alexjohn_tcr
Tape Ball Captain
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2007
- Runs
- 1,107
My favourite Pakistani batsman.
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
My favourite Pakistani batsman.
Honestly speaking, I'm pretty sure most of you guys haven't seen a more nice person than Younis Khan in the cricket ground. There are some people as good as him, but better than him? Very, very few (if they exist).
There have been quite a few nice people in Pakistani dressing room but what set Younus apart is his ability to engage and bond well with the emerging players. He has that personality and demeanour that youngsters feel comfortable with and they can really open up and share their thoughts in confidence. He will make a great coach one day but that has to wait. Lets just hope he can prolong his test career as long as possible ::moakram
If so is he a top, mid or lower tier ATG?
Or perhaps do you think he is yet to be ATG material but simply on the verge of reaching such status?
In my view, he is an ATG but I'm undecided whether he is a lower or mid tier type. He is certainly not a top tier ATG such as Tendulkar, Lara, Viv, Dravid, Ponting and etc.
To average 40+ in AUS, 50+ in ENG, 60+ in NZ is special, and he's also scored a century against each playing nation.
In addition, he converts just over 50% of his half centuries into hundreds and out of all these hundreds, 1 in 3 of these have been 150+ scores which really is phenomenal.
What I find most remarkable is his consistent averages batting from 1st to 4th innings at 50+ (except for his 3rd innings at 49.36). YK's 4th innings average never ceases to amaze me where he holds a stunning average of 60.59.
It is one thing to score runs and another thing to have impact and he's been able to show both with his consistent SR of over 50 in his test career. He has stepped up when his team in his adversity on many occasions; finest example being the one more recently with the series clinching 170+ in the final test in SL last year, but my favourite innings of his came in a losing cause on a Newlands green top where he and Shafiq resisted SA's momentum (39 for 4) to put on a double hundred partnership and earn a ton for themselves in the process. No doubt YK was a genuine match winner.
To conclude, in order to be globally recognised as one of the modern ATGs he needs to score heavily in AUS and ENG in the tours coming up and it is fantastic to hear he is eager to score a hundred in AUS, in which he has yet to accomplish. I do have concerns with how he will stand up in England against the moving ball particularly because he won't have played test cricket for so many months but I have confidence with Australia's flatter pitches these days, the opportunities for run scoring are there. Let us see what the final chapter of test cricket holds for him.
Only if he does in England and Australia.
I guess if he was a legit ATG we wouldn't see one such thread every week either. The very reason threads are posted to esquire about the status shows he's fallen short. Same with Kallis as an all rounder. All the threads are aside, he's comfortably ignored in most AR discussions.
Thats harsh and perhaps no fair. His runs have been instrumental in our domination at home and in the recent series in Sri Lanka..
Scores runs, but usually the impact is not meaningful.
A couple of away knocks might twist it.
Not even close. Arguably second best Test batsman produced by Pakistan, and not even in the top 5 when you consider ODIs.
His case is same as Sangakkara. He went out and scored lots of runs in his final dig in the countries you mentioned. If Younis can do that he can be in contention for the lower tier ATG list but not a certainty even if he excels though.
Thats harsh and perhaps no fair. His runs have been instrumental in our domination at home and in the recent series in Sri Lanka.
He has quality knocks.
Now what we need are quality knocks in 2016.
Not yet.
He may get there, if he doesn't suffer problems in England and Australia and plays a few legendary knocks.
He's like Shivernarine Chanderpaul.
Scores runs, but usually the impact is not meaningful.
A couple of away knocks might twist it.
Sanga should be an ATG.A prolific run scorer in both formats( preferably tests) and avg of 58 diminishes that factor.Brilliant stats in WC and a memorable 192 in Australia makes him in that league..
Big runs = very good
Big runs home and away = great
Big runs home and away translating to wins = ATG.
Big runs home and away translating to wins = ATG.
In weight of runs maybe.
i would 'argue' that Pakistan best three are Miandad, Malik, and Inzi... in that order
It's never that easy if you play for middle tier team. Sanga at times did make SL look as one of top teams. SL reached WC final in 07 and 11 and I guess SL did won somewhere in T20s or CT..In tests too, he has done enough to be mentioned somewhere down in that league of Dravid/Kallis.
I dont call performances as ATG. A body of work defines greatness. Lara's performance in that series is worthy of an ATG batsman.A bit unjustified I would say. Why should a batsman be penalized for his batsmanship just because the other 10 weren't up to the mark to win test matches? Brian Lara scored 688 runs in the three test series against Sri Lanka in 2001, a hefty 280 odd more than the second best but the scoreline at the end read Sri Lanka 3-0 West Indies. Would you dispute that Lara's performance wasn't at an ATG level?
Yes, that's why it's arguable. He is not everyone's cup of tea and understandably so. Overall, it'll be Miandad, Anwar, Inzamam, Malik, MoYo, Younis for me in that order.
I dont call performances as ATG. A body of work defines greatness. Lara's performance in that series is worthy of an ATG batsman.
An ATG performance....is a bit of an oxymoron.
yes, they should be counted as less.. As a matter of fact, hardly any of the great performances of Lara resulted in wins after Ambrose-Walsh's retirement and WI's gradual decline throughout the last decade, so should his performances be counted as less than let's say of somebody like Ponting who "won" many more matches with much less pressure on his batting?
Not even close,
His career stats have been highly boosted by playing in UAE for the past 6 years, he has almost doubled his centuries count in the time period since Pakistan adopted UAE as its home. I'm not underestimating his contribution to Pakistan Test side as he has been integral in Pakistan's domination at UAE but in order to qualify himself for any tier of ATG status, he needs to replicate his UAE form in England, SA and Australia which I highly doubt will come to fruition keeping in mind his terrible technique against pace accompanied by abysmal footwork. If somehow he can massively contribute to Pakistan's overseas victories (highly improbable) this year by score 5-6 hundreds in 8 Test matches against England & Australia, only then his status as an ATG will be considered but its too early to predict.
2016 may well be his career defining year, if he can come out on top by its end, then by all means he would've elevated his rank in the list of ATGs to have played the game.
What often gets missed is the impact that ATG's have on the rest of the team. There is no doubting Lara's pedigree when he had a superior bowling attack. but in his latter years, he was moody and did not get along with the board and was not a role model for younger teammates: did not want to practice in nets often, and fought for younger players to not be put through the grind.
Sorry but what does all of this have to be with the actual performances on the field? It's not a prerequisite for a great player to be a great mentor/motivator and vice versa..there's a coaching staff for every concerning off-field activity. On the field, it's only the performances that count and rightly so.
You seem to exist in a world of black and whites....as the exchange demonstrates so far. many factors go into being an ATG. So to repeat for me: guys who contribute and their teams win: they are at the top of the tree.
ok. not for me though. longevity of career also matters, as does quantity of runs....There may be many factors but the point you're putting across is surely ain't one. If we were to go by your line of reasoning, even Justin Langer would end up as a better ATG contender than Lara. The correlation between "you" performing and the "team" winning isn't actually as linear as you are advocating. It obviously sounds better that a guy performed well and his team won but in no way should the other 10 members merits and demerits be stamped on your assessment as a performer.
I guess if he was a legit ATG we wouldn't see one such thread every week either. The very reason threads are posted to esquire about the status shows he's fallen short. Same with Kallis as an all rounder. All the threads are aside, he's comfortably ignored in most AR discussions.
ok. not for me though. longevity of career also matters, as does quantity of runs....
seems like i am going to have to list all factors considering you are still focused on one point only.
Big runs home and away translating to wins = ATG.
yeah that's simple enough for me. you score runs, you take wickets your team wins. sometimes you alone are enough and sometimes you need the help of your teammates.Sure, I never disputed that. My reply and the ensuing argument was basically on your following premise:
Definitely there are many many other factors but the performances of your team mates isn't.
If so is he a top, mid or lower tier ATG?
Or perhaps do you think he is yet to be ATG material but simply on the verge of reaching such status?
In my view, he is an ATG but I'm undecided whether he is a lower or mid tier type. He is certainly not a top tier ATG such as Tendulkar, Lara, Viv, Dravid, Ponting and etc.
To average 40+ in AUS, 50+ in ENG, 60+ in NZ is special, and he's also scored a century against each playing nation.
In addition, he converts just over 50% of his half centuries into hundreds and out of all these hundreds, 1 in 3 of these have been 150+ scores which really is phenomenal.
What I find most remarkable is his consistent averages batting from 1st to 4th innings at 50+ (except for his 3rd innings at 49.36). YK's 4th innings average never ceases to amaze me where he holds a stunning average of 60.59.
It is one thing to score runs and another thing to have impact and he's been able to show both with his consistent SR of over 50 in his test career. He has stepped up when his team in his adversity on many occasions; finest example being the one more recently with the series clinching 170+ in the final test in SL last year, but my favourite innings of his came in a losing cause on a Newlands green top where he and Shafiq resisted SA's momentum (39 for 4) to put on a double hundred partnership and earn a ton for themselves in the process. No doubt YK was a genuine match winner.
To conclude, in order to be globally recognised as one of the modern ATGs he needs to score heavily in AUS and ENG in the tours coming up and it is fantastic to hear he is eager to score a hundred in AUS, in which he has yet to accomplish. I do have concerns with how he will stand up in England against the moving ball particularly because he won't have played test cricket for so many months but I have confidence with Australia's flatter pitches these days, the opportunities for run scoring are there. Let us see what the final chapter of test cricket holds for him.
Trouble with ATG tag is that we can debate all we like, the experts of the game have to agree. They agree on Tendulkar, Imran, Wasim. But they don't on Dravid, Inzi and Younis. Infact Younis isn't even in the consideration set.
For all his numbers, he has to capture imagination. Dominate attacks. Play defining innings in Australia and England. That's the unfortunate reality but also a 2016 opportunity. It is up to him to take the challenge on. The numbers are already there, now do the miracles.
Trouble with ATG tag is that we can debate all we like, the experts of the game have to agree. They agree on Tendulkar, Imran, Wasim. But they don't on Dravid, Inzi and Younis. Infact Younis isn't even in the consideration set.
For all his numbers, he has to capture imagination. Dominate attacks. Play defining innings in Australia and England. That's the unfortunate reality but also a 2016 opportunity. It is up to him to take the challenge on. The numbers are already there, now do the miracles.
Dravid and Ponting are not top tier ATGs themselves. You can call Younis a Pakistan ATG though.
Sachin too isn't a top tier ATG either, Don Bradman is a true top tier ATG in every sense.
You are right. I see Sanga vs Sachin threads too all the time. Guess, sachin fans are insecure if Tendulkar is better than Sangakara or not.
Lol which expert doesn't agree on Dravid? Dravid is a league above younis and Inzi
Big runs = very good
Big runs home and away = great
Big runs home and away translating to wins = ATG.
Sachin too isn't a top tier ATG either, Don Bradman is a true top tier ATG in every sense.
Woops, did I say something wrong?
Let it not take away from the main point.
Lol what!
Sanga should be an ATG.A prolific run scorer in both formats( preferably tests) and avg of 58 diminishes that factor.Brilliant stats in WC and a memorable 192 in Australia makes him in that league..
This depends on the quality of bowlers you have.

And a batting average of less than 40 in as many as 3 test playing nations.
AB avgs 40+ in all countries. But nobody rates him ATG in test.You tell me what should be the criteria and who all deserves to be there? I don't think his stats in WI, Eng and Ind were really matter of concern especially WI which had pretty avg bowling attack.
AB avgs 40+ in all countries. But nobody rates him ATG in test.You tell me what should be the criteria and who all deserves to be there? I don't think his stats in WI, Eng and Ind were really matter of concern especially WI which had pretty avg bowling attack.
IMO, a batsman should be allowed to fail in a maximum of 2 countries (subjected to sample size). More than that, you're not eligible to be called an ATG batsman.
So, if YK retires after a successful tour to Eng and Aus he should be considered an ATG with say 10k runs at avg of 54 over Sanga( 12k [MENTION=62431]A[/MENTION]vg 58) without considering what kind of bowling attack they faced or whom do opposition rates as more difficult batsmen? I believe Sanga's successful WC performance and his longevity and achievement for SL in shorter format makes a stronger case for him.Somewhere down the line how much hype they get during their peak also matters.That's something which Sanga created post Sachin-Ponting-kallis decline or retirement.
Most would rate Sanga over YK. But your criteria fails to put Sanga in that club while YK might make it.Oh and I rate Sanga way higher than YK.
Most would rate Sanga over YK. But your criteria fails to put Sanga in that club while YK might make it.