Dear Mickey, please prepare the team for the next round of away tours

[Xoib]

If you plan to stay after this shambles then please don't listen to any PCB uncles and mould your own side. The reason we were rated so highly in 90's was despite our inconsistent home record come the time of an away series people knew Pakistan would not be push overs now we are just lambs to the slaughter.


Organize a trial for seam bowling all rounder pick the one who has the most potential and stick with him even if its UAE for 8-10 tests.

Say good bye to Rahat,IK,SK give Amir and Wahab one last chance and identity atlease 3 under 23 quicks with different skill-set and groom them.

Ask Yasir shah to go back to the drawing board and bring variety in his bowling bring Mushtaq back on board identify atleast two more spinners and rotate them along with Yasir for UAE tests and pick the one who is most likely to succeed on the away tours

Put an end to the one dimensional batting approach there should be atleast 3 enforcers in the top 7 and no more then two grinders.

Discourage attrition cricket it is absolutely useless once we step out of UAE as teams eventually find a way to score 4 rpo against tired bowlers

Tell the pace bowlers to use yorkers, bouncers, slower balls more even in tests channel bowling is not always useful on today flat wickets.

feel free to add some of yours.

 

[Pete Rose]

Yeah. All of the assumptions above are wrong. We were a mentally weak side in the 90's that would get steamrolled by Australia or South Africa. Happy for Mickey to get his run, but should not come at the expense of losing at home .

 

[Xoib]

Yeah. All of the assumptions above are wrong. We were a mentally weak side in the 90's that would get steamrolled by Australia or South Africa. Happy for Mickey to get his run, but should not come at the expense of losing at home .

nah 90's Pakistan drew with South Africa away and lost 2-1 in Australia we were also a DRS away from winning a test again in 99 also repeatedly won series in England and NZL.

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

Whoever has actually seen us in the 90s will testify that apart from individualistic brilliance we were probably the most mentally fragile side EVER !

You need some skill to lose a home series to Zimbabwe of all people and we managed to achieved that without fail. Although you can say there was a lot of team politics going on at during that time since Wasim intentionally asked the groundsman to prepare green tracks instead of batting ones !!

Also due to our mental fragility a newspaper I think in Australia or New Zeeland (I am not too sure of the country) had a headline calling us PANICKISTAN !!!

 

[Abdul]

Whoever has actually seen us in the 90s will testify that apart from individualistic brilliance we were probably the most mentally fragile side EVER !

You need some skill to lose a home series to Zimbabwe of all people and we managed to achieved that without fail. Although you can say there was a lot of team politics going on at during that time since Wasim intentionally asked the groundsman to prepare green tracks instead of batting ones !!

Also due to our mental fragility a newspaper I think in Australia or New Zeeland (I am not too sure of the country) had a headline calling us PANICKISTAN !!!

Zimbabwe were quite strong back then.

 

[Pete Rose]

nah 90's Pakistan drew with South Africa away and lost 2-1 in Australia we were also a DRS away from winning a test again in 99 also repeatedly won series in England and NZL.

Just one good tour to sa. Lost to Australia and South Africa at home repeatedly. The 2-1 was in 1995 and it was insult to the so called talent in the team.
So everything about the 90's team (a very long period which can be selectively chosen to delude oneself) was rubbish. Reputation was built on flogging the hopeless Indians.

 

[Xoib]

Just one good tour to sa. Lost to Australia and South Africa at home repeatedly. The 2-1 was in 1995 and it was insult to the so called talent in the team.
So everything about the 90's team (a very long period which can be selectively chosen to delude oneself) was rubbish. Reputation was built on flogging the hopeless Indians.

we only had one full tour of South Africa in 90's it was 1-1 other times we played tri angular only and lost the finals Australia was also very good back then and 2-1 was a just result

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

Zimbabwe were quite strong back then.

I concur but you can't be loosing test series to Zimbabwe Man !! No matter how strong Zimbabwe might be. We had players like Inzi, Wasim and many other 90s titans in that lineup - TOTALLY TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE and something that will always hurt true fans.

For all the talent that all of them possessed we were always seen a team that could lose it at any point in time during a game and that is what other teams tried to do - putting us in a tricky sort of a situation and waiting for us to self explode.

Mental Strength and Pakistan's 90s cricket teams are Opposites if you ask me.

 

[Junaids]

Zimbabwe were quite strong back then.

The 1990's defeats were under a very strong cloud of matchfixing TBH.

 

[Chief Destroyer]

We need a change in approach more than anything and a tactically sound captain. Can't be carrying that UAE mentality overseas.

 

[Pete Rose]

we only had one full tour of South Africa in 90's it was 1-1 other times we played tri angular only and lost the finals Australia was also very good back then and 2-1 was a just result

I don't think I can take this thread very seriously. If your definition of greatness is one drawn test series against South Africa. We lost series at home to Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka
Lost to West Indies in 1992 in what was billed at that time as the test championship of the world.

 

[Pete Rose]

We need a change in approach more than anything and a tactically sound captain. Can't be carrying that UAE mentality overseas.

I think the results might have been different if misbah had not travelled with the team. We have played with a team of ten throughout the series

 

[Chief Destroyer]

I think the results might have been different if misbah had not travelled with the team. We have played with a team of ten throughout the series

9 I would argue. We also lacked a third seamer to sustain pressure which hurt us quite a bit.

 

[JibranAnsari]

With the mediocre bowling resources he cant really do much , aging misfiring fast bowlers and the overrated mohammad aamir. The domestic scene seems barren where the bowling performers seemingly perform well because the wickets are not good enough. What can mickey really do? How can he judge a bowler , a bowler might look good when he is bowling but at the end the performance is the criterion and in our domestic fast bowlers are averaging in teens and yet not good enough. All i ever want to see is great fast bowling from paksitan , i grew up watching them and now we have to accept wahab riaz as our best fast bowler.

 

[Junaids]

This is Pakistan's Test schedule for the upcoming 2 year cycle:

April 2017: West Indies away 4 Tests
July 2017: Bangladesh away 2 Tests
October 2017: Sri Lanka home 3 Tests
May 2018: England away 2 Tests
October 2018: New Zealand home 3 Tests
December 2018: South Africa 3 Tests

So you can see that the two big assignments are South Africa but also England in cold, seaming, swinging May.

And the other issue is that hosting New Zealand compromises acclimatisation in South Africa - unless the NZ series is held there.

My solutions are simple:

1. Send Pakistan A to New Zealand next November - even if they have to play against Pakistan! It's the only way to get more experience in cold, seaming, swinging Spring conditions before the England trip - when conditions will be nothing like the recent late-summer tour.

2. Host New Zealand in South Africa in October-November 2018 directly before the South Africa series. After all, it's not as if Pakistan beat NZ in the UAE anyway.

Those two actions would make both tours more winnable.

 

[Bilal7]

1) Azhar
2) Sami
3) Haris
4) Babar
5) Shafiq
6) Salahuddin
7) Sarfaraz (c) (wk)
8) Shah
9) Amir
10) Junaid
11) Sadaf/Rahat/Asif

Something resembling this should be the team that lands in South Africa, in 2018.

 

[Pete Rose]

1) Azhar
2) Sami
3) Haris
4) Babar
5) Shafiq
6) Salahuddin
7) Sarfaraz (c) (wk)
8) Shah
9) Amir
10) Junaid
11) Sadaf/Rahat/Asif

Something resembling this should be the team that lands in South Africa, in 2018.

Haris won't be back. Should invest in sharjeel

 

[Bilal7]

This is Pakistan's Test schedule for the upcoming 2 year cycle:

April 2017: West Indies away 4 Tests
July 2017: Bangladesh away 2 Tests
October 2017: Sri Lanka home 3 Tests
May 2018: England away 2 Tests
October 2018: New Zealand home 3 Tests
December 2018: South Africa 3 Tests

So you can see that the two big assignments are South Africa but also England in cold, seaming, swinging May.

And the other issue is that hosting New Zealand compromises acclimatisation in South Africa - unless the NZ series is held there.

My solutions are simple:

1. Send Pakistan A to New Zealand next November - even if they have to play against Pakistan! It's the only way to get more experience in cold, seaming, swinging Spring conditions before the England trip - when conditions will be nothing like the recent late-summer tour.

2. Host New Zealand in South Africa in October-November 2018 directly before the South Africa series. After all, it's not as if Pakistan beat NZ in the UAE anyway.

Those two actions would make both tours more winnable.

Great ideas. Someone needs to get this to the higher ups in the PCB.

Who do you think should be included in our four-five member pace battery from here on out?

 

[Bilal7]

Haris won't be back. Should invest in sharjeel

Cannot be a long-term option, especially overseas. If not Haris, then Rizwan, Fawad or Imam ul Haq should be tried out.

 

[Junaids]

Great ideas. Someone needs to get this to the higher ups in the PCB.

Who do you think should be included in our four-five member pace battery from here on out?

Thanks for the kind words.

A lot depends on whether Younis Khan tomorrow gets the 36 runs to reach 10,000 and retire.

But this would be my squad to tour the West Indies in May, with several of the players there for development reasons, and nobody considered who will be too old to tour England the following May (2018).

Openers
Sami Aslam
Imam-ul-Haq
Sharjeel Khan

Number 3: Azhar Ali
Number 4: Babar Azam
Number 5: Asad Shafiq

Reserve middle-order batsman: Umar Akmal

Number 6/wicketkeeper: Sarfraz Ahmed
Reserve wicketkeeper: Mohammad Rizwan

Lead spinner: Yasir Shah

Spin-bowling all-rounder: Mohammad Nawaz
Pace-bowling all-rounder: Aamer Yamin
Batting all-rounder who bowls seam: Hammad Azam

Express bowler: Wahab Riaz
First-choice left-arm quick: Mohammad Amir
First-choice right-arm quick: Mohammad Asif
Reserve quick for development : Ghulam Mudassar
Reserve quick who can bat, for development: Amad Butt
Reserve tall quick: Ehsan Adil.

I don't like having Asif in my squad - I think he's too old for this cycle. But I don't want to persist with Sohail or Imran Khan, and I hope that Asif can help Ehsan Adil to reach his potential.

 

[static]

Thanks for the kind words.

A lot depends on whether Younis Khan tomorrow gets the 36 runs to reach 10,000 and retire.

But this would be my squad to tour the West Indies in May, with several of the players there for development reasons, and nobody considered who will be too old to tour England the following May (2018).

Openers
Sami Aslam
Imam-ul-Haq
Sharjeel Khan

Number 3: Azhar Ali
Number 4: Babar Azam
Number 5: Asad Shafiq

Reserve middle-order batsman: Umar Akmal

Number 6/wicketkeeper: Sarfraz Ahmed
Reserve wicketkeeper: Mohammad Rizwan

Lead spinner: Yasir Shah

Spin-bowling all-rounder: Mohammad Nawaz
Pace-bowling all-rounder: Aamer Yamin
Batting all-rounder who bowls seam: Hammad Azam

Express bowler: Wahab Riaz
First-choice left-arm quick: Mohammad Amir
First-choice right-arm quick: Mohammad Asif
Reserve quick for development : Ghulam Mudassar
Reserve quick who can bat, for development: Amad Butt
Reserve tall quick: Ehsan Adil.

I don't like having Asif in my squad - I think he's too old for this cycle. But I don't want to persist with Sohail or Imran Khan, and I hope that Asif can help Ehsan Adil to reach his potential.

You wouldn't have Azhar Ali?
Edit: sorry, saw his name now at number 3. I would personally put him as an opener, his style is best suited there.

 

[Gabbar Singh]

Alternatively, the selectors won't make many changes and Pakistan will beat the Windies and Bangladesh which will then lure everyone into a false sense of security and the same mistakes will be repeated come the more tougher test tours.

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

You wouldn't have Azhar Ali?
Edit: sorry, saw his name now at number 3. I would personally put him as an opener, his style is best suited there.

If my vision is as good as I think it is, I can clearly see Azhar Ali being mentioned as a middle order bat at number 3.

 

[Junaids]

You wouldn't have Azhar Ali?

I have him back at Number 3.

I want a quicker opening partner for Sami Aslam, plus I'm shortening the batting order by elevating Sarfraz Ahmed to Number 6, so I strengthen my middle order by moving Azhar down to 3.

My First Test team in the West Indies is probably:

1. Sami Aslam
2. Imam-ul-Haq
3. Azhar Ali
4. Babar Azam
5. Asad Shafiq
6. Sarfraz Ahmed (c/wk)
7. Aamer Yamin (or Mohammad Nawaz)
8. Mohammad Amir
9. Wahab Riaz
10. Yasir Shah
11. Mohammad Asif

 

[tanveer din]

This is Pakistan's Test schedule for the upcoming 2 year cycle:

April 2017: West Indies away 4 Tests
July 2017: Bangladesh away 2 Tests
October 2017: Sri Lanka home 3 Tests
May 2018: England away 2 Tests
October 2018: New Zealand home 3 Tests
December 2018: South Africa 3 Tests

So you can see that the two big assignments are South Africa but also England in cold, seaming, swinging May.

And the other issue is that hosting New Zealand compromises acclimatisation in South Africa - unless the NZ series is held there.

My solutions are simple:

1. Send Pakistan A to New Zealand next November - even if they have to play against Pakistan! It's the only way to get more experience in cold, seaming, swinging Spring conditions before the England trip - when conditions will be nothing like the recent late-summer tour.

2. Host New Zealand in South Africa in October-November 2018 directly before the South Africa series. After all, it's not as if Pakistan beat NZ in the UAE anyway.

Those two actions would make both tours more winnable.

You Forget Zimbabwe tour and Australia series in UAE

 

[tanveer din]

Great ideas. Someone needs to get this to the higher ups in the PCB.

Who do you think should be included in our four-five member pace battery from here on out?

Plus includes Zimbabwe tour in August 2018 and Australia series in UAE

 

[Syed1]

Bhai kuch nahi hona. Inzi the revolutionary will keep picking the same TTF trioka of Rahat, Imran and Sohail.
and we will continue to have a glorified nightwatchman as an opener in Sami Aslam.

 

[Moiza]

I have him back at Number 3.

I want a quicker opening partner for Sami Aslam, plus I'm shortening the batting order by elevating Sarfraz Ahmed to Number 6, so I strengthen my middle order by moving Azhar down to 3.

My First Test team in the West Indies is probably:

1. Sami Aslam
2. Imam-ul-Haq
3. Azhar Ali
4. Babar Azam
5. Asad Shafiq
6. Sarfraz Ahmed (c/wk)
7. Aamer Yamin (or Mohammad Nawaz)
8. Mohammad Amir
9. Wahab Riaz
10. Yasir Shah
11. Mohammad Asif

My would you not have Azhar as an opener? I think he is a perfect fit and has been thriving since promoted, I wouldnt want him coming in with 1 wicket down. More importantly he has at least closed one side for useless openers like hafeez, masood etc.

Sharjeel is the only realistic option if your only concern is the slow run rate but he is too unreliable for tests. I would focus on giving Sami more times as he develops his game so at least we can have a decent opening combo in the long run. Sami and Imam have same SR in first class so I dont expect any fast scoring from Imam if he makes to the team.

 

[Syed1]

My ideal test side for 2017:

Azhar
Fakhar/Imam-ul Haq
Babar
Asad
Haris
Usman Salahuddin
Sarfaraz
Amir
Wahab
Yasir
Asif

Bench:
U Akmal
Rizwan
Muhammad Abbas
Asghar
Junaid

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Pakistan should win their series against west indies comfortably. But west indian test team showed some fight when india toured there last year.

Pakistan vs Bangladesh will be a lot closer than Pakistan vs West Indies though. Will be an exciting series to watch.

 

[Markhor]

Arthur has a big job on his hands. Waqar did nothing to groom any openers for these tough tours, instead persisting with walking wickets outside Asia like Hafeez and Masood who everyone knew would be exposed. He should've given Babar and Aslam all those Test series in Asia last year so they could settle into the Test team before these current tough away tours. He also failed to groom a decent seam attack even though bowling was supposedly his strength.

Inzamam now has had chance to see the domestic talent, and he's seen how badly our current crop of bowlers have fared in Australia. He now needs to start making tough decisions - no more Rahat, Imran or Sohail. Even though Sohail made an important contribution in England, his fitness will always be an issue and age is not on his side.

Wahab also needs a rocket about his no-ball issues. Consistency in selection is fine but you cannot reward poor performances.

Since this year we are touring West Indies, Bangladesh and hosting Sri Lanka in UAE - we'll be playing predominately on slow, low and turning wickets. Therefore we should play 2 spinners - Yasir and Asghar. Yasir badly needs the support whilst this is a perfect chance to groom Asghar.

 

[Ellipsism]

My ideal test side for 2017:

Azhar
Fakhar/Imam-ul Haq
Babar
Asad
Haris
Usman Salahuddin
Sarfaraz
Amir
Wahab
Yasir
Asif

Bench:
U Akmal
Rizwan
Muhammad Abbas
Asghar
Junaid

Funnily enough you drop Sami who has done as well or better than Babar on the Australia tour.

 

[Syed1]

Funnily enough you drop Sami who has done as well or better than Babar on the Australia tour.

Babar is only retained because of his potential to succeed.

Sami is nothing more than a nightwatchman.

 

[Ellipsism]

Babar is only retained because of his potential to succeed.

Sami is nothing more than a nightwatchman.

Sami must be one hell of a night watchman.

Since when is test selection based on potential? If potential is a parameter for selection I guess Rahat should be our star bowler or the ever so talented Umar should also be in the side.

 

[Syed1]

Sami must be one hell of a night watchman.

Since when is test selection based on potential? If potential is a parameter for selection I guess Rahat should be our star bowler or the ever so talented Umar should also be in the side.

Not quite

Sami Aslam's average in this Aus series :12.0

Muhammad Amir's average in this Aus series: 22.6



Amir is clearly a better nightwatchman than Sami.

 

[Ellipsism]

Not quite

Sami Aslam's average in this Aus series :12.0

Muhammad Amir's average in this Aus series: 22.6



Amir is clearly a better nightwatchman than Sami.

Don't get your hate against Sami. He is a gritty opening batsman that has done decently throughout the year considering he's played the majority of his games away from home.

What is Babar's series average?

 

[AliMurtaza]

Thanks for the kind words.

A lot depends on whether Younis Khan tomorrow gets the 36 runs to reach 10,000 and retire.

But this would be my squad to tour the West Indies in May, with several of the players there for development reasons, and nobody considered who will be too old to tour England the following May (2018).

Openers
Sami Aslam
Imam-ul-Haq
Sharjeel Khan

Number 3: Azhar Ali
Number 4: Babar Azam
Number 5: Asad Shafiq

Reserve middle-order batsman: Umar Akmal

Number 6/wicketkeeper: Sarfraz Ahmed
Reserve wicketkeeper: Mohammad Rizwan

Lead spinner: Yasir Shah

Spin-bowling all-rounder: Mohammad Nawaz
Pace-bowling all-rounder: Aamer Yamin
Batting all-rounder who bowls seam: Hammad Azam

Express bowler: Wahab Riaz
First-choice left-arm quick: Mohammad Amir
First-choice right-arm quick: Mohammad Asif
Reserve quick for development : Ghulam Mudassar
Reserve quick who can bat, for development: Amad Butt
Reserve tall quick: Ehsan Adil.

I don't like having Asif in my squad - I think he's too old for this cycle. But I don't want to persist with Sohail or Imran Khan, and I hope that Asif can help Ehsan Adil to reach his potential.

Junaids, again I have serious issues with your potential squad.

Imam-ul-Haq is not ready for tests. If you look at the recent quaid trophy, he had serious consistency issues. He only scored at the end and in the final. He needs at least 1 more season of 4-day cricket.

How come Umar akmal walks into the squad? Played 2-3 games in Quaid trophy and then flew to BBL. Failed miserably there. What signal are you giving by selecting Umar? That you don't have to play domestic tournament but we will select you regardless because of your 100 in NZ and 70 odd in England scored 6/7 years ago? You haven't done jack in domestic during the past years but you are still gold for our test team even with your dodgy defence.

M Nawaz has a domestic average of 32 and has looked a true tailender every time he has batted in tests. Plus, his bowling is more suited to limited overs. Similarly, Amir Yamin wasn't even among the top 20 batsmen or bowlers of Quaid trophy but you still want him in the squad.

I am not going to comment on the reserve quicks. Don't know about Ghulam Mudassar but Amad Butt had a highly disappointing domestic season.

 

[Markhor]

We shouldn't give up on Aslam or Azam. They've had a baptism of fire on these tough tours.

Ideally, they'd have been introduced into the team earlier but they should be given these relatively "easier" set of fixtures (comparatively speaking, not disrespecting WI, Ban or SL).

 

[Saj]

Coach can only advise regarding preparation.

Questions need to be asked of PCB who made sure the team came to England weeks in advance yet there was nothing like that for the NZ or Aus tours.

 

[Torpedo]

Whoever has actually seen us in the 90s will testify that apart from individualistic brilliance we were probably the most mentally fragile side EVER !

You need some skill to lose a home series to Zimbabwe of all people and we managed to achieved that without fail. Although you can say there was a lot of team politics going on at during that time since Wasim intentionally asked the groundsman to prepare green tracks instead of batting ones !!

Also due to our mental fragility a newspaper I think in Australia or New Zeeland (I am not too sure of the country) had a headline calling us PANICKISTAN !!!

You are absolutely right. I addressed this topic in this thread: http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/showthread.php?131525-If-Pakistan-was-so-good-in-the-90-s-then-how-d-they-lose-a-home-series-to-Zimbabwe&highlight=

 

[Asim2Good]

Mickey can't do much untill PCB is harsh about non performers and serious about giving chance to youngsters at right time.
Till PCB use international standard balls in domestic matches.
till PCB organise matches in top quality stadium of Pasitan and not unknown club ground of Islamabad.
Till PCB make sure every top player should take part is domestic matches when they are free. we are way too easy on players when they are selected in national team, they hardly play domestic matches