Concept: Shoaib Akhtar playing under Imran Khan’s captaincy

[Rana]

So I really think Shoaib is a Pakistan legend and a proud patriot of the country. However I keep getting the impression that the man looks for any excuse he can to justify why he couldn’t deliver his true potential or why he isn’t considered to be trusted with an important administrative or coaching role.

Besides the consistent interviews where he has reported time and time again that his knees were so damaged that he should not have been able to walk etc. Another major excuse that he provides is that he was not fortunate to play under Imran Khan’s captaincy, hence he could not take 450 wickets the way Moin Khan taunted him for not taking.

So let’s explore this theory. Personally I recon Shoaib would not have lasted 3 series under Imran Khan. The other captains in the past could have been overawed by Akhtar’s disruptive personality but I don’t think IK was someone who would tolerate his nonesense. And he would be influential enough to ensure that Shoaib is overlooked even at Domestic level with his poor attitude.

Thoughts

 

[Boiz Played Well]

So I really think Shoaib is a Pakistan legend and a proud patriot of the country. However I keep getting the impression that the man looks for any excuse he can to justify why he couldn’t deliver his true potential or why he isn’t considered to be trusted with an important administrative or coaching role.

Besides the consistent interviews where he has reported time and time again that his knees were so damaged that he should not have been able to walk etc. Another major excuse that he provides is that he was not fortunate to play under Imran Khan’s captaincy, hence he could not take 450 wickets the way Moin Khan taunted him for not taking.

So let’s explore this theory. Personally I recon Shoaib would not have lasted 3 series under Imran Khan. The other captains in the past could have been overawed by Akhtar’s disruptive personality but I don’t think IK was someone who would tolerate his nonesense. And he would be influential enough to ensure that Shoaib is overlooked even at Domestic level with his poor attitude.

Thoughts

IK was an autocratic captain. He made some brilliant intuitive calls on selections (like Abdul Qadir). But he also dropped his own first cousin Majid Khan without a second thought and they didn't talk for years after.

Akhtar's antics during his playing days would not have played well with IK. They were all pretty liberal back in the '80s but Akhtar's regular bans kept him from playing and that sort of attitude would likely not have flown.

One can say that's just a fast bowler thing, but Akram and Younis were Imran's proteges and as bold and loud as the next. But they were not disrespectful. Akhtar has time and again been disrespectful of the game and his teammates. Just days ago he threw everyone he ever played with under the bus for match fixing.

But this is all made up in the end. It's also possible that he would've made a special effort with IK, like he does with the Indian team every time he speaks on this YT channel. Who knows?

 

[Bewal Express]

Shoaib was too thick to work under IK's captaincy. SA had no work ethic, he just wanted to get drunk and eat too much, then try to lose the weight in 2 weeks and that took its toll on his body. If you just look at the SA that came on the scene you realise how fit and lean he was, and compare that to the overweight wrestler that he became from 2004, and you realise why he failed to fulfil his potential.

 

[Hawkeye]

IK would have loved Shoaib Akhtar, the fastest bowler the earth has ever seen.

Attitude of a tiger. Never gave up. Used to bowl his heart out, at express pace, even when his knees didn't support it.

He fought hard against his knees. He knew they'd give up much faster if he continued. But he continued. Express pace wasn't the only thing, he had amazing skills with the ball.

The kind of bowler that was in demand back in the day.

All his personal life stuff should have remained personal, without PCB getting involved. IK would have kept it private. Nobody has a right to know or interfere in what Shoaib does outside the field.

 

[Saj]

Akhtar was a free spirit and someone who was quick to blame others when things went wrong.

This is the guy who pushed Bob Woolmer after a disagreement.

 

[Hyperion66]

As much as I admire Shoaib but under Imran he wouldn't have accomplished half of what he has achieved in his career. IK who has always been a controlling figure wouldn't tolerate his antics on and off the field. He would have flourished playing under a calculating and tactical captain like Dhoni who would have found out a way to utilize Shoaib's talent to the fullest at least in limited overs.

 

[Hyperion66]

As much as I admire Shoaib but under Imran he wouldn't have accomplished half of what he has achieved in his career. IK who has always been a controlling figure wouldn't tolerate his antics on and off the field. He would have flourished playing under a calculating and tactical captain like Dhoni who would have found out a way to utilize Shoaib's talent to the fullest at least in limited overs.

I know probably not the best example but if Dhoni didn't make Rohit open we would have never seen the giant he is today. Dhoni just seemed to have a way of taking the best out of a player. He would have definitely figureed out a way to tame the wild energy of Shoaib.

 

[Savak]

IK may have been vary of managing Shoaibs workload and use him in short sharp bursts, playing in selective matches.

Maybe Iks aura, personality and power might have kept Shoaib in check and made him think twice about disrespecting him. IK had the power, will and authority to terminate careers and kick players out of the team regardless of their value and it is possible he would have done the same to Shoaib if he found his antics too much to handle. After all he did kick a prime peak Waqar out of the team for the 1992 WC.

 

[CricketDon]

SA is and will always be my fave bowler to watch. He is the only bowler from Pakistan who runs in like it’s his last and gives his all to the very last ball. Regardless of the situation. He fought through injury and pain to keep bowling express pace.

Oh and those saying h would not Survive in imrans era because he was conservative. Well I think you’re forgetting Imran khans kinky playboy days. Hardly the saint.

 

[Rana]

SA is and will always be my fave bowler to watch. He is the only bowler from Pakistan who runs in like it’s his last and gives his all to the very last ball. Regardless of the situation. He fought through injury and pain to keep bowling express pace.

Oh and those saying h would not Survive in imrans era because he was conservative. Well I think you’re forgetting Imran khans kinky playboy days. Hardly the saint.

What does women and booze have to do with it? Professional cricket is in question here, not the fact that they could have been friends when out partying. I doubt IK would have tolerated an attention seeker like Shoaib. But tbf to the guy, he has some loveable traits about him also. I don’t think that he genuinely holds deep grudges inside of him and causes backstage coos like a person such as Shoaib Malik or Hafeez would. He was just a blunt guy, and a lively character, doesn’t know how to shade his inner self with diplomacy

 

[Savak]

What does women and booze have to do with it? Professional cricket is in question here, not the fact that they could have been friends when out partying. I doubt IK would have tolerated an attention seeker like Shoaib. But tbf to the guy, he has some loveable traits about him also. I don’t think that he genuinely holds deep grudges inside of him and causes backstage coos like a person such as Shoaib Malik or Hafeez would. He was just a blunt guy, and a lively character, doesn’t know how to shade his inner self with diplomacy

Imran Khan in interviews has repeatedly maintained that if he can deal with Sarfaraz Nawaz and share a room with him, Shoaib was not even a challenge in comparison.

 

[Junaids]

Imran could easily have dealt with Shoaib, but I don't think Shoaib would have handled Imran.

Consider what happened when Waqar was the captain. Waqar directed Shoaib to do exactly what Imran had directed him to do:

1. Shorten your run-up.
2. Minimise gym work, or you will carry too much body mass on your knees and spine and you will wear them out and get osteoarthritis,
3. Bowl 80% of deliveries at reduced pace so that the express ones surprise the batsman.

We have heard all sorts of medically-impossible fiction from Shoaib about his knees. The truth is simple: you only get a limited amount of shock-absorption from the menisci in your knees and you can wear them out and get osteoarthritis. Which is plainly what Shoaib did.

Shoaib should have taken 350 Test wickets. The fact that he didn't is because he ignored advice which had been passed down from Imran to Waqar.

 

[MMHS]

Imran could easily have dealt with Shoaib, but I don't think Shoaib would have handled Imran.

Consider what happened when Waqar was the captain. Waqar directed Shoaib to do exactly what Imran had directed him to do:

1. Shorten your run-up.
2. Minimise gym work, or you will carry too much body mass on your knees and spine and you will wear them out and get osteoarthritis,
3. Bowl 80% of deliveries at reduced pace so that the express ones surprise the batsman.

We have heard all sorts of medically-impossible fiction from Shoaib about his knees. The truth is simple: you only get a limited amount of shock-absorption from the menisci in your knees and you can wear them out and get osteoarthritis. Which is plainly what Shoaib did.

Shoaib should have taken 350 Test wickets. The fact that he didn't is because he ignored advice which had been passed down from Imran to Waqar.

Indeed - a rare combination of pace & skills. That Brisbane spell was one of the best I have ever seen in a cricket game - he terrorized probably the greatest ever ODI line up (compared to that Wahab was net session).

He could have taken 350+ wickets with the advice - but could he been the R'Pindi Express we know? I think, the Shoaib we know is much bigger than a fast bowler taking 350 wickets at <25. He was relentless, uncompromising and arrogant - and he backed that on field.