How false narrative is created that "Pakistan doesn't have talent"?

[RidiculousMan]

This happens time and time again. After an underwhelming tournament and a promise of a surgery. New youngsters and domestic players are selected for a new series.

Often most of these players aren't the best lot of option from your domestic but yet they get to make it into the side.

This time again. Players like Ghori and Saad have been selected ahead of bigger domestic performers.

Now I wish every youngster all the best. But in case they don't perform. (Which often happens cause they were not your best performing players). A picture gets painted that oh look Pakistan doesn't have talent.

Thus the cycle continues and before a new world cup. The good ol seniors make their comeback.

Some accidental domestic performers who broke the door of selection from their performances were Haseeb, Farhan, Sufiyan and Kamran. But all except for Farhan were rugged away and now are not even seen near international Team.

 

[Kianig89]

Hassan Nawaz
Mo Haris
Kamran Ghulam
Irfan Niazi
Abass Afridi
Sufyan Muqeem
Amir Jamal
WasimJr.

They were never allowed to settle, infact same happened with Farhan in the past. When given consistent chances Farhan cemented his place.

 

[Ball Blazer]

Pakistan do have talent but they waste them due to improper management, failure to groom them, not providing enough chances, and a lot more.

 

[jeetu]

For Pakistan talent was never the issue. The issue lies in converting talent into Long term consistent performer. Many players starts very well but after 5-6 years looks pale shadow of former shelf.

 

[Savak]

Raw talent, ability only gets you so far now when teams are scientifically analyzing your strengths, weaknesses and the players are executing plans given to them by management.

So many examples of Pakistani players who start their careers off and have a purple patch i.e. Umar Akmal, Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Shadab only for the opposition support staff, players work them out and these players then struggle to evolve.

Talent has to be complemented by hard work, continuously evolving your game, having grit, mental strength, game and match awareness.

 

[Savak]

For Pakistan talent was never the issue. The issue lies in converting talent into Long term consistent performer. Many players starts very well but after 5-6 years looks pale shadow of former shelf.

To be honest the answer is very simple. Once our players make gigantic sums of money, they have achieved their needs and desires according to the maslow hierarchy of needs. Then they rely on their social media agents, managers, media friends, political, business and cricketing connections to maintain their spots rather than actual performances. To make things work, they are willing to resort to corrupt team politics if needed

 

[Energy]

Brain/education to develop skills is more important than raw talent.

To keep things simple, PCB must pick the best domestic players- but they politicise that too and therefore you're not going anywhere with cherry-picked series-by-series randomisers.

 

[pillionrider]

Forget for a while about players who get noticed currently and are given opportunities.

The PCB needs to be be blamed for not putting a system in place to unearth talent from non-traditional areas. The metros, especially Mumbai at one point used to be central to the Indian team. Dhoni was one of the biggest names to defy this, coming from a small town and an oft-ignored state. People can claim that he inspired smaller-tier future stars, but in reality, Dhoni was the symptom of what the BCCI had put in place a decade back. And now you have players in India coming from pretty much everywhere. There is stuff the BCCI can and should be criticized about - but there's a lot of good they've also done for the game in India.

Secondly, and quite importantly, from watching Pakistani cricket shows, you just get the feeling that they are little too obsessed with Indian cricket and its players. There is always a sense of comparison and what's that truth they say about comparison being the thief of joy? So when Pakistan finds a Babar, it's not enough. He HAS to be Kohli or better.

And even the Pakistani ex-cricketers often will slip in an anecdote involving their interaction with a current Indian player that is embellished to boost their own sense of importance. During their playing days, I doubt they actually looked up to Indian players. At best, they were equals, but more likely, they felt dominant (whether justified or not). And it all probably boils down to the IPL and money. Sadly, that's another truth about the world in general. Money talks and after 15+ years of the IPL and its money and glitz, there is a constant looking up to and comparison with India which hasn't been healthy.

What's the solution. I don't know. One thing could be the emergence of a grassroots hero. Whom the majority can identify with and emulate. Someone from the soil. But to unearth him, something has to radically change within the PCB.

 

[chakdeindian]

I too don't agree "Pakistan doesnt have talent", it is actually " Pakistan doesn't like talent" and hence they avoid them

 

[jnaveen1980]

When was the last time pakistan reached u19 final

 

[sweep_shot]

Every country have talented players.

It is just that some countries have better systems to nurture those talents and some countries don't.

 

[JaDed]

I saw someshow where Afridi rightly pointed out that there isn’t any press conference nowadays where questions can be asked, he said one player made sense due to FC but the other didn’t make any and was take due to Asia emerging up or something

 

[Usman Chadda]

It’s not a narrative, it’s the truth. The skill-sets are far better in the top five teams, and that’s not just down to player development. Having the right temperament is also a talent, as that’s what separates the players at international level.

Our upcoming players just don’t have that. There is no amount of player development that can bridge the gap right now.

 

[indianpanacea]

Pakistan best T20 squad in batting order
Farhan
Fakhar
Abdul samad
Hassan Nawaz
Azam khan
Saim Ayub
Abbas Afridi
Daniyal
Sufiyan
Abrar
Zaman khan

 

[ravisurya]

I really want a Pakistani to define "TALENT"

 

[Cover Drive Six]

Every country have talented players.

It is just that some countries have better systems to nurture those talents and some countries don't.

But not Bangladesh. They have been playing for many decades with the same poor consistency and no improvement.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

Every country have talented players.

It is just that some countries have better systems to nurture those talents and some countries don't.

Except Bangladesh.

Sorry.

No talent there.

 

[sweep_shot]

Pakistan best T20 squad in batting order
Farhan
Fakhar
Abdul samad
Hassan Nawaz
Azam khan
Saim Ayub
Abbas Afridi
Daniyal
Sufiyan
Abrar
Zaman khan

Azam Khan? I don't think so. He doesn't have the fitness for international cricket.

I think this can be a good T20 XI for Pakistan:

Farhan
Fakhar
Maaz
H Nawaz
Usman Khan (wk)
Abdul Samad
Abbas Afridi
Sufiyan
Abrar (c)
Daniyal/Salman Mirza
Zaman Khan

 

[BouncerGuy]

Yeah we have talent like ghazi ghouri... Legendary player..

Problem is not lack of talent, problem is parchi system... you had haseeb in the lineup for some time and he did not get much games. Whenever he got a game, it was a useless game of the series or last game of the series and we expected too much. Now he is dropped for good. Rohail? he was called the future captain and he is nowhere. Mehran? Arafat were there and were doing good but we selected Saad Masood...

This is a joke selections committee actually, that is the real problem .

 

[Devadwal]

Brain/education to develop skills is more important than raw talent.

To keep things simple, PCB must pick the best domestic players- but they politicise that too and therefore you're not going anywhere with cherry-picked series-by-series randomisers.

Talent alone isn't enough. You also need Brain, Game awareness and physical fitness.

Salman Agha is a talented player, but his dismissal against India shows his lack of understanding of the game. Pakistan had already scored 13 runs in Bumrah's over, yet he played brainless shots instead of building partnerships.

 

[sithb]

There's a lot of difference between a u19 player and a player between 22-24 years of age.

From playing in the u19 and even doing well there and then finally becoming a FC starter for a local team. There are plenty of cricketers who slip through the cracks even if they have shined at u19 level. Someone performing at u19 level might show they have the basics roughly ok. But they still need to be worked on. That's where coaching actually comes in, not at the senior level. Have foreign coaches at grassroots level to both improve the quality of local coaches and also to stop the "paarchi" as you guys like to keep it. Let the current lot of players play till those identified guys are ready. Identify 100 cricketers in the 19-20 years of age and work on them. Make them play all formats of the game at domestic level.

Education of those players needs to be done as well. Till even degree level if need be. They don't need to be fluent English speakers but they have to show that they are able to understand what the coaches are trying to tell them. This needs to be a 5 year plan. Hopefully after all this, you'll have 20 cricketers coming out of the academy every 2 years.

 

[AZulfi]

Talent alone isn't enough. You also need Brain, Game awareness and physical fitness.

Salman Agha is a talented player, but his dismissal against India shows his lack of understanding of the game. Pakistan had already scored 13 runs in Bumrah's over, yet he played brainless shots instead of building partnerships.

+1 Distinctly lacking from the current set of Pak players.

 

[harshjoshi87]

Talent is there but politics takes central stage in Pak cricket. Every new captain & coach bring their own parchis to the team. Parchis + damaads are ruining Pak cricket.

As an Indian fan, very happy to see Pakistan team in ruin, but for a overall cricket teams like Pakistan, West Indies, Sri Lanka should have strong squads that can complete in ICC tournaments & bilaterals or else our beloved sport will be played only among top 4-5 nations.

 

[sithb]

I'm not sure what element of age fudging is present in Pakistan cricket still but that needs to be eliminated. If there's a 23 year old guy playing in U19, it is very unfair to everyone. He'll also be cheating himself.

 

[Muhammad Saad]

Simple solution would be to have 9 teams from U13 , U16 and U19 and have them setup for 3 months training camp twice an year with 3 months break in between and give them intense training on how to handle bounce and swing and spin by using artificial conductive pitches and have them play tri series and competitive matches against each other on Australian drop in pitches and then reward the best performers with PSL emerging category contract and selection for national U19 team.

This will not be much expensive to setup either and will provide carrot on stick for the player’s motivation as well.

 

[Muhammad Saad]

The learning only occurs between ages 13 to 19 and if players are brought up playing on bouncy and spinning track with quality coaching since young age then it will make them 10x better than players system is producing currently.

It’s far less expensive then starting school cricket and reviving club cricket

This setup will give us players which are tailer made horses for courses.

 

[shah9425]

Domestic grinders are not being selected

They are being neglected

 

[ElRaja]

how the true narrative is created that pakistan doesnt have talent, because not one player in the last ten years has gone on to become consistently world class over multiple seasons. just because selections are inconsistent doesnt mean the players are any good.

nearly all the players listed in this thread have massive techincal flaws, and have neither at international or domestic level given the performances to forece their way into the team. the only guy i truly think was hard done by was abbas afridi, to this day i dont know why he was dropped.

everyone else, from haris, to nawaz, wasim jr, etc, all have played lots of games and not made a spot their own.