Has Junaid Khan been treated fairly by the Pakistan team management?

[BunnyRabbit]

The lad carried our bowling attack for 3.5 years from 2011 till mid 2014. During the time, his performances were brilliant to begin with. Led our inexperienced pace bowling attack after the rubble of spot fixing saga. Umar Gul quickly lost his venom post 2011 WC. It was Junaid who carried our attack with distinction. After his injury in 2015, he was only given 4 Tests and 3 ODI's before being discarded. Not fair for a guy who had just came back from a serious injury. Adding to that, he has never been given a consistent run in the T20i side despite having a pretty good domestic record and stats to back that up.

In contrast to that, Wahab Riaz has been given preferential treatment since his 2015 WC Watson spell. Even though he has had bad matches more than good ones during that period, he still gets the nod over Junaid in the start of every series. Junaid did decently in Aus ODIs but was left out of the first ODI against WI for Wahab.

In T20is, the story is even more grim. Junaid has only played 8 T20is in the 6 year career. His stats are mediocre in international t20is, but he has only played 2 consecutive matches once against South Africa back in 2013. He performs poorly in one match, he gets to sit out while Wahab gets a consistent run in t20is despite having a mediocre record as well. For example, in the recently concluded t20 series against WI, he bowled poorly in the first match conceding 44 in 4 overs, but was backed and was given the next 3 matches. Junaid on the other hand, once performs badly in one match gets to sit out till someone is dropped.

Why the double standards from the management in this regard?
If given a proper run, I feel Junaid will get back to his best. As evident in 3rd ODI, he got better as the match went on, got crucial wickets, and seemed to be getting back his zip and swing along with pace and yorkers.

 

[MenInG]

He had an injury issue as well so all not PCB's fault.

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

Slightly off topic but I love the OP's username [MENTION=141227]BunnyRabbit[/MENTION]

On Topic: Junaid's rehabilitation was probably the second worse medical blunder PCB have committed after Harry's surgery botch up. He was never left to recover fully and was introduced prematurely just after every successful medical clearance - It all went sideways from prior to the World Cup and since then he never truly recovered fully until the recent Aussie tour.

Also, as mentioned by Ian Bishop during commentary in the last ODI against WI, the management practically pegged him into the ground by constantly playing the lad for about 4 years in the UAE against the likes of SL and ran down his knees to the point where he literally had to go for multiple surgeries.

Junaid's demise from being one of the top pace bowlers in the World (At one point he was even beating Steyn in Limited Overs) to an inconsistent trundler is due to the ineptness of the previous management.

 

[Pete Rose]

Produce matchwinning results and you will be treated well. produce results which are less rubbish than the other players, you risk your future.

 

[BunnyRabbit]

And how has Wahab Riaz not been rubbish in LOIs? How many results has he produced? It's about the preferential treatment. An average of over 33 in ODI's with economy rate of over 5.6 rpo. Surely Junaid hasn't done worse than that.

 

[BunnyRabbit]

The way PCB handled his injury certainly was PCB's fault.

 

[BunnyRabbit]

[MENTION=136079]ahmedwaqas92[/MENTION] thank you for your compliment

Agreed with your point. But i think there is still a lot more left in the tank for him. He just needs to get his pace back up. he was bowling around 132-136kph if he can increase it to 140kph which is not impossible, i think he can regain his mojo.

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

[MENTION=136079]ahmedwaqas92[/MENTION] thank you for your compliment

Agreed with your point. But i think there is still a lot more left in the tank for him. He just needs to get his pace back up. he was bowling around 132-136kph if he can increase it to 140kph which is not impossible, i think he can regain his mojo.

If my memory serves me right, Junaid did clock around 138-140 during this WI ODI leg which are good signs for him and his fans however in order for him to be genuinely effective (since his main skill is seam movement and reverse swing) he needs to bring his average speed to 140 which will be the main issue.

To reduce and minimize his knee issues the coaches who worked with him post injury have clamped on his small hop during the run up and the jump during delivery stride. This change in his bowling schematic has caused him to loose almost 4-5 yards of pace during these years.

What he needs to do, as since he now has a more stable follow through, is to work on the leg and back muscles so that they become as strong as the power their previously generate with the Jump. It's a long and slow process but I am hopeful within a year he will most definitely be a better bowler than what we might have seen in the last year or so....

 

[aloo paratha]

Produce matchwinning results and you will be treated well. produce results which are less rubbish than the other players, you risk your future.

But OP is pointing out that it is not like that for everyone, hence it's not fair. Which match winning performance has Wahab Riaz given in the last 2 years?

 

[Pete Rose]

But OP is pointing out that it is not like that for everyone, hence it's not fair. Which match winning performance has Wahab Riaz given in the last 2 years?

As I said being less rubbish is not a criteria

 

[BunnyRabbit]

As I said being less rubbish is not a criteria

Then why are more rubbish players in the team?

 

[Pete Rose]

Then why are more rubbish players in the team?

Er.... I just told you. As a player if your entire case is built on 'well I am less rubbish than the guys selected' then you dot have a strong case.
Junaid Khan is a middle or road type bowler and so are the others

 

[hitthestump]

People will still be talking about Wahab's potential when he is Misbah's age

 

[Bilal7]

Don't hate on Riaz. He's done well for us and won us enough games to earn the hype he gets. As for Junaid, he most certainly wasn't treated well. It pained me to see mediocre pacers like Sohail, Imran and Rahat line up in green match after match while Junaid, who is far better than any of them, had to toil at the domestic level.

Good things come to good people though and Junaid's hard work has paid off. He's back in the side, partnering Amir and giving us what we wanted to see ever since that 'Aaney do' series, back in 2012. Now he just needs to have a strong showing at the Champions Trophy, getting that swing and seam going and helping Pakistan go far in, if not outright win, the tournament.

He shouldn't play T20s though, unless Sarfaraz uses him primarily at the death, a la Umar Gul. In tests and ODIs, him and Amir are a must and Pakistan's own version of Boult and Southee.

 

[khurram39]

I think not treated and care of well as he deserved. We see in the past shoaib akhtar, muhmmad asif and so on too many players treated by pcb and list is more longer where pcb didn't treat well and he is listed among those. But still he has something left and can deliver too.

 

[msb314]

]Don't hate on Riaz. He's done well for us and won us enough games to earn the hype he gets.[/B] As for Junaid, he most certainly wasn't treated well. It pained me to see mediocre pacers like Sohail, Imran and Rahat line up in green match after match while Junaid, who is far better than any of them, had to toil at the domestic level.

Good things come to good people though and Junaid's hard work has paid off. He's back in the side, partnering Amir and giving us what we wanted to see ever since that 'Aaney do' series, back in 2012. Now he just needs to have a strong showing at the Champions Trophy, getting that swing and seam going and helping Pakistan go far in, if not outright win, the tournament.

He shouldn't play T20s though, unless Sarfaraz uses him primarily at the death, a la Umar Gul. In tests and ODIs, him and Amir are a must and Pakistan's own version of Boult and Southee.

I have backed Wahab for a long time but he is really struggling to justify his place in the team when he consistely bowls rubbish in pressure situations. It is like he completely loses it when the opposition batsman take him on whilst chasing. In a way - he is like Sami. Never have I seen a 95 mph bowler get tonked with ease like that...

Hassan and Amir (although erratic as well) are our best fast bowlers for now followed by Junaid.

Sohail is decent but has poor fitness.

Rahat, Imran, Anwar, Wahab are all rubbish IMO.

 

[Naseef]

Junaid was Pakistan's best bowler before getting injured and the PCB was desperate to bring him back and he was rushed back to the SL series where he naturally failed to perform. After that he was never given another shot until the Australia series I think (I am not too sure!!). In the meantime, players like Rahat, Sahail Khan, Wahab, Sohail Tanvir, Irfan all got decent amount of matches. Hell even played in a World T20.

I feel Junaid is not given as much support as anyone else. He needs to be treated as specially and helped to get his touch back. About his pace, it will improve only through bowling more and more in the nets and matches.

Btw, is there a thread like this about Hammad Azam?

 

[Abid Z]

The lad carried our bowling attack for 3.5 years from 2011 till mid 2014. During the time, his performances were brilliant to begin with. Led our inexperienced pace bowling attack after the rubble of spot fixing saga. Umar Gul quickly lost his venom post 2011 WC. It was Junaid who carried our attack with distinction. After his injury in 2015, he was only given 4 Tests and 3 ODI's before being discarded. Not fair for a guy who had just came back from a serious injury. Adding to that, he has never been given a consistent run in the T20i side despite having a pretty good domestic record and stats to back that up.

In contrast to that, Wahab Riaz has been given preferential treatment since his 2015 WC Watson spell. Even though he has had bad matches more than good ones during that period, he still gets the nod over Junaid in the start of every series. Junaid did decently in Aus ODIs but was left out of the first ODI against WI for Wahab.

In T20is, the story is even more grim. Junaid has only played 8 T20is in the 6 year career. His stats are mediocre in international t20is, but he has only played 2 consecutive matches once against South Africa back in 2013. He performs poorly in one match, he gets to sit out while Wahab gets a consistent run in t20is despite having a mediocre record as well. For example, in the recently concluded t20 series against WI, he bowled poorly in the first match conceding 44 in 4 overs, but was backed and was given the next 3 matches. Junaid on the other hand, once performs badly in one match gets to sit out till someone is dropped.

Why the double standards from the management in this regard?
If given a proper run, I feel Junaid will get back to his best. As evident in 3rd ODI, he got better as the match went on, got crucial wickets, and seemed to be getting back his zip and swing along with pace and yorkers.

This is factually incorrect. Junaid has been a wonderful bowler at times but also woeful at others. For instance in the 2012 England series in UAE he was a liability. Apart from odd performances against SL in SL and UAE he has been poor. His speed was down and swing non existent. He should have been dropped and treated medically a lot sooner but that's another issue. He only deserves to be recalled when he is banging down the door of selection. Even then the less said of his fielding and batting the better.

His main issue and same for every leftie is that he is unable to swing the ball both ways unless conditions are massively in his favour as they were in cold January Delhi in 2013. He lacks natural ability like wahab and aamir which is why they get the nod over him but even their stock is very low. Rahat is the only tall bowler in Pakistan squad that can swing it both ways but he's very wayward. So Junaid is not treated unfairly he is just a very limited bowler but I have to confess I didn't see him in the Odis last month. But I do agree with selectors that coming back from injury a season of just LO cricket is the best way to get match fit.

 

[hafizexpress]

Executed his yorkers well at the death!!!