Inability of 360 degree stroke play of Pakistani batsmen

[Savak]

Saud Shakeel is a classic example. Ben Stokes being the astute observant captain saw that Saud's release shot against leach was that leg side sweep, leg side hoik over midwicket which he would play after playing around 10-12 dot balls. Stokes then put a fielder out at midwicket while keeping men close to the bat and fielders in the circle, he took out Saud's release shot out of the equation as Saud did not have the cajones to try that shot again knowing full well he did not have the ability, capacity to clear that fielder and neither does Saud have a different shot in the book to play to counter the field placings.

Ben Ducket on the other hand literally tortured Babar Azam and our spinners with his impecable traditional sweeps, glides, paddles, reverse sweeps. Babar would place a fielder on the mid wicket boundary and Ducket will then employ the reverse sweep, Babar then puts a fielder and deep point and this opens single scoring opportunities to Ducket. Its as if Babar and the coaches just surrendered that they cannot stop Ducket from scoring at will.

I can go on and on about so many other players but the main reason why the opposition captains and coaches find it so easy to plan against our batters is that they lack the ability to play all around the ground. You block them from scoring in their favourite areas and they have no other shots or ways to score runs.

These players are all coming from Pakistan's domestic cricket. Is there a performance appraisal system for the coaches we have employed? Why don't these things get ironed out in our domestic cricket?

Misbah in the A Sports show mentioned he had campaigned and lobbied with the PCB to allow each regional domestic team to have an off season training camp where the coaches can properly work with the domestic players to iron out their problems before the season and to get the players fit but the PCB refused under the pre-text of cost savings and a lot of times the players and the domestic coaches just meet up just a few days before the start of the season and that leaves zero time for them to help address players technical issues.

Who are the batting coaches at the NHPC? I believe ever since Yousaf was asked to work with the Pakistan team, the PCB has not announced a replacement. IMO Yousaf was doing a fine job at the NHPC and that is where he should be working.

 

[Markhor]

Who are the batting coaches at the NHPC? I believe ever since Yousaf was asked to work with the Pakistan team, the PCB has not announced a replacement. IMO Yousaf was doing a fine job at the NHPC and that is where he should be working.

Ramiz sacked the coaches at NHPC in a power move in his first few weeks as Chairman and still hasn't appointed replacements.

Look at the PCB website - Saqlain and Yousuf are still named on NHPC coaching panel !

I recall his supporters here saying it didn't matter, coaches are useless.

 

[Suleiman]

I’ve mentioned this before too. But again, it goes back to not having qualified coaches at the grassroots level all the way up till the U19 and domestics level.

Everyone just sort of wings their technique made at home. Babar is the only one who has the ability and he’s been coached at academies from a young age, so hardly a surprise.

All the new English and Indian batsmen coming through can play 360. I’m not even talking about scoops, reverse sweeps aka the innovative strokes. They’re a good tool, but they know how to find the gaps with the good ol’ drives, cuts, pulls, dabs and glances. Regardless of the set field.