If Azhar Ali doesn’t fire with the bat in this Test match then it’s time for him to retire

[Third_Umpire]

That he still plays for us is a shocking indictment of where we are as a team. Terrible player

 

[chacha kashmiri]

His reflexes are gone, abbas did the same thing azhar did for years and did it better

 

[KingOfPakBreakfast]

Azhar, at least in the 2010s, has overall been a cornerstone of Pakistan's test line up. It's sad to see the reaction he's getting on PP, as his record and legacy proven up to 2018 were indeed respect worthy.

However, as a professional sportsmen you HAVE to retire on top. It's what defines your legacy, your reputation amongst fans and cynically, allows you future non-playing career opportunities.

As others have said, scoring that 140 odd at Old Trafford was the perfect send off. You gotta leave with fans wanting more. Look at Alasdair Cook, a batsmen in the same vein as Azhar. Arguably England still haven't replaced him properly, but he himself knew that his performances would only go downhill from where he was.


However, pro sportsmen like Azhar are almost blind in their self belief that they can keep performing, even when it's painfully apparent to others that they're done.

And I get it man. It's so painful to admit that you can't do the thing you love anymore. But this is where the coaching staff have to have that honest, facts based conversation about not only Azhar's performances, but future team planning. However, Misbah, who himself was an exception to the rule by playing well into his 40s, won't have that conversation. Misbah's man management skills would require a second more detailed thread.

I hope, whatever happens in the remaining three innings of this NZ tour, that Azhar makes a firm decision himself to call it a day. Even if he scores three consecutive tons. It's important that his replacement is able to debut in home conditions against SA. Include Azhar in the SA squad and give him a retirement farewell ceremony ala Umar Gul. That way his legacy can be respected and we can move forward.

 

[Junaids]

Azhar, at least in the 2010s, has overall been a cornerstone of Pakistan's test line up. It's sad to see the reaction he's getting on PP, as his record and legacy proven up to 2018 were indeed respect worthy.

However, as a professional sportsmen you HAVE to retire on top. It's what defines your legacy, your reputation amongst fans and cynically, allows you future non-playing career opportunities.

As others have said, scoring that 140 odd at Old Trafford was the perfect send off. You gotta leave with fans wanting more. Look at Alasdair Cook, a batsmen in the same vein as Azhar. Arguably England still haven't replaced him properly, but he himself knew that his performances would only go downhill from where he was.


However, pro sportsmen like Azhar are almost blind in their self belief that they can keep performing, even when it's painfully apparent to others that they're done.

And I get it man. It's so painful to admit that you can't do the thing you love anymore. But this is where the coaching staff have to have that honest, facts based conversation about not only Azhar's performances, but future team planning. However, Misbah, who himself was an exception to the rule by playing well into his 40s, won't have that conversation. Misbah's man management skills would require a second more detailed thread.

I hope, whatever happens in the remaining three innings of this NZ tour, that Azhar makes a firm decision himself to call it a day. Even if he scores three consecutive tons. It's important that his replacement is able to debut in home conditions against SA. Include Azhar in the SA squad and give him a retirement farewell ceremony ala Umar Gul. That way his legacy can be respected and we can move forward.

Perfect post.

It’s so sad to see such a lovely man scratching around trying to be something that he no longer has the eye or the reflexes to be.

 

[Firebat]

Azhar, at least in the 2010s, has overall been a cornerstone of Pakistan's test line up. It's sad to see the reaction he's getting on PP, as his record and legacy proven up to 2018 were indeed respect worthy.

However, as a professional sportsmen you HAVE to retire on top. It's what defines your legacy, your reputation amongst fans and cynically, allows you future non-playing career opportunities.

As others have said, scoring that 140 odd at Old Trafford was the perfect send off. You gotta leave with fans wanting more. Look at Alasdair Cook, a batsmen in the same vein as Azhar. Arguably England still haven't replaced him properly, but he himself knew that his performances would only go downhill from where he was.


However, pro sportsmen like Azhar are almost blind in their self belief that they can keep performing, even when it's painfully apparent to others that they're done.

And I get it man. It's so painful to admit that you can't do the thing you love anymore. But this is where the coaching staff have to have that honest, facts based conversation about not only Azhar's performances, but future team planning. However, Misbah, who himself was an exception to the rule by playing well into his 40s, won't have that conversation. Misbah's man management skills would require a second more detailed thread.

I hope, whatever happens in the remaining three innings of this NZ tour, that Azhar makes a firm decision himself to call it a day. Even if he scores three consecutive tons. It's important that his replacement is able to debut in home conditions against SA. Include Azhar in the SA squad and give him a retirement farewell ceremony ala Umar Gul. That way his legacy can be respected and we can move forward.

Couldn't agree more. He has been a fantastic servant for Pakistan cricket the last decade during a very tough period in our exile. He deserves a lot of respect for that. But he's clearly past it now and someone around him needs to help him see that sooner rather than later, he is ruining his legacy and reputation, and many people's good memories of him.

He should have walked away after his brilliant match saving century in the summer.

 

[Kroll]

His time has been up since years. Very few players are CONSISTENTLY good after 33 years. Which is why most big players (Cook, Clarke) retire after that age. We made him captain at 36. I mean 36 is official who knows what his real age is. So moving a further few years after that ofcourse he's done and dusted. But his fan Misbah won't drop him.

We have done a lot of bad things in our cricket but I don't know what we did to land Misbah first as a player then captain and now coach.

As someone said recently, if only Salman Butt had been brought up to be a good honest human being. Alas.

 

[shamaan]

he has 1 more game he Must perform otherwise he should be dropped

 

[deems]

There is something very common about most of our top six barring Shaan and Babar.
They cannot hook or pull to say the least. Azhar and Haris especially are atrocious. You cannot be carrying these type of players with you to SENA.i have not seen haris play 1 pull Stroke against fast bowlers. Haris can't even drive anymore,its like he's lost everything that made him a promising batter. Azhar is very limited and so is Abid.

Shaan and is the only compulsive puller and hooker of the ball followed somewhat by babar.
This is a massive problem. If you notice the batsmen who have scored recently are good against the short ball. They cannot be bluffed because they pick up the length quickly without premeditation.Fahim and Rizwan (being the short and WK) have dome well because of that