I must confess to being flabbergasted by the contracts handed out on 13 May 2020.
As a practising psychiatrist I think that one of the most important personality features in any leader is an ability to learn from events and to make changes in direction. It is not a weakness, it’s a strength.
But looking at Misbah’s contracts it becomes clear that he intends to double down on his choices, with no consideration of the ravages of Father Time or the lessons learned during his first year in charge.
The saddest case is Azhar Ali. Here is a fine man who was a proudly solid batsman, who has been rendered a tailender outside Asia by Father Time. He averages 12.12 away since his 33rd birthday two years ago - and now he has been made captain for a further year.
And then there is Misbah’s catastrophic blind spot about all-rounders. He rose to power with the nonsensical claim that an all-rounder has to justify a position as a batsman or bowler alone.
Never mind that that team hasn’t had more than two functioning specialist bowlers at a time for the last five years, or more than three functioning specialist batsmen. Or that Yasir Shah has achieved more as a batsman than as a bowler in the last year.
The successful Test tour of England and Ireland two years ago was primarily due to Shadab Khan and Faheem Ashraf. Both of whom then did well in their only Test in South Africa seven months later. Only to be promptly dropped by Misbah.
I am no great fan of Mickey Arthur. But by playing two all-rounders he had ensured that in the six Tests in England, Ireland and South Africa the Pakistanis were at least bowling the opposition out every time.
But Misbah instantly returned to a four man attack....and took just 13 wickets in 2 Tests in Australia.
When your third seamer is Musa Khan or Imran Khan, I struggle to see how an all-rounder like Faheem who took 6-99 in his last Test counts as less of a bowler.
When you have elevated to the captaincy a Number 3 who has only averaged 12.12 away for the last two years, I struggle to see why you don’t ensure that you pack a couple of all-rounders to try to conceal the fact that your lame-duck has-been Captain is only going to contribute 24 runs per Test.
I’d be fine with Misbah if he learned from his mistakes. I’d respect him.
But carrying on making the same mistakes is insane. He took a young team and turned it into an elderly one. And now he keeps it together with everyone a year older.
As a practising psychiatrist I think that one of the most important personality features in any leader is an ability to learn from events and to make changes in direction. It is not a weakness, it’s a strength.
But looking at Misbah’s contracts it becomes clear that he intends to double down on his choices, with no consideration of the ravages of Father Time or the lessons learned during his first year in charge.
The saddest case is Azhar Ali. Here is a fine man who was a proudly solid batsman, who has been rendered a tailender outside Asia by Father Time. He averages 12.12 away since his 33rd birthday two years ago - and now he has been made captain for a further year.
And then there is Misbah’s catastrophic blind spot about all-rounders. He rose to power with the nonsensical claim that an all-rounder has to justify a position as a batsman or bowler alone.
Never mind that that team hasn’t had more than two functioning specialist bowlers at a time for the last five years, or more than three functioning specialist batsmen. Or that Yasir Shah has achieved more as a batsman than as a bowler in the last year.
The successful Test tour of England and Ireland two years ago was primarily due to Shadab Khan and Faheem Ashraf. Both of whom then did well in their only Test in South Africa seven months later. Only to be promptly dropped by Misbah.
I am no great fan of Mickey Arthur. But by playing two all-rounders he had ensured that in the six Tests in England, Ireland and South Africa the Pakistanis were at least bowling the opposition out every time.
But Misbah instantly returned to a four man attack....and took just 13 wickets in 2 Tests in Australia.
When your third seamer is Musa Khan or Imran Khan, I struggle to see how an all-rounder like Faheem who took 6-99 in his last Test counts as less of a bowler.
When you have elevated to the captaincy a Number 3 who has only averaged 12.12 away for the last two years, I struggle to see why you don’t ensure that you pack a couple of all-rounders to try to conceal the fact that your lame-duck has-been Captain is only going to contribute 24 runs per Test.
I’d be fine with Misbah if he learned from his mistakes. I’d respect him.
But carrying on making the same mistakes is insane. He took a young team and turned it into an elderly one. And now he keeps it together with everyone a year older.
