Is Asad Shafiq the best number 6 batsman in Test cricket, currently?

[Salman CricBio]

The Karachi born 30 years old middle order batsman has been brilliant in the recent times for Pakistan in Test matches. Asad Shafiq, who is known as an ordinary ODI batsman but also one of the finest number 6 batsmen among the top 8 test sides.

Asad has scored some hard fought hundreds and useful runs for his team. Asad scored a brilliant knock of 111 against South Africa in the 1st inning of 2nd Test at Cape Town coming in at 33 for 4. Asad ended up as the most successful Pakistani batsmen in that series scoring 199 runs in 6 innings at an average of 33.16, also being the 3rd highest run scorer of the series. In the last series against Sri Lanka in June 2015, Asad scored an elegant 131 runs when Pakistan lost their 4 batsmen for 86 runs leaving a 214 runs trail on the youngster. In November 2014 at Sharjah, Asad scored 137 runs in the 2nd innings of 3rd Test against New Zealand. Although, his innings was not enough to win the match for his team but it surely took Pakistan to a respectable total of 259.

Since January 2013, Asad Shafiq has scored 1633 runs at an average of 45.36 batting at number 6, most by any batsmen batting at number 6 in last 3 years. He has scored 1184 at an average of 53.81 since January 2014, most by any batsmen in last 2 years.

 

[marlonbrowndo]

Yes but rhats because most teams play keepers/all rounders etc at that position. Asad is a specialist batsman and should bat higher up the order when Misbah/Younis retire.

 

[JibranAnsari]

He haa the most number of 100s at number 6 (sobers too has 8 hundreds at six). Hope he breaks this record against england. He has been very good in the last couple of years.

I think its time that he is moved up the order (may be after misbah retires).

 

[Salman CricBio]

Yes but rhats because most teams play keepers/all rounders etc at that position. Asad is a specialist batsman and should bat higher up the order when Misbah/Younis retire.

Yea, that is a valid point. Rahane of India is playing at 6 as a specialist batsman but he is far behind. Also Mathews rarely bowl in Test Cricket.

 

[Salman CricBio]

He haa the most number of 100s at number 6 (sobers too has 8 hundreds at six). Hope he breaks this record against england. He has been very good in the last couple of years.

I think its time that he is moved up the order (may be after misbah retires).

Yea, he should be promoted after Misbah retires. But who will cover up the no. 6 position then? Babar or Haris Sohail, in my opinion.

 

[ads101]

Most batsmen when they get good enough move up the order to take more responsibility. Asad's stayed at 6 because our test line up is pretty settled, and we've had the combination of Azhar, YK and Misbah for a long time now ahead of him.

Feel like it might be time for Asad to move up to 3 or 4 tbh and Azhar up to opener. Needs to get experience playing up the order which he will do likely once Misbah and YK retire. Plus allows us to groom in another batsman such as Haris, Babar or Fawad.

 

[JibranAnsari]

Yea, that is a valid point. Rahane of India is playing at 6 as a specialist batsman but he is far behind. Also Mathews rarely bowl in Test Cricket.

Rahane has played very little at number 6 and is actually pretty good at number 6.

 

[Markhor]

Asad is a specialist batsman and should bat higher up the order when Misbah/Younis retire.

I'd move him up now.

Feel like it might be time for Asad to move up to 3 or 4 tbh and Azhar up to opener. Needs to get experience playing up the order which he will do likely once Misbah and YK retire. Plus allows us to groom in another batsman such as Haris, Babar or Fawad.

Agreed.

 

[pakistanigoneaussie]

He is great by our standards and has proven me wrong in many ways, but overall i feel too many of his performances come in lost causes

He has some great innings, especially the one against SL where he had that massive stand with sarfraz, otherwise there are quite a few tons which happen once pakistan is already behind by an innings and 200+ runs for example.

he would be much better suited to 4 imo

 

[JibranAnsari]

Yea, he should be promoted after Misbah retires. But who will cover up the no. 6 position then? Babar or Haris Sohail, in my opinion.

Yah one of them , i think both misbah and younis will retire by the end of the year so 2 positions will be open.

 

[JibranAnsari]

I still think that shehzad and shan will be our test openers for next 5 years at least. Babar azam too is a specialist batsman and capable of constructing a good innings , i will have him at number 4. Asad at 5 and haris sohail at number 6.

 

[Salman CricBio]

Rahane has played very little at number 6 and is actually pretty good at number 6.

Rahane has scored 389 runs in 8 innings (2 not outs) including a 100*. That is pretty good but he has scored only 44 runs in 2 innings against New Zealand and a 36 in his only innings against Sri Lanka batting at 6. Though, he has a brilliant record against South Africa with a 100* in India and a 96 in South Africa at 6.

 

[Salman CricBio]

I still think that shehzad and shan will be our test openers for next 5 years at least. Babar azam too is a specialist batsman and capable of constructing a good innings , i will have him at number 4. Asad at 5 and haris sohail at number 6.

Don't you think that Shan struggles against fast bowling? He was dismissed 4 times by Anderson in UAE Series.

 

[JibranAnsari]

Don't you think that Shan struggles against fast bowling? He was dismissed 4 times by Anderson in UAE Series.

This happens but some players improve with time and shan is a hardworking cricketer. Yes he has some problems but at the moment better than sami aslam abd others.

 

[Hasan123]

Will move up the order soon I think. So should only improve when that happens.

 

[pakistanigoneaussie]

This happens but some players improve with time and shan is a hardworking cricketer. Yes he has some problems but at the moment better than sami aslam abd others.

Shan was absolutely man handled on dead uae pitches. It wasnt that he was crap, its that he was getting humiliated. I cant imagine somebody doing worse

 

[ads101]

Yea, he should be promoted after Misbah retires. But who will cover up the no. 6 position then? Babar or Haris Sohail, in my opinion.

Promote him now, I agree with Markhor. Why wait? Let him see if he can take the responsibility up the order when Misbah and YK are around. Besides given that the latter two's reactions are probably slowing they will do better down the order (I'm sure Misbah wouldn't mind batting at 6). Will be a harder task if Asad suddenly has to play at 3/4 after Misbah and YK retire (who will likely retire around the same time).

We have so many good options at 6, to bring in too. We have very few good opening batsmen. Rather have guys like haris, fawad, babar playing now with misbah and yk to guide them.

 

[ads101]

Shan was absolutely man handled on dead uae pitches. It wasnt that he was crap, its that he was getting humiliated. I cant imagine somebody doing worse

Kind of agree. Doesn't look like a guy who will dominate on UAE pitches or away. At least Hafeez will do it on UAE/asian pitches in general.

I'd prefer just to promote Azhar atm, afterall he's opener in ODIs now anyway and he bats exactly like an opener. Plus he's worse against spin so maybe opening would be better anyway.

I'd open with Azhar and Hafeez atm. With Shehzad as the back up choice. I might even prefer Shehzad over Hafeez in tests as the former is younger with more potential and a good record. But don't see Shehzad coming back to tests for some time. When Hafeez does retire from tests or loses form, I would replace him with Shehzad. The way I see Hafeez anyway, he will probably retire from tests first and keep playing LOI not the other way round.

 

[Suleiman]

He's pretty under-appreciated. Let's see how he does outside of Asia. Think he'll do fine.

 

[ads101]

This happens but some players improve with time and shan is a hardworking cricketer. Yes he has some problems but at the moment better than sami aslam abd others.

He looks worse than both Hafeez and Shehzad atm though. So I see no point including him over the other two. I also see Azhar outperforming him as an opener. And doesn't really have a hope of entering the middle order as we have much better players than him there (and better middle order talent). He also seems to have no usage beyond tests (which he hasn't done too well in so far either).

 

[CRIC3T]

Backing him as our highest run scorer in England no doubt

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

 

[Slog]

Statistically he is among the greatest of all time!

 

[Syed1]

Statistically he is among the greatest of all time!

That will change after 2016-2017

 

[Slog]

That will change after 2016-2017

Already toured NZ and SA and did OK.

Hopefully he can do well because we need all the runs we can get tins summer

 

[#GreenRoars]

No doubt, currently he is. But English conditions will test him

 

[Pete Rose]

It's a big year for him. My only concern is his lack of conviction when he plays through the offside. Also needs to understand that he won't be facing two spinner attacks anymore so can't bide his time waiting to score

 

[asyed]

YK might be facing Anderson in 1st over if Hafeez is going to open for us.

Scary times ahead of us!

 

[Hawkeye]

The stats are good and I'm sort of satisfied, but that's one disadvAntage of watching cricket on spreadsheets.

As [MENTION=57355]pakistanigoneaussie[/MENTION] said, he's mentally a bit weak and falters under pressure. He'll often do good when Top order and Misbah etc. set a good platform.

However, his batting and lack of long innings can be really frustrating when you need him to bat with tail or top order couldn't score.

Won't domimate bowlers either. My only 2 complaints.

Agreed with [MENTION=107807]Pete Rose[/MENTION] too.

 

[Slog]

It's a big year for him. My only concern is his lack of conviction when he plays through the offside. Also needs to understand that he won't be facing two spinner attacks anymore so can't bide his time waiting to score

Yup that will be an issue

I think he'll take Moeen or whichever spinner England throws up to the cleaners

But can't see him comfortably negotiating likes of Finn and Broad on helpful pitches

 

[Salman CricBio]

No doubt, currently he is. But English conditions will test him

Yea, and I think he will be successful in England. He has already proved himself against Dale Steyn, Morkel, and Philander against South Africa.

 

[JibranAnsari]

He looks worse than both Hafeez and Shehzad atm though. So I see no point including him over the other two. I also see Azhar outperforming him as an opener. And doesn't really have a hope of entering the middle order as we have much better players than him there (and better middle order talent). He also seems to have no usage beyond tests (which he hasn't done too well in so far either).

Many players do not start well but they show glimpses that they can be better .. his century against srilanka and the 75 against southafrica were very well constructed innings. I have high hopes from him. Hafeez probably have a couple of years left in him and after that i see shehzad and shan carry us forward.

 

[tauseef_mahmood]

He is great by our standards and has proven me wrong in many ways, but overall i feel too many of his performances come in lost causes

He has some great innings, especially the one against SL where he had that massive stand with sarfraz, otherwise there are quite a few tons which happen once pakistan is already behind by an innings and 200+ runs for example.

he would be much better suited to 4 imo

if only he could play odi, he could be our bevan.

 

[Amjid Javed]

Hes a decent number 6 tests batsmen but nothing special, hes shown quite a few times his in ability to bat with the tail and take charge of situations in games and thats one of the areas he needs to massively improve on.

 

[Salman CricBio]

Yet another 50 for the lad.

 

[Ab Fan]

Along with Bairstow he is the best no.6 out there. Both have the ability to take there game to another level and become World class.

 

[waleed88]

Best batsman for Pakistan in the Test Match, highest run scorer for the side in both innings

For me he is the key.. the most technically correct batsman and most solid out of all the 6
His second innings batting was so crucial.. saving the side and bringing the lead to 197 before his partnership with younis ended.. they were 68/4 when he came in!!

 

[Finisher]

The English seem really impresses by shafiq.
I hope he gets a county contract, he doesn't play ODI or t20 league he would be available for some time.

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

Along with Bairstow he is the best no.6 out there. Both have the ability to take there game to another level and become World class.

He's already World Class mate, statistically speaking as well he is among the greatest of all times in the #6 position.

The only mystery is why hasn't he replicated this type of consistency in ODIs where he is practically a walking wicket

 

[Theo_14]

Someone needs to put Asad's Shafiq's batting into one clip from Lords and play Titanic theme music in the background.

 

[Pete Rose]

He should end the series as Pakistan's batting MVP.

 

[Salman CricBio]

Top lad.

 

[Salman CricBio]

He can play anywhere, not just number 6!

 

[Slog]

Someone needs to put Asad's Shafiq's batting into one clip from Lords and play Titanic theme music in the background.

Lol just read this

That was a batting masterclass those 70-80 runs in first innings

Not as good today

 

[MenInG]

If it works, why fix it? Let Asad bat at 6

 

[Ted123]

Bairstow currently

 

[msb314]

That will change after 2016-2017

Take a bow! [MENTION=138254]Syed1[/MENTION]

 

[Syed1]

Take a bow! [MENTION=138254]Syed1[/MENTION]

Thank you.. I'm not one to toot my own horn, but I tend to get quite a few of these right.





Lol jk

 

[MRSN]

Best soft runs player at 6 for sure.

 

[Abdul]

Best soft runs player at 6 for sure.

Akmal's fans shouldn't even be allowed to talk.