How many Test match runs will Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq end up with?

[MMHS]

You were wrong about Asad. Azhar has proven to be leagues above despite opening the batting

I would rather say, Asad was unlucky, while Azhar is extremely lucky. For a team like PAK, which is almost forced to play Test cricket, Azhar was lucky that he had a series of matches when he was in prime form & he piled up scores. Asad, was in good form as well between 2012 to 2015, when he scored 100s in SAF & batted with good average, but hardly played more than 2 Test Series. His stats had a nose dive, just when PAK played a series of Tests.

Azhar is doing well one of the main reason for that is, he was sent to open, which is complementary to his core strength of batting - patient occupation on wicket. If you analyze Azhar's game - whenever he has scored big (outside UAE), PAK actually has lost the Test - in SRL, at Birmingham, in NZ, in AUS & at Bridgetown. Because, he scores runs, but takes so much time that it kills the momentum. Not saying he is scoring soft runs, but return (value) of stats (run) is least for Azhar. He'll be statistically very good player, but hardly anyone (opponent) will name him as a major stumbling block for them.

 

[Hasan123]

I would rather say, Asad was unlucky, while Azhar is extremely lucky. For a team like PAK, which is almost forced to play Test cricket, Azhar was lucky that he had a series of matches when he was in prime form & he piled up scores. Asad, was in good form as well between 2012 to 2015, when he scored 100s in SAF & batted with good average, but hardly played more than 2 Test Series. His stats had a nose dive, just when PAK played a series of Tests.

Azhar is doing well one of the main reason for that is, he was sent to open, which is complementary to his core strength of batting - patient occupation on wicket. If you analyze Azhar's game - whenever he has scored big (outside UAE), PAK actually has lost the Test - in SRL, at Birmingham, in NZ, in AUS & at Bridgetown. Because, he scores runs, but takes so much time that it kills the momentum. Not saying he is scoring soft runs, but return (value) of stats (run) is least for Azhar. He'll be statistically very good player, but hardly anyone (opponent) will name him as a major stumbling block for them.

Jimmy Anderson rates him

 

[MMHS]

Jimmy Anderson rates him

May be, but I'll have to listen the full context. Often these days, players are subject to leading question - after that Birmingham innings, if you ask Jimmy on Azhar's innings, there is obviously one answer.

I see what is happening there - an opening batsman, after batting 7 hours & 100+ overs, against a tiered attack is batting at <35 SR - that didn't allow PAK to take the Test away from Lanka though effectively PAK at one point was 100/3 & the Lankan attack tiered to their knees. It didn't take PAK away from SAF at Newlands, or his 4.5 hours 32 didn't help PAK erasing a deficit of just 67 at Christchurch. The MCG & Bridgetown impact is recent, so I guess I don't need to recall the memory, & now you are watching what he is doing at the series decider under bright sunshine & WI bowlers 100+ overs tiered on a Day 2 wicket. Still probably wondering what Roston Chase did to PAK from 109/5 (coming at 38/3) once he was set & got PAK bowlers tiered.

 

[Boi]

[MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION], I'd say the reason for some of Azhar's contributions coming in losing causes is probably more todo with the other snails we've got a test lineup packed with. Azhar does his role perfectly at the top of the order but his runs would have greater value and impact if we had decent strokemakers who could actually make effective use of Azhar's solid batting at the top.

 

[MMHS]

[MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION], I'd say the reason for some of Azhar's contributions coming in losing causes is probably more todo with the other snails we've got a test lineup packed with. Azhar does his role perfectly at the top of the order but his runs would have greater value and impact if we had decent strokemakers who could actually make effective use of Azhar's solid batting at the top.

True - he is doing his job 100% as a Test opener & doing it fantastically.

Problem is,
- Most people mix stats with context & role profile, therefore measure everyone at same scale
- PCB's selectors factor his Test role & performance in to ODI (still better - Iqbal Qasim would have picked him for T20)
- PAK team doesn't identify batting as a collective effort - in even SRL or BD side, you won't see a batting lineup of 4/5 Azhar clones - terrifying is that they did it in ODI - apart from MoHa, a PAK ODI line up of Azhar, Shehzad, Misbah, YK & Fawad played few times & add Sarfu, 4 of those 6 played in several matches. Now, they have called Usman Sallu,who is a carbon copy of Azhar.

Azhar is a very good Test opener, probably'll make the world XI, but not as a partner of Sami or Shezad - PCB puts them together, than back it with Misbah, YK at 4/5 & pick Usman as the reserve

 

[Abdullah719]

Because, he scores runs, but takes so much time that it kills the momentum. Not saying he is scoring soft runs, but return (value) of stats (run) is least for Azhar. He'll be statistically very good player, but hardly anyone (opponent) will name him as a major stumbling block for them.

I would say that this is more due to the overall team composition. Azhar is not holding this team back but the fact that almost everyone else in the lineup is batting at a similar rate is a problem.

Both of his hundreds at Birmingham and Melbourne were excellent knocks keeping the opposition and conditions in mind.

 

[Abdullah719]

Azhar minimum 8k possibly 10k if he keeps his fitness levels up. But i dont think Azhar has the same level of dedication to health and fitness that YK and Misbah do.

Asad i feel this is a defining year for him. He has been coasting along with his once a series performances with the likes of Azhar YK Misbah covering for him. Now as a senior he will be expected to step up regularly and lead from the front if he fails to do that then he could be dropped. If he steps up then he could get 7k maybe 8k.

He's improved a lot on that front as well over the past year or two.

 

[Rayyman]

They both looked similar before:

But then something changed.
Azhar grew a beard and became a man while Shafiq didn't
So now we know the secret:

 

[Mamoon]

I would rather say, Asad was unlucky, while Azhar is extremely lucky. For a team like PAK, which is almost forced to play Test cricket, Azhar was lucky that he had a series of matches when he was in prime form & he piled up scores. Asad, was in good form as well between 2012 to 2015, when he scored 100s in SAF & batted with good average, but hardly played more than 2 Test Series. His stats had a nose dive, just when PAK played a series of Tests.

Azhar is doing well one of the main reason for that is, he was sent to open, which is complementary to his core strength of batting - patient occupation on wicket. If you analyze Azhar's game - whenever he has scored big (outside UAE), PAK actually has lost the Test - in SRL, at Birmingham, in NZ, in AUS & at Bridgetown. Because, he scores runs, but takes so much time that it kills the momentum. Not saying he is scoring soft runs, but return (value) of stats (run) is least for Azhar. He'll be statistically very good player, but hardly anyone (opponent) will name him as a major stumbling block for them.

I Agree with you. I will quote my post from the 'Azhar Ali moves up to joint-eighth (with Hashim Amla) in ICC Test batting rankings' thread:

Well done to Azhar but since his transformation circa 2014-2015, he is yet to play a match-defining knock. Most of his big knocks have ended up in defeats. The tempo at which Azhar bats makes his innings less impactful. Generally speaking, Azhar scoring big means there isn't enough time to take 20 opposition wickets, especially when you consider how poor we are as a bowling unit. Well done to Azhar again, but at this rate, I am not sure if he is going to win many matches for the team.

As far Shafiq being unlucky, have to disagree there. He doesn't have the character to cash on his form the way Azhar did. Never looks settled and composed at the crease, and just wasn't/isn't good enough to dominate in successive innings.