"I think I was unlucky to be dropped from the Test team" : Sami Aslam

[Abdullah719]

Sami Aslam speaking on TV during the high-performance camp:

"The camp is brilliant, it's a little different as it's quite extensive and 10 weeks long. It's a great initiative and the standards are higher than the Pakistan team."

"My fitness has been good and I have done well in the past but of course the focus is to keep improving and to score higher on the tests. These things help with aspects of cricket such as fielding and playing long innings."

"Before the WI tour there were some strange rumours on social media about my food eating habits which I categorically denied. My fitness tests have always gone well and our diet plans here are very intensive. We are enjoying the new diet. We're being given food at the camp which is of the same standard which we have while on tours. It's difficult at the start but once you get used to it, it becomes easier. If we don't focus on our diet then all our hard work will go to waste. Fat levels are regularly monitored so if someone doesn't pay heed to the diet and cheats then it becomes obvious."

"I scored 620 runs in 9 matches last year with an average of 40. I think I did well considering the type of tours they were so I think I was unlucky to be dropped from the Test team. It was tough in Australia and my performance was lacking as I was touring there for first time. Still, I managed to face quite a few deliveries in every innings. I learnt a lot from that tour. Since being dropped, I have improved a lot. In the Pakistan Cup my SR was 120 and I made hundreds in the SF and final. People say I score slowly but in Test cricket, openers face the new ball and it's tough specially in Eng/Aus/NZ so you have to take time. My main responsibility is to blunt the new ball for the middle order batsmen."

 

[Hasan123]

He should be back in the test squad versus Sri Lanka. Hopefully he shows a bit more intent once he has seen the new ball off. I think he became over-defensive in his initial test career. He has no problems seeing of the new ball, batting at a strike rate of 30 is unacceptable. In the UAE the ball doesn't have a lot in it for the fast bowlers so there's no reason why Sami can't bat at strike rate of at least 45.

 

[The Googly]

Agree. This lad should be Pakistan's opener for the next 10 years. That Shan Masood (Anderson's bunny) should be sitting at home watching on TV.

 

[Bewal Express]

Looked very good at the start with a good balance between defence and attack but his stance is too crouched and his hands are too low. He deserved to be dropped but he is young and will come back.

 

[DRsohail]

legendary inzi..

 

[Proactive_]

Big words from someone averaging barely 33 in Test cricket. Sorry mate, perform or perish.

 

[Finisher]

Good opener, took blunting the new ball too far.
Gets too defensive for someone who has a very good list A game.

 

[backfootpunch]

Good opener, took blunting the new ball too far.
Gets too defensive for someone who has a very good list A game.

He's rubbish - avg 33 with a SR of 38 and 0 tons after 11 tests. Tullay baazi. Have no idea why some want him back

 

[Abdullah719]

He's rubbish - avg 33 with a SR of 38 and 0 tons after 11 tests. Tullay baazi. Have no idea why some want him back

If you discard every 21-year-old who produces those stats, when he's played more than half of those games in Eng/Aus/NZ then you aren't going to have many options left.

I'm not sure if Sami is the opener we need, specially considering Azhar's style of play but writing off his Test career at this point doesn't seem like a wise thing to do.

 

[backfootpunch]

If you discard every 21-year-old who produces those stats, when he's played more than half of those games in Eng/Aus/NZ then you aren't going to have many options left.

I'm not sure if Sami is the opener we need, specially considering Azhar's style of play but writing off his Test career at this point doesn't seem like a wise thing to do.

There has to be something about the guy to see he has potential in order to be a worthwhile investment. The fact is he's a faint hearted cricketer who was creeking in his boots in Aus and has a FC average of 36. In addition he bats selfishly at a snail's pace. I repeat there is nothing he has done to suggest he has potential even after playing some of those tests in the flattest of wickets in UAE.

Speaking of Azhar Ali I genuinely felt this guy would be good for Pakistan since his first several tests during his tour of England - in what were very overcast conditions (where the ball was swinging miles) particularly from Anderson who was at peak. He was simply unplayable but Azhar showed great heart and resolve to not crumble in what were extremely tough conditions for batting hence why he's always had my backing since then.

But don't get me wrong I didn't expect him to be one of the best (if not the best) test opener out there. Sami Aslam on the other hand hasn't shown any mental or technical qualities as a batsman; be it at test level or FC to suggest he's anywhere near ready for the international stage.

As much as we hate him we also need to think about the interests of Pakistan cricket who is going to help us during this transition period. Salman Butt after has proven after last season's FC run of form that he is the second best opener in Pakistan. I would ideally want Sharjeel since his style complements with Azhar however that option is no longer available...

 

[Abdullah719]

There has to be something about the guy to see he has potential in order to be a worthwhile investment. The fact is he's a faint hearted cricketer who was creeking in his boots in Aus and has a FC average of 36. In addition he bats selfishly at a snail's pace. I repeat there is nothing he has done to suggest he has potential even after playing some of those tests in the flattest of wickets in UAE.

Speaking of Azhar Ali I genuinely felt this guy would be good for Pakistan since his first several tests during his tour of England - in what were very overcast conditions (where the ball was swinging miles) particularly from Anderson who was at peak. He was simply unplayable but Azhar showed great heart and resolve to not crumble in what were extremely tough conditions for batting hence why he's always had my backing since then.

But don't get me wrong I didn't expect him to be one of the best (if not the best) test opener out there. Sami Aslam on the other hand hasn't shown any mental or technical qualities as a batsman; be it at test level or FC to suggest he's anywhere near ready for the international stage.

As much as we hate him we also need to think about the interests of Pakistan cricket who is going to help us during this transition period. Salman Butt after has proven after last season's FC run of form that he is the second best opener in Pakistan. I would ideally want Sharjeel since his style complements with Azhar however that option is no longer available...

He showed temperament in England and gained a lot of praise from pundits specially the likes of Michael Holding. His awareness of the off-stump is probably better than most of the Test openers Pakistan have tried in recent times.

He does have some weaknesses - he was obviously mentally not in the right place in Australia and looked overawed by the situation. However, that's not unusual for a 21-year-old playing in Australia for the first time. His stance is also not conducive to shot-making at all - when he's on the defensive then he completely relies on bad deliveries in his zone to score. I don't think he is selfish. Batting 100 deliveries and making 10 runs hurts him, it doesn't improve his average.

At this stage of his career, the FC average isn't a big deal. If he is averaging in the mid 30s five years later then there is an obvious problem. Speaking of batting averages, your suggestion of Salman Butt as Test opener is pretty strange considering that he barely averages 30 in Test cricket over a much larger sample size than Sami and doesn't have the excuse of being a 21-year-old to fall back on.

Again, I think pairing two defensive openers in Azhar and Sami is not a wise option but the alternatives who have been tried such as Shehzad and Shan are not good enough. Sami at least has the basics right for a Test opener, temperament and judgement of his off-stump. Ideally, the opener who partners Azhar should be compact but should also look to score at a decent rate.

 

[Rayyman]

He showed temperament in England and gained a lot of praise from pundits specially the likes of Michael Holding. His awareness of the off-stump is probably better than most of the Test openers Pakistan have tried in recent times.

He does have some weaknesses - he was obviously mentally not in the right place in Australia and looked overawed by the situation. However, that's not unusual for a 21-year-old playing in Australia for the first time. His stance is also not conducive to shot-making at all - when he's on the defensive then he completely relies on bad deliveries in his zone to score. I don't think he is selfish. Batting 100 deliveries and making 10 runs hurts him, it doesn't improve his average.

At this stage of his career, the FC average isn't a big deal. If he is averaging in the mid 30s five years later then there is an obvious problem. Speaking of batting averages, your suggestion of Salman Butt as Test opener is pretty strange considering that he barely averages 30 in Test cricket over a much larger sample size than Sami and doesn't have the excuse of being a 21-year-old to fall back on.

Again, I think pairing two defensive openers in Azhar and Sami is not a wise option but the alternatives who have been tried such as Shehzad and Shan are not good enough. Sami at least has the basics right for a Test opener, temperament and judgement of his off-stump. Ideally, the opener who partners Azhar should be compact but should also look to score at a decent rate.

Fakhar Zaman is the best option imo and he has a good 1st class record.

 

[Abdullah719]

Fakhar Zaman is the best option imo and he has a good 1st class record.

He is not what I call 'compact'.

 

[backfootpunch]

He showed temperament in England and gained a lot of praise from pundits specially the likes of Michael Holding. His awareness of the off-stump is probably better than most of the Test openers Pakistan have tried in recent times.

He does have some weaknesses - he was obviously mentally not in the right place in Australia and looked overawed by the situation. However, that's not unusual for a 21-year-old playing in Australia for the first time. His stance is also not conducive to shot-making at all - when he's on the defensive then he completely relies on bad deliveries in his zone to score. I don't think he is selfish. Batting 100 deliveries and making 10 runs hurts him, it doesn't improve his average.

At this stage of his career, the FC average isn't a big deal. If he is averaging in the mid 30s five years later then there is an obvious problem. Speaking of batting averages, your suggestion of Salman Butt as Test opener is pretty strange considering that he barely averages 30 in Test cricket over a much larger sample size than Sami and doesn't have the excuse of being a 21-year-old to fall back on.

Again, I think pairing two defensive openers in Azhar and Sami is not a wise option but the alternatives who have been tried such as Shehzad and Shan are not good enough. Sami at least has the basics right for a Test opener, temperament and judgement of his off-stump. Ideally, the opener who partners Azhar should be compact but should also look to score at a decent rate.

I agree with you on the some of the points made especially with relation to Sami's stance at the crease and how it hinders his ability to score.

About Salman Butt look at him technically and what he achieved in the 2016/17 Quaid-e-Azam competition. Mentally he's much stronger - performed really well in the green top, pink ball final too.

Yes his test average isn't great but showed promising signs against quality bowling attacks particularly in both of his tours to Aus and England 2005. Struggled at the beginning of his career and further down the line in England 2010 where conditions for batting were extremely tough.

On the other hand Sami Aslam has played on flat wickets in nearly every game with an era of weaker bowling attacks, for e.g. Anderson last year wasn't anywhere near as good as he was in 2010. Moreover he hasn't shown impact or consistent run of scores. Hence why you could never envisage any bowling attack would feel nervous bowling to him and when the psychological battle is lost before the first ball is bowled you know you don't belong to the highest level.

You can never write him off completely but he is a long way way away of being ready to return. He needs to score consistently and show more intent at FC level if he wants to make a case for test selection. Refreshing to see him score a brilliant quick 169 in the Pakistan One day cup few months back, which possibly could be a sign that he will score his runs quicker in future.

 

[90MPH]

Strike rate shouldn't matter much in Tests especially for an opener so I don't know why that is getting mentioned.

And what's this rubbish about him playing on flat wickets ? At Edgbaston it wasn't anything but flat but he played fantastically well because he left the ball so well outside off stump and frustrated the English bowlers. Also he got run out by Azhar on 80 odd while he made 75 in the 2nd innings when the ball was reversing.

Some people really have the memory of a gold fish. He failed a few innings so what ??

He was treated disgustingly poorly by Inzi and his selectors. On what basis was he dropped and someone like Shan Masood retained ??

He deserves a recall and he should be given the backing for a few series - at the very least.

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

Yes he was unlucky as his replacements were pathetic (Shehzad and Masood)

 

[90MPH]

Also Shezhad coming back into the squad - again over Sami on what reason ??

This was just right down poor and corrupt selections - there can be no other explanation.

 

[coy0607]

He was rightfully dropped. After showing brief promise, he really disappointed- consistently getting starts and not capitalizing on them

But I think he deserves a comeback now. He was brilliant in the Pakistan cup, and is clearly a better batsmen than what he's shown so far

 

[Bewal Express]

Strike rate shouldn't matter much in Tests especially for an opener so I don't know why that is getting mentioned.

And what's this rubbish about him playing on flat wickets ? At Edgbaston it wasn't anything but flat but he played fantastically well because he left the ball so well outside off stump and frustrated the English bowlers. Also he got run out by Azhar on 80 odd while he made 75 in the 2nd innings when the ball was reversing.

Some people really have the memory of a gold fish. He failed a few innings so what ??

He was treated disgustingly poorly by Inzi and his selectors. On what basis was he dropped and someone like Shan Masood retained ??

He deserves a recall and he should be given the backing for a few series - at the very least.

Strike Rates are important for the momentum of the innings and for the personal confidence of the player. Obviously conditions are a factor but If a player bats a 150 balls on a flat deck and scores 40-50 runs, both he and the team will lose their way.

 

[Rayyman]

He is not what I call 'compact'.

Why do you need compactness? Look at Warner, he's a good player with a mediocre defensive technique.

 

[Finisher]

I agree with you on the some of the points made especially with relation to Sami's stance at the crease and how it hinders his ability to score.

About Salman Butt look at him technically and what he achieved in the 2016/17 Quaid-e-Azam competition. Mentally he's much stronger - performed really well in the green top, pink ball final too.

Yes his test average isn't great but showed promising signs against quality bowling attacks particularly in both of his tours to Aus and England 2005. Struggled at the beginning of his career and further down the line in England 2010 where conditions for batting were extremely tough.

On the other hand Sami Aslam has played on flat wickets in nearly every game with an era of weaker bowling attacks, for e.g. Anderson last year wasn't anywhere near as good as he was in 2010. Moreover he hasn't shown impact or consistent run of scores. Hence why you could never envisage any bowling attack would feel nervous bowling to him and when the psychological battle is lost before the first ball is bowled you know you don't belong to the highest level.

You can never write him off completely but he is a long way way away of being ready to return. He needs to score consistently and show more intent at FC level if he wants to make a case for test selection. Refreshing to see him score a brilliant quick 169 in the Pakistan One day cup few months back, which possibly could be a sign that he will score his runs quicker in future.

Don't get your point when your saying Salman butt has "shown promise but his average isn't great" when you mention Sami Aslams average who is early in to hos test career. Not someone who has played over 30 test matches like Butt.
Also you said Salman butt Done good on a tour off England in 2005, you meant the England tour of pakistan, I don't think butt averages much over 20 in England.

The grass top wicket u mentioned also had Fakhar zaman scoring 170 plus at a strikerate of around 70, Ahmed shehzad also scored a hundred with a strikerate over 70. Imam ul haq a unbeaten double hundred.

 

[90MPH]

Strike Rates are important for the momentum of the innings and for the personal confidence of the player. Obviously conditions are a factor but If a player bats a 150 balls on a flat deck and scores 40-50 runs, both he and the team will lose their way.

We are talking about the Test format and an opening batsman who's job is to assess conditions and see off the new ball.

So no it's not that important at all. However does he need to improve strike rotation and have more shots under his belt ? Yes sure he does to improve that area.

However dropping Sami and then bringing back Shan and Shezhad made no utter sense whatsoever except corrupt selectors taking a back hander.

Whatever Samis technical flaws the guy had a game plan right ?? What did the other 2 bring to the table ??

He needs to be brought back in and then backed.

 

[Justcrazy]

He has the potential , Selectors must give him more chances . He can be solid opener for Pakistan in next 10 years .

 

[Bewal Express]

We are talking about the Test format and an opening batsman who's job is to assess conditions and see off the new ball.

So no it's not that important at all. However does he need to improve strike rotation and have more shots under his belt ? Yes sure he does to improve that area.

However dropping Sami and then bringing back Shan and Shezhad made no utter sense whatsoever except corrupt selectors taking a back hander.

Whatever Samis technical flaws the guy had a game plan right ?? What did the other 2 bring to the table ??

He needs to be brought back in and then backed.

It is important and it is that for that reason that he has been dropped. I pointed out that he would be dropped sooner or later as he scored a poor 70 against the Windies in the UAE. A poor SR shows up problems with strike rotation and puts stress on the other batsman. However, there will be conditions when the SR isnt important but in most conditions players with poor SR play themselves out of the team.

 

[90MPH]

It is important and it is that for that reason that he has been dropped. I pointed out that he would be dropped sooner or later as he scored a poor 70 against the Windies in the UAE. A poor SR shows up problems with strike rotation and puts stress on the other batsman. However, there will be conditions when the SR isnt important but in most conditions players with poor SR play themselves out of the team.

He's a poor strike rotator agree but sorry I don't buy that his low strike rate is a concern. The lad shouldn't be pressurised to score more quickly when it doesn't matter that much over 5 days.

However I'm sure he will improve his game overall because he doesn't seem the arrogant type. Let's see when he
Comes Back because make no mistake it was totally unjustified dropping him from the squad.

 

[Bewal Express]

He's a poor strike rotator agree but sorry I don't buy that his low strike rate is a concern. The lad shouldn't be pressurised to score more quickly when it doesn't matter that much over 5 days.

However I'm sure he will improve his game overall because he doesn't seem the arrogant type. Let's see when he
Comes Back because make no mistake it was totally unjustified dropping him from the squad.

I think we will have to agree to disagree.

 

[FreePalestine]

There has to be something about the guy to see he has potential in order to be a worthwhile investment. The fact is he's a faint hearted cricketer who was creeking in his boots in Aus and has a FC average of 36. In addition he bats selfishly at a snail's pace. I repeat there is nothing he has done to suggest he has potential even after playing some of those tests in the flattest of wickets in UAE.

Speaking of Azhar Ali I genuinely felt this guy would be good for Pakistan since his first several tests during his tour of England - in what were very overcast conditions (where the ball was swinging miles) particularly from Anderson who was at peak. He was simply unplayable but Azhar showed great heart and resolve to not crumble in what were extremely tough conditions for batting hence why he's always had my backing since then.

But don't get me wrong I didn't expect him to be one of the best (if not the best) test opener out there. Sami Aslam on the other hand hasn't shown any mental or technical qualities as a batsman; be it at test level or FC to suggest he's anywhere near ready for the international stage.

As much as we hate him we also need to think about the interests of Pakistan cricket who is going to help us during this transition period. Salman Butt after has proven after last season's FC run of form that he is the second best opener in Pakistan. I would ideally want Sharjeel since his style complements with Azhar however that option is no longer available...

Sami Aslam also did pretty well in England in tough conditions after Shan Masood's failures. He had a tough tour of aus, but has definitely shown good grit and concentration for a youngster. No need to rule him out so early. He is right that he was unlucky to be dropped.

 

[PakLFC]

Score runs and you can't be dropped. Stop trying to intellectualise your failures by trying to justify them. If someone else is performing better then will rightfully take your place. You are Sami Aslam a relatively rookie left hander not Brian Lara!.

 

[Agent 47]

his innings against england last year during 3rd test won me over. i'd go with him over shehzad in test but he needs to be a little bit aggressive. chances are high for him to get a call up after misbah and younis retirement

 

[Mainul]

Sami Aslam is way way better than the other openers played for Pakistan in last few years.His technique, temperament is no doubt Superior to Shehzad,Masood,Manzoor.But Pakistan and Injamam are fond of mediocre players so they brought back Shehzad.I am quite sure they will make Fakhar debut in next series and help destroy his career.

 

[mmkextreme_1]

Sami Aslam is way way better than the other openers played for Pakistan in last few years.His technique, temperament is no doubt Superior to Shehzad,Masood,Manzoor.But Pakistan and Injamam are fond of mediocre players so they brought back Shehzad.I am quite sure they will make Fakhar debut in next series and help destroy his career.

This, I really hope the PCB realizes that Fakhar Zaman is not a test a player, his game is more suited to the LOI format. Keep him to LOI for a season or two, let him play domestic FC, then judge whether he is ready to play test cricket.

Sherjeel was thrown into the test team as well, don't think his technique was good enough for test cricket yet. I hope they have learned from past mistakes. Throwing players in formats that are suited to them is a recipe for disaster.

Hoping Babar Azam comes though, as of now, he is not a test player yet. Look at India, Virat Kohli made his test match debut much after his LOI. He was confident in his ability, but it still took him time to find his feet in test match cricket.

 

[Ellipsism]

Why do you need compactness? Look at Warner, he's a good player with a mediocre defensive technique.

He's one of the better technicians in the Australian team with the only difference being that he stays legside of the ball.

Fakhar was worked over by Bumrah of all bowlers, what will he do against the likes of Hazlewood, Anderson and Starc?

 

[Shafi]

Keep those useless tuktuking on harmless balls and you will be out for ever. Unless someone points out his defects he will never figure out why he is not in the team.

 

[Pete Rose]

I think an opening combination of Azhar and Sami is too slow even by test standards. As mentioned by others he went way too defensive. But, having been given the toughest tours over last year, he deserved a shot to get going at home in more familiar conditions.

 

[A.A.Z]

I would rather have Sami Aslam and Azhar Ali not score and see out the new ball than be susceptible to a batting collapse which we're infamous for. It's not like Ahmed Shehzad or Shan Masood score at a faster rate, did anyone see Shehzad in the last series against West Indies.

In tests our bigger concern is batting collapses not scoring rates. Sharjeel and Fakhar are not David Warner and they will never be let them stick to the shorter formats something they're good at.

 

[Slog]

Too timid

 

[Markhor]

The question is are the alternatives any better ? Ahmed Shehzad and Shan Masood have no business playing Tests, neither does Fakhar Zaman with his technical issues against pace.

Sami Aslam did play too defensively last year, but he toured three of the hardest places in the world for Pakistani batsmen in Eng, NZ and Aus. He played Anderson, Broad and Woakes superbly and showed good judgement outside off stump. Aslam was the only batsman to emerge with any credit from that Edgbaston 2nd innings and that NZ tour.

He failed in Australia but it was his first tour there. If we sidelined players for poor Australia tours there'd hardly be any Pakistani cricketers left !

Ideally, Aslam shouldn't have been dropped in 2015 and been groomed during all those Asian series BEFORE the tough tours instead of wasting time on Shehzad and Masood - another Waqar/Rasheed blunder. He is still raw but give him time and with confidence he'll show willingness to play more freely.

 

[amvbfm]

I just don't understand some of the comments being made here. How and why does S/R matter for a test opener? The primary job of a test opener is to see off the new ball and if he only scores at 30 in the process, then so be it.

Sami is a wonderful talent who is miles better than all the other hacks vying for the opening slot. He has the talent and temperament to excel not only at the test level but also in ODIs (provided the selectors show faith in him and give him consistent opportunities). Also people questioning his temperament would be well advised to go and watch his innings against England at Birmingham and against NZ at Hamilton. The latter also provides a very solid reason for why we need players like Sami Aslam and Azhar Ali at the top given how brittle the rest of the batting order can be.

 

[Amjid Javed]

Technically decent, Tempremant good. Needs to work on strike rotation and showing more intent on scoring runs at times.

Id rather have a young player like this where coach/player can work on his game and look to improve him.

Rather then technically ugly batsmen like shan masood etc.. who look like a walking wicket at crease most of time.

 

[Rayyman]

He's one of the better technicians in the Australian team with the only difference being that he stays legside of the ball.

Fakhar was worked over by Bumrah of all bowlers, what will he do against the likes of Hazlewood, Anderson and Starc?

That same way that Fakhar got out to Bumrah, I've seen Warner get out like that multiple times.

 

[The_Odd_One]

It was extremely unfair to drop him after all the tough tours when he actually batted better than most of the senior batsmen in the team.

I back him for both tests and ODIs. He is a mentally tough batsman who will eventually come good even in ODIs.

 

[mak36]

If you discard every 21-year-old who produces those stats, when he's played more than half of those games in Eng/Aus/NZ then you aren't going to have many options left.

I'm not sure if Sami is the opener we need, specially considering Azhar's style of play but writing off his Test career at this point doesn't seem like a wise thing to do.

He showed temperament in England and gained a lot of praise from pundits specially the likes of Michael Holding. His awareness of the off-stump is probably better than most of the Test openers Pakistan have tried in recent times.

He does have some weaknesses - he was obviously mentally not in the right place in Australia and looked overawed by the situation. However, that's not unusual for a 21-year-old playing in Australia for the first time. His stance is also not conducive to shot-making at all - when he's on the defensive then he completely relies on bad deliveries in his zone to score. I don't think he is selfish. Batting 100 deliveries and making 10 runs hurts him, it doesn't improve his average.

At this stage of his career, the FC average isn't a big deal. If he is averaging in the mid 30s five years later then there is an obvious problem. Speaking of batting averages, your suggestion of Salman Butt as Test opener is pretty strange considering that he barely averages 30 in Test cricket over a much larger sample size than Sami and doesn't have the excuse of being a 21-year-old to fall back on.

Again, I think pairing two defensive openers in Azhar and Sami is not a wise option but the alternatives who have been tried such as Shehzad and Shan are not good enough. Sami at least has the basics right for a Test opener, temperament and judgement of his off-stump. Ideally, the opener who partners Azhar should be compact but should also look to score at a decent rate.

Great posts. Sami showed in the PC he can bat aggressively. He also showed great character and temperament in England- I am sure he will work hard to make the necessary improvements.

Not sure why some posters are so keen to write off a young player (who has shown promise) so quickly. Especially when their suggested replacement is Salman Butt.

 

[The_Odd_One]

Too timid

He has already shown more heart than a lot of aggressive youngsta beauties.

 

[PakSarZameen]

Don't like to see players complaining about being treated harshly.

Unless you are a Fawad Alam of course.

 

[Itachi]

I'll be more worried about his attitude.

He already has started the blame game like umer akmal. I hope he wont go the same way.

There's a difference between saying, "it was unfair to drop me" and "its a hard time after dropping from the team but I'll try my best to return."

 

[mak36]

Don't like to see players complaining about being treated harshly.

Unless you are a Fawad Alam of course.

I don't think he was complaining. He was asked a question and he answered it. If you read all his comments he also says how he has gone away and improved/worked on his perceived shortcomings (by improving his SR). It's great to hear he is willing to take on criticism and develop his game.

 

[Plumb]

It was very harsh on him, Sad that how a great future opener was dropped after a decent series but again with PCB and the "out of the box" mentality anything can be expected. His comeback in tests will show how mentally strong he is. If he is really hard working and determined future games 'll tell. Can't wait for that, I have faith in him.

 

[Mainul]

This, I really hope the PCB realizes that Fakhar Zaman is not a test a player, his game is more suited to the LOI format. Keep him to LOI for a season or two, let him play domestic FC, then judge whether he is ready to play test cricket.

Sherjeel was thrown into the test team as well, don't think his technique was good enough for test cricket yet. I hope they have learned from past mistakes. Throwing players in formats that are suited to them is a recipe for disaster.

Hoping Babar Azam comes though, as of now, he is not a test player yet. Look at India, Virat Kohli made his test match debut much after his LOI. He was confident in his ability, but it still took him time to find his feet in test match cricket.

I agree with you fully.If Injamam and his co could realize in the way you did!