Not sure why Imam's efforts in the match are not being appreciated much. He was kept with the test team for 1.5 years without giving him a single match and then he was dropped from the team. He gets back to domestic cricket scores runs at an avg of 106 (Yes wickets were flat but, they were for everyone).
Now scored 2 100s in a test match vs a quality attack. Irrespective of the pitch, its still called test cricket. Its not like we have never seen a flat wicket before in test cricket (On same wicket Aussies got all out without any of their batsmen scoring a 100).
Already has 9 international 100s at an age of 26. I am pretty sure the hype in the Pak cricket circle after 2 100s vs Aus on the same pitch would have been much more if only his name was Saud, Shan etc.
It was just his 12th test and has played 3 matches in SA, 2 matches in Eng, 1 in Ire and 1 in Aus (More than 50% of his tests in SENA) and like almost every other Pakistani openers he struggled in these countries on his first tour. Vs Ireland Pakistan was 14/3 chasing 160 on a grassy pitch, Imam at 22/23 years of age scored a 74* forming a partnership with Babar and eventually finished the chase, his technique was pretty compact in the match and I watched the innings ball by ball. More then the technique it was the temperament that impressed me as that is the weakness of many Pak batsmen.
Obviously there are things he needs to improve on but, then which batsman we have who is perfect? Very first assumption most fans start with is that a player's skillset is a constant thing which can neither be improved nor polished.
If he becomes stagnant and stops scoring naturally he will get dropped and someone else will take over. However, efforts should be appreciated where due without letting the personal likes and dislikes taking over.
) your comparing imam to one of pakistans best ever test openers. Do some people even think before they post?
