Facts: the numbers for this West Indies v Pakistan series (so far)

[Junaids]

BATTING

Misbah 210 runs @ 105.00
Azhar Ali 131 runs @ 32.75
Ahmed Shehzad 121 runs @ 30.25
Sarfraz Ahmed 86 runs @ 28.66
Babar Azam 81 runs @ 27.00
Younis Khan 69 runs @ 17.25
Asad Shafiq 37 runs @ 12.33

BOWLING
Mohammad Amir 11 wickets @ 15.72
Yasir Shah 17 wickets @ 19.47
Mohammad Abbas 9 wickets @ 23.44
Wahab Riaz 2 wickets @ 47.50
Shadab Khan 1 wicket @ 145.00

A couple of points stand out:

1. Apart from Misbah (above) and Younis Khan and Asad Shafiq (below), all the batsmen are doing roughly as well as one another - there's nothing between Azhar Ali, Ahmed Shehzad, Sarfraz Ahmed and Babar Azam in this series.

If any batsman should be dropped, it's Younis Khan or Asad Shafiq. Certainly not Ahmed Shehzad or Babar Azam.

2. The Dukes ball is helping quick bowlers who pitch it up. If Hasan Ali recovers fitness, he should play at Dominica.

 

[Kakar]

Shafiq should make way for Usman Salahuddin. It's not just these three tests. He averages 32 in 2016 and 2017 (14 tests).

 

[Hasan123]

Yk is retiring no point in dropping him for a game. Agree with OP on Hasan Ali and Asad Shafiq though.

Think dropping Shafiq for a few games could do him some good. If he stays in the team I want him at 4 or 5. He's hid at number 6 for far too long.

 

[New Yorker]

BATTING

Misbah 210 runs @ 105.00
Azhar Ali 131 runs @ 32.75
Ahmed Shehzad 121 runs @ 30.25
Sarfraz Ahmed 86 runs @ 28.66
Babar Azam 81 runs @ 27.00
Younis Khan 69 runs @ 17.25
Asad Shafiq 37 runs @ 12.33

BOWLING
Mohammad Amir 11 wickets @ 15.72
Yasir Shah 17 wickets @ 19.47
Mohammad Abbas 9 wickets @ 23.44
Wahab Riaz 2 wickets @ 47.50
Shadab Khan 1 wicket @ 145.00

A couple of points stand out:

1. Apart from Misbah (above) and Younis Khan and Asad Shafiq (below), all the batsmen are doing roughly as well as one another - there's nothing between Azhar Ali, Ahmed Shehzad, Sarfraz Ahmed and Babar Azam in this series.

If any batsman should be dropped, it's Younis Khan or Asad Shafiq. Certainly not Ahmed Shehzad or Babar Azam.

2. The Dukes ball is helping quick bowlers who pitch it up. If Hasan Ali recovers fitness, he should play at Dominica.

They have all in some ways made contributions while also disappointing, but it can hardly be said that they have performed similarly.

 

[Syed1]

Shadab and Shafiq should be dropped for the next match in place of Hasan and Usman.

 

[Arsalan Pro]

Hasan should come in place of Shadab.

 

[dildildalwalla]

Just play 5 bowlers, if all fit it should be: Amir, Hassan Ali, Abbas, Riaz and Shah.

6 batsmen is no different to 7 if most of them aren't performing, what is that extra man doing? Taking up the position of a superior bowler.

Also, this further proves just how well Amir has bowled all tour. Best bowler on show tbh, although Gabriel has a couple more wickets, Amire has been far more skillful.

 

[moghul]

Yk is retiring no point in dropping him for a game. Agree with OP on Hasan Ali and Asad Shafiq though.

Think dropping Shafiq for a few games could do him some good. If he stays in the team I want him at 4 or 5. He's hid at number 6 for far too long.

Should we not take test cricket a bit seriously, rewarding YK one more test as a "gift" for his retirement doesn't make any sense. Retiring or not, if he is not performing , drop him, enough of this "farewell games", its embarrassing to lose to the most inexperienced West Indian side we have ever played against.

 

[Syed1]

Should we not take test cricket a bit seriously, rewarding YK one more test as a "gift" for his retirement doesn't make any sense. Retiring or not, if he is not performing , drop him, enough of this "farewell games", its embarrassing to lose to the most inexperienced West Indian side we have ever played against.

You are talking about one test match. They freaking sent the same non-performing YK to the WC in 2015 in lieu of farewell tournament.

 

[Hasan123]

Should we not take test cricket a bit seriously, rewarding YK one more test as a "gift" for his retirement doesn't make any sense. Retiring or not, if he is not performing , drop him, enough of this "farewell games", its embarrassing to lose to the most inexperienced West Indian side we have ever played against.

Yes we should take test cricket more seriously. Ideally YK and Misbah would have retired before this tour and we would have debuted 2 new players.

Since YK is retiring at the end of the series, he may as well play all 3 games. Can't say for certain that Salauhdin would outperform Misbah or Younis as well.

 

[RickyG]

Should we not take test cricket a bit seriously, rewarding YK one more test as a "gift" for his retirement doesn't make any sense. Retiring or not, if he is not performing , drop him, enough of this "farewell games", its embarrassing to lose to the most inexperienced West Indian side we have ever played against.

Didn't Younis Khan score a 175 just 2 tests ago? And he scored a 50 in the first test of the series.

How fickle do you need to be to drop your best batsman after one poor test? The drop Younis Khan campaigners are worse than the Brexiters.

 

[ExpressPacer]

Hasan should come in place of Shadab.

Shadab and Shafiq should be dropped for the next match in place of Hasan and Usman.

Dropping a guy after ONE sole Test is brutal. Also, we depend largely on him for the CT so he needs match practice. While Hasan Ali - also one of Pakistan's best players - is injured and needs rest.

 

[Ramez]

Drop ahmed shehzad bcz he got out 3 times for his 70 odd.

 

[msb314]

Shadab and Shafiq should be dropped for the next match in place of Hasan and Usman.

The question is how long of a rope with Babar be given in Tests? - he has dissapointed so far barring the 90* vs NZ.

 

[JibranAnsari]

Play 5 bowlers , drop babar shafiq and shadab.

 

[ExpressPacer]

The question is how long of a rope with Babar be given in Tests? - he has dissapointed so far barring the 90* vs NZ.

One more series, I suppose. He's earned, frankly. And therefore, needs to be given utmost confidence. We've invested in guys stealing a profession out of cricket (Asad Shafiq). So why not invest in someone like Azam who has immense potential?