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"I think your best batsman should bat at three and our best is Azhar Ali" : Mickey Arthur

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Abu Dhabi: For Pakistan, it was the same old story of pressure sucking them in. And perhaps with or without the former two stalwarts — Misbah-ul Haq and Younis Khan — they would have still got tangled in Rangana Herath’s magical spell of spin bowling.

This was not a one off incident, it has been a perennial problem for Pakistan — one that they haven’t been able to tackle yet. Since 2016, five times Pakistan has lost 10 wickets in one day and in this case, it resulted in their first loss in Abu Dhabi; a fortress where they had not lost a match in the last nine Tests before this, since 2010.

South African coach Mickey Arthur accepted that Pakistan have to find a solution for their collapses which is now turning into a malaise.

“Look, it is a trend and I can’t sit here and say that our batting line up is a young line up because this is international cricket. You got to catch your teeth in international cricket and any expectation when you are in a Test match. That’s certainly expected from our batsmen. It’s disappointing. Call it pressure, I’m not sure and that’s something which we will sit down, discuss and dissect going forward,” said a dejected-looking Arthur at the post-match press briefing.

Though Azhar Ali and Asad Safiq both failed in No 3 and No 4 slots, respectively, the coach was of the view that he would still prefer them being there for the next match.

“Yes, I think that’s our best batting line-up. I think your best batsman should bat at three and our best is Azhar. Asad has batted at six for most of his career and he has to come up and take responsibility,” said Arthur, who has his task cut out to get the combination dead right before both teams meet again in Dubai on Friday.

Skipper Sarfraz Ahmad, leading the team for the first time as captain, accepted that it was a painful loss especially after getting Pakistan to a position from where they could have won.

“This is part of the game but I’m very disappointed because we had recovered really well in this game. We should have won this. We have a few issues, especially on the fifth day when we come under pressure. Some things have to change, we needed a partnership and didn’t get one,” said Ahmad, who felt some of the players didn’t show the spirit that newcomer Haris Sohail showed.

“Sohail played really well. It’s not easy to come back like he did. We’ll try and bounce back in the next game. Our batsmen played well, but they didn’t play long innings and didn’t build partnerships. If we do that, we’ll do well,” said Ahmad.

http://gulfnews.com/sport/cricket/p...ng-collapses-a-big-worry-for-arthur-1.2099601
 
Azhar is our best test batsmen but he is suited to playing as an opener. When he opens he can help set a platform for our stroke makers and more aggressive batsmen in Sarfraz and Harris to take advantage off.

He was doing a good job opening. Very disappointed with Mickey for moving him to number 3. Number 3 requires a more dynamic player . Whenever Azhar is asked to be aggressive in tests he usually is dismissed quickly.

I hope he is moved back to opening for the next test.
 
So why did you bring him up as an opener in the first place lmao?
 
I won't mind Azhar opening again as long as that means mediocre Babar won't be batting at three.
 
Well Umar Akmal certainly isn't the answer to our problems. :)))

Lol forget about him. It's only Pak's loss that we destroyed his career for a sheep like Shafiq who can't deliver even after 7 years.
 
Lol forget about him. It's only Pak's loss that we destroyed his career for a sheep like Shafiq who can't deliver even after 7 years.

Even a mediocre Shafiq is much better than compared to ten Umar Akmal's combined.
 
I think your best opening batsman should open.

Haris Sohail has the game to bat at #3 and should do so. Judging by his performance in this test he already seems to fit the role perfectly.

Babar should be backed at 4, for him it is the perfect position and suits a dynamic batsman like him.
 
Mickey isn't wrong, your best batsman should bat at 3 or 4 so as to protect him from the new ball and maximize his output but for this strategy to work you need good openers.
 
Mickey isn't wrong, your best batsman should bat at 3 or 4 so as to protect him from the new ball and maximize his output but for this strategy to work you need good openers.

issue is that Azhar will always be a grinder, he is damn good at it but he doesnt have the ability to be a proper number 3 who can both grinder and accelerate.

Putting him at 3 is incredibly short-term solution
 
Top-order batsmen must accept responsibility in defeat says Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur

Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur believes the top-order batsmen must shoulder some responsibility for failing to give the team a solid start in their second innings chase on Monday.

Needing 136 to win the first Test at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, the hosts were reeling at 36-5 after openers Shan Masood (7), Sami Aslam (2), Azhar Ali (0) and Asad Shafiq (20) struggled against Sri Lanka’s attack.

More was expected from them especially after Masood (59), Aslam (51) and Ali (85) scored half-centuries in the first innings and Arthur felt at least one big partnership was needed to beat Sri Lanka.

“My thoughts were that one good partnership would get us home and that needed to have come from the top four and others to bat around them but unfortunately it didn’t happen,” he said.

“I’m just really disappointed with the way things panned out. Today chasing 136 you expect one good partnership so that’s particularly disappointing., It was challenging but we probably should have got there.”

Veteran spinner Rangana Herath was the catalyst, taking match figures of 11-139 including a spell-binding 6-43 in the second innings.

Arthur rued the opportunity that his batsmen could not attack Herath more.

“We did a lot of homework on him,” said the 49-year-old South African. “Our players played against him a lot. But obviously on the last day he was always going to be a factor and you got to give him more respect but I would probably have liked to see our batsmen take him on.

“Early on, I would have liked us to attack him, once you take him on and that goes for any bowler, the game sort of settles down. Had one partnership goes on, I am going back to Niroshan Dickwella in the morning and for a period when Ahmed Sarfraz and Sohail Haris (42-run stand for the sixth-wicket) were batting – the key to that was to remain positive and not get tentative, looking for runs. So if you allow Herath to settle down he will do what he did today so I would have liked us to have attacked him more.”

http://sport360.com/article/cricket...-in-defeat-says-pakistan-coach-mickey-arthur/
 
Top-order batsmen must accept responsibility in defeat says Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur

Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur believes the top-order batsmen must shoulder some responsibility for failing to give the team a solid start in their second innings chase on Monday.

Needing 136 to win the first Test at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, the hosts were reeling at 36-5 after openers Shan Masood (7), Sami Aslam (2), Azhar Ali (0) and Asad Shafiq (20) struggled against Sri Lanka’s attack.

More was expected from them especially after Masood (59), Aslam (51) and Ali (85) scored half-centuries in the first innings and Arthur felt at least one big partnership was needed to beat Sri Lanka.

“My thoughts were that one good partnership would get us home and that needed to have come from the top four and others to bat around them but unfortunately it didn’t happen,” he said.

“I’m just really disappointed with the way things panned out. Today chasing 136 you expect one good partnership so that’s particularly disappointing., It was challenging but we probably should have got there.”

Veteran spinner Rangana Herath was the catalyst, taking match figures of 11-139 including a spell-binding 6-43 in the second innings.

Arthur rued the opportunity that his batsmen could not attack Herath more.

“We did a lot of homework on him,” said the 49-year-old South African. “Our players played against him a lot. But obviously on the last day he was always going to be a factor and you got to give him more respect but I would probably have liked to see our batsmen take him on.

“Early on, I would have liked us to attack him, once you take him on and that goes for any bowler, the game sort of settles down. Had one partnership goes on, I am going back to Niroshan Dickwella in the morning and for a period when Ahmed Sarfraz and Sohail Haris (42-run stand for the sixth-wicket) were batting – the key to that was to remain positive and not get tentative, looking for runs. So if you allow Herath to settle down he will do what he did today so I would have liked us to have attacked him more.”

http://sport360.com/article/cricket...-in-defeat-says-pakistan-coach-mickey-arthur/

How about he start off by accepting responsibility himself?
 
I think your best opening batsman should open.

Haris Sohail has the game to bat at #3 and should do so. Judging by his performance in this test he already seems to fit the role perfectly.

Babar should be backed at 4, for him it is the perfect position and suits a dynamic batsman like him.

Agreed. Number 4 is also too high for asad and I think he should stick to the number he is good at which is 6. Either that or get him out the team and replace him with usman.
 
Azhar and Asad playing since 2010 and still don't now how to bat in fifth day lmao
 
Azhar and Asad playing since 2010 and still don't now how to bat in fifth day lmao

This is the same Azhar who scored a 100 in under two sessions on the 5th day to win you a test match. One failure doesn't mean you start jumping to those conclusions.
 
He tried to fix something which wasn't broke. After so long we had found an opener who was actually World Class in that role and he's decided to play around with the batting order. Now we have a weak top order aswell as middle order.
 
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Guys the elephant in the room is Shan Massod. Who is this guy? Where did he come from and what are his qualifications?

Get him out! Bring in a more competent opener, give him a few chances and then decide if Azhar must open or can come at number 3.

It's obvious though baber has fallem in the books of coache, other wise number 3 was supposedly his spot in all three formats.
 
Moving azhar from opening spot and playing one spinner has cost this match... Now MA has forced himself to stick to the current combination of Azhar at 3 and Asad at 4... Azhar at 3 before had the luxury of batting with MYK and MISBAH who will not suck under pressure like Asad... Azhar at 3 now has to suck more than a double amount of pressure on his own to bat well, because if he doesnt score then probably nobody will take care. More likely i foresee pak losing the next test or drawing it and handing over the series to SRL...

If you tweak the batting position of your best bat then he can also fail...Two things from MA in terms of strategy has lost him this match and probably the series too..
 
I don't agree with your best batsman should bat at three, however I do sort of agree with your best batsmen batting in the top 4 if possible, as top 4 has the most impact (recall something Ian Bell said about it and/or maybe Boycott). Plus if your best batsmen bat at 4, makes it easier for the newer less experienced batsmen to bat under less pressure at 5 and 6.

However if it can't be helped it's not a huge issue. Best batsman batting at three just isn't a good argument, some suit different positions. Tendulkar batted at four. Kallis batted at four usually too (if you rate him as SA's best batsman, if you rate Smith over him as many do, he opened). Root bats at four. Yousuf batted four (and at the time he was playing by most was considered Pakistan's best bat, and Inzi at five). What's more people are right, the type of batsman you see at no.3 in most teams is a more dynamic batsman, more equal against pace and spin rather than Azhar who is far better against pace.

Azhar has the opportunity to be a world class opener, possibly the best in the world. While he'll still make a very good no.3, doubt he'll reach the level of guys like Smith, Kohli, Amla etc.

Plus if he's already opening in ODIs, why confuse it, just play Azhar in his same position, and Babar at 3 as well in tests. Think the only candidate other than Babar and Azhar really at this point of time is Asad as the rest don't have the experience/regular match practice to do it at the moment. But it's clear Asad isn't going to bat at 3, and 4 is probably best for him anyway. So best to open with Azhar, Babar no.3.
 
If Azhar Ali has to bat at 3 then I would rather see Hafeez (in Asia) or Ahmed Shehzad opening. Shan Masood is a liability. Secondly, Shan and Sami fit the same purpose. Sami is better at it without a doubt. But both are there to blunt the new ball. That's 2 wickets that don't add any significant runs. Ahmed Shehzad and Hafeez at least have it in them to score quick runs and play long innings (runs scored not balls faced).
 
Haris Sohail is your best test batsman and he should bat at no 3. Azhar was great as opener.
This decision has cost us the match and he is defending it :(
 
Alarm bells are ringing for Babar Azam, he is not in coach's good books anymore.
 
Alarm bells are ringing for Babar Azam, he is not in coach's good books anymore.

On a dodgy spinning pitch yesterday, he looked like a sitting duck.

He is potentially the best Pakistani batsman. For Pakistan's sake i hope he overcomes this horror show.
 
Funny, had Pakistan not dismissed Srilanka so quickly on the fifth day, Lankans would have batted out to a draw. Don't think Chandimal had guts to declare with a low score.

But Pakistan has picked up a habit of collapsing on the 5th day (that too within 2 sessions). That was happening even with Younis Khan and Misbah.

But still how did Shan Masood got selected in the team when he only averages 24, JUST 24, while Ahmed Shehzad who averages 40.91 in tests can't even get selected to sit on the bench. Plus Shehzad was in great form in the recent matches against the World 11.
 
I think Azhar should open with Sami Aslam. Remember he got a 300 last year at the same venue. And that should make place for haris to come at one down and babar at 5 and shafiq at 6, where he is comfortable. That will also make place for a another batsman or a bowler.
 
Perpetuating this myth that the best batsman bats at #3 is the greatest bit of trolling the Australians have ever done.
 
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