Is it time to drop Mohammad Rizwan from Pakistan's Test side?

[MenInG]

The manner of dismissals aside, the state of the game at which he has given his wicket away or not been able to perform is not what is needed from a 'keeper-batter.

I am afraid time may be up for Rizwan in this format.

The best time to make this statement to him so that he can improve himself would be for the NZ Test series.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Mohammad Rizwan's poor run of form continues. His last 12 scores in Test cricket:<br><br>7<br>19<br>30<br>10<br>46<br>29<br>37<br>24<br>40<br>19<br>0<br>1<br><br>262 runs at an average of 21.83<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PAKvENG?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PAKvENG</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/SajSadiqCricket/status/1604881969363488768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2022</a></blockquote>
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[Amjid Javed]

He's being used in the top 6 as a batsmen which he's simply not up to task. Like kamran and Sarfaraz before him he played 1 or 2 good knocks, team management get carried away thinking he's a top 6 batter all of a sudden. To many nice 20s and 30s which don't win matches. Time to be dropped and no that doesn't mean going back to sarfaraz. Time to blood a new keeper.

 

[Savak]

Absolutely. Get someone like Mohammad Haris in.

 

[Rana]

Pakistan fans and journalist are baying for the blood of Ramiz and Babar.

Rizwan will be the beneficiary of all of this. He will be made the captain as he will be the “out of the box” thinking appointment

He’s going nowhere

 

[dildilpak]

Agree, while Rizwan has been found out he can still get away in white ball with some tweaking - in red ball, all his technical deficiencies will be awfully exposed so he should not be playing this format anymore.

And investing in Sarfaraz anymore doesnt make any sense, considering we are already out of WTC final contention. Might as well take this time to groom a new WK+batsman for the next cycle.

 

[Kroll]

He's got credit in the bank for selling his brand of piety and self righteousness. He knew the writing was on the wall that's why he sold the brand early and reaped the goodwill as a result.

There aren't any strong alternatives either, that's why he's not getting dropped.

 

[Rana]

He's got credit in the bank for selling his brand of piety and self righteousness. He knew the writing was on the wall that's why he sold the brand early and reaped the goodwill as a result.

There aren't any strong alternatives either, that's why he's not getting dropped.

Along with his piety, he has done well to win the fan base of Babar by looking to tag alongside him knowing that the camera’s follow Babar.

He is always hugging him and consoling him as if he is his only well wisher. No one is allowed in the space of Babar when Rizwan is around him

 

[Mamoon]

Rizwan has a cult following now. If anything, his position has only become stronger & there will be calls by his cult to make him captain.

He is not going anywhere until he becomes the captain & then gets sacked because no matter who leads the team, Pakistan will keep losing.

 

[Mamoon]

One factor that keeps getting overlooked is how much he has declined as a keeper. He has been a very ordinary keeper across formats for over a year now.

However, like Babar, he is above & beyond criticism because their hardcore fans will be on your throat in no time.

 

[Bewal Express]

Players live and die by the stats and his stats are pretty average but until you find someone better, t he stays. People laughed when I said Safraz needs to stay and be competitive to keep Riz on his toes, hopefully some of you will understand what I meant

 

[shamaan]

One factor that keeps getting overlooked is how much he has declined as a keeper. He has been a very ordinary keeper across formats for over a year now.

However, like Babar, he is above & beyond criticism because their hardcore fans will be on your throat in no time.

Has he dropped catches or missed stampings or something?

 

[shamaan]

Should be dropped from the test side.

 

[moghul]

He should be dropped , but has a strong lobby backing him, won't happen.

Yes he should be rested ( dropping is a curse word in Pakistan ) and replaced by young Haseeb or anyone new, not back to evenly useless Sarfraz.

 

[TeamPak95]

His form has been alarming here. I'd say the last thing I'd do is play him at 7 and Agha at 6.

 

[Kroll]

Along with his piety, he has done well to win the fan base of Babar by looking to tag alongside him knowing that the camera’s follow Babar.

He is always hugging him and consoling him as if he is his only well wisher. No one is allowed in the space of Babar when Rizwan is around him

Yup, he’s been squeezing the juice wherever he can. He knows how to play it, that’s why he’s revelling in this T20 partnership with Babar even though its timed out.

 

[Markhor]

There's no doubting his grit and hard work, but like Azhar he's a self-made batsman with little talent or strokeplaying ability.

He debuted in 2015 and struggled against legspin. He was horrible on tours of AUS in 2017 and SAF in 2018/19. He averaged something like 19 at a SR of 96 in T20Is before his comeback in 2020 in NZ.

He then occupied the opening slot - the easiest position to bat in T20s - and had a purple patch mainly on back of legside hacking before teams brutally worked him out in World Cup, realising he has little offside game.

However Sarfraz wasn't pulling up any trees before his removal either.

Think a hard nosed coach is needed to whip these boys into shape and stop them believing their own hype.

 

[Rana]

There's no doubting his grit and hard work, but like Azhar he's a self-made batsman with little talent or strokeplaying ability.

He debuted in 2015 and struggled against legspin. He was horrible on tours of AUS in 2017 and SAF in 2018/19. He averaged something like 19 at a SR of 96 in T20Is before his comeback in 2020 in NZ.

He then occupied the opening slot - the easiest position to bat in T20s - and had a purple patch mainly on back of legside hacking before teams brutally worked him out in World Cup, realising he has little offside game.

However Sarfraz wasn't pulling up any trees before his removal either.

Think a hard nosed coach is needed to whip these boys into shape and stop them believing their own hype.

This is why I keep reiterating that we need either Ponting or Langer as our coach

Appointing Andy Flower will only give him more power. Flower loves Rizwan and Masood, but then again…Pakistan doesn’t have Rousow and David to save their blushes in the middle

 

[shariqnoor]

He needs to go not only from the Test side, but also from the ODI side.

And it shouldn't be an indictment on Rizwan's ability. It's just that his form has stagnated and Pakistan needs a new WK batsman. Pakistan needs to create bench strength. Moin and Rashid alternated their places throughout the 1990s and it was good for both of them. Something similar needs to happen now as well. But I don't think Sarfraz is the answer. He might play some good innings in patches but he's not who we should be looking for for the future.

 

[Zaz]

U believe a "rest" is due His technique is all over the place having played so many t20s over the last year or so

Get an alternative keeper in for now N let rizwan work out his issues

 

[MenInG]

Shahid Afridi spoke about the "workload" on players who are playing all formats and how "senior players" who are sitting around could take their place....

Will Rizwan play tomorrow?

 

[Amjid Javed]

Shahid Afridi spoke about the "workload" on players who are playing all formats and how "senior players" who are sitting around could take their place....

Will Rizwan play tomorrow?

Get a feeling he will be dropped and so he should be, hes been poor all year in tests.

 

[MenInG]

Get a feeling he will be dropped and so he should be, hes been poor all year in tests.

I feel he will be relieved! Maybe needs a break. Let Sarfaraz get back in and see what he can do

 

[MenInG]

Has Rizwan been rested or dropped? Only time will tell.

 

[imranq]

Agree rizwan probably needs to dropped for a few matches but selecting sarfraz is ridiculous

 

[Runner Up]

Agree rizwan probably needs to dropped for a few matches but selecting sarfraz is ridiculous

Sarfraz was already in squad so it's obvious if Rizwan is dropped Sarfraz will play.

 

[Amjid Javed]

I feel he will be relieved! Maybe needs a break. Let Sarfaraz get back in and see what he can do

Rizwan needs to work on his game, at same time going back to sarfaraz makes zero sense though.

 

[emranabbas]

If rizzu bhai can score big tomorrow all will be forgiven

Time for rizzu bhai to prove how great he his

 

[Rana]

Pakistan fans and journalist are baying for the blood of Ramiz and Babar.

Rizwan will be the beneficiary of all of this. He will be made the captain as he will be the “out of the box” thinking appointment

He’s going nowhere

Still stand by this

 

[Cricket Warrior]

I m ok with Rizwan being dropped but the question is who will replace him?

 

[jnaveen1980]

I m ok with Rizwan being dropped but the question is who will replace him?

Are there no actors in pakistan?

 

[BouncerGuy]

2000 runs for Mohammad Rizwan in Tests. He gets to the milestone in his 57th innings