He has been at the core of our batting problems in tests for the past few series.

Harris is as good as Babar at number 5, Azhar is way ahead of Harris at number 3. Sami Aslam is an excellent player. That was the point. If you don't agree that it'll be an improvement, let's agree to disagree then.
 
SaadAliG said:
What?
This series? One innings in which he has scored 60 odd?
I am a big fan of Babar Azam and happy that he played well again but the fact remains that he's a batsman with the worse batting average in test cricket history with more than 20 matches played.
That was not even the point to begin with. We can improve our batting lineup without babar. He has been at the core of our batting problems in tests for the past few series.

Harris is as good as Babar at number 5, Azhar is way ahead of Harris at number 3. Sami Aslam is an excellent player. That was the point. If you don't agree that it'll be an improvement, let's agree to disagree then.
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Correct yourself babar have played 13 test so far only.btw what is sami batting average ?you are making out as if sami is averaging 45+ with the bat
 
There are not a lot of bowling choices in this Pakistan team. Rahat Ali being a dud, who do they play if the pitch is green in the 2nd test in place of Shadab?

Usman will get the nod based on his performance in the warm up game.
 
based on the conditions and the fact he got some runs id say Usman, even though i rate Saad and Fahkar more
 
SaadAliG said:
What?
This series? One innings in which he has scored 60 odd?
I am a big fan of Babar Azam and happy that he played well again but the fact remains that he's a batsman with the worse batting average in test cricket history with more than 20 matches played.
That was not even the point to begin with. We can improve our batting lineup without babar. He has been at the core of our batting problems in tests for the past few series.

Harris is as good as Babar at number 5, Azhar is way ahead of Harris at number 3. Sami Aslam is an excellent player. That was the point. If you don't agree that it'll be an improvement, let's agree to disagree then.
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I really hope this is the last we see of Sami Aslam in a Pakistan shirt. Unless he improves on his timid attitude and unnecessary tuk tuk, he should be nowhere near an international side.
 
Fakhar Zaman. He's played more international cricket than the other 2 and England in England isn't an easy prospect.
 
Never seen Saad or Usman, but it mustn't be Fakhar.

Fakhar has a high risk game, and unsuitable right now considering there's no specialist batsman after 5. Positions 6-8 are occupied with by batters shouldn't be batting above 8. Maybe Sarfraz for #7, but a kind of a Ramdin #7. Should score a lot of runs, but never really will.

Nothing against Shadab or Faheem. They just need to prove why there's two bits and parts players in the XI with a WK batter like ours.

On the one hand it's exciting that there's young guys banging Inzi's garam hamam's door. On the other, Sarfraz is batting at 6 while he's still been a disappointment at 7.
 
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I voted Zaman but there are 2 choices here.

Zaman to come in and open alongside Imam, with Ali going down to 3 and everyone moving down a position.

Salahuddin to slot into the middle order.

I'd prefer Zaman as he adds a different type of spark to the top.
 
In the future, I would like to see this team.

Imam
Salahuddin
Haris
Babar
FZ (c)
Saad Ali
Shadab
Fahim (swap with Agha Salman for Asia Tests)
Hasan
Shaheen
Abbas
 
ManFan said:
In the future, I would like to see this team.

Imam
Salahuddin
Haris
Babar
FZ (c)
Saad Ali
Shadab
Fahim (swap with Agha Salman for Asia Tests)
Hasan
Shaheen
Abbas
Click to expand...

Who is gonna keep :))

Usman as opener :ishant
 
Usman.

We need a player who can stick in and score big. Especially when most of our team isn't good at it. Asad and Haris especially get starts, but hardly get convert. Even Azhar to an extent though in recent years he's scored bigger. I'm not sure Fakhar will do this, he'll be aggressive and ride his luck more rather than dig himself in.

Usman is more prolific than Fakhar at First Class level, and is a middle order bat, and if we have the talent (and we do in both Saad and Usman), I don't see much point trying to adapt opening batsmen to middle order if we already have middle order talent to try out. And as I said both Saad and Usman outperform Fakhar in first class domestic (even if they do it down the order). Not to mention given Fakhar plays LOI, not sure it's wise to get him to adapt his aggressive style in tests, which he'll likely have to do. Or have him adapt from being an opener. He's far more crucial to us in tests.

If Fakhar came into the team I'd like him opening with Imam at 3. Or him at 3. Personally I'd drop Faheem, Replace Babar with Usman, and open with Fakhar dropping Imam down to three. Faheem's bowling isn't up to par and I don't think in the long run he'll outperform a proper bat down the order.
 
babajee said:
Who is gonna keep :))

Usman as opener :ishant
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Saad can pull a Umar Akmal and keep.

Salahuddin is not a quick scorer while Imam is.

He can take his time and grind it out like Azhar, who is 30+ with aging reflexes.
 
Fakhar Zaman and bat him at 5 - in between the 2 new balls. Usman Salahuddin is a middle order version of Azhar Ali and you can't have a tuk tuk coming in below 3, that will just the suck any momentum they have out of their innings.

Going by the poll votes, it seems many of the posters here haven't seen much of US otherwise I'm sure the voting pattern would be a different looking one.
 
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Fakhar Zaman. Has the ability to bat well in English conditions, I'd pick him.
 
ArsenalFC said:
Fakhar Zaman and bat him at 5 - in between the 2 new balls. Usman Salahuddin is a middle order version of Azhar Ali and you can't have a tuk tuk coming in below 3, that will just the suck any momentum they have out of their innings.

Going by the poll votes, it seems many of the posters here haven't seen much of US otherwise I'm sure the voting pattern would be a different looking one.
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I reiterate, the match is at Headingley.

Usman has a much tighter technique.

Don't think run-rate will be the deciding factor.

Plus, our lower middle-order is already filled with guys who score at a good pace in Sarfaraz, Shadab and Faheem.

Why would you want to throw Fakhar in there, at a position which he's not accustomed to (usually opens) and in such difficult conditions?

It imbalances the team (too top heavy) and puts pressure on the other batsmen. Usman is a seasoned FC professional.
 
Usman Sallahudin. I wouldn't debut Fakhar at a venue like Headingly, you really need to have all your technical bases covered to score runs there.
 
Abdullah719 said:
I reiterate, the match is at Headingley.

Usman has a much tighter technique.

Don't think run-rate will be the deciding factor.

Plus, our lower middle-order is already filled with guys who score at a good pace in Sarfaraz, Shadab and Faheem.

Why would you want to throw Fakhar in there, at a position which he's not accustomed to (usually opens) and in such difficult conditions?

It imbalances the team (too top heavy) and puts pressure on the other batsmen. Usman is a seasoned FC professional.
Click to expand...

I did take that into account which is why I said bat him at 5 in between the 2 new balls.

No his strike rate along might not be the deciding factor but if you look to bat like Pujara (outside Asia), whereby merely accumulating time at the crease with a sub-40 SR then you will add little or no value to your team as a batsman.

I know Azhar Ali bats very slow but his role is differs vastly since his objective is to get past the new ball and lay a foundation for the middle order to exploit as batting gets progressively easier hence why you can't afford another of clone of him when it is counterproductive plus we can't afford another tuk tuk type in the side.

Fakhar Zaman was far more impressive in the warm up game in Leicester and has far more experience against top class international bowlers and in England as well! Fakhar Zaman's game revolves around scoring quick runs as evident from his FC strike rate, so is better suited to bat in the lower middle order in his test infancy. This is also aligned with Mickey's plans for him in the future.
 
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Not impressed with Salahuddin- he plays an ancient brand of cricket that would've been a better fit in the Misbah era. In the Sarfraz / Mickey era, Fakhar is the perfect fit

And if Imam fails in the second innings, there's a chance both Fakhar and Salahuddin may play
 
I'd prefer making a like-for-like change than shuffling the batting order yet again which selecting Fakhar would involve, especially after a big Test win where nearly every batsman performed at their positions.

So my vote goes to Usman Salahuddin. The guy has been in the squad since the tour of the Caribbean last spring so its about time he gets a nod.
 
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