Javed Miandad with 124 matches has played the highest number of Tests for Pakistan - why is that?

[MenInG]

Look at below list and explain why no Pakistanis feature in the top 10?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1402963022759575555

 

[Zaz]

Theres a whole host of reasons

The main one is Pakistan board and players dont prioritse tests, they prefer limited overs cricket more than tests Always have done The scheduling in the last 2 decades tho has been horrid with a host of 2 test match series In 2008 i recall pakistan didnt have even one test scheduled in the whole calendar

But there are other factors too things like lack if fitness which inzy suffered from causing him to miss tests here and there whereas other players like dravid ponting kept themselves in the best shape and not missing tests for most of their careers

Younis khan suffered from lack of tests and suspensions He couldve played 20-30, more tests in a different era

Yousuf suffered both disciplinary and fitness issued which prevented him playing more

In a more profrssional board and environment maybe things wouldve been different

 

[MenInG]

Fact is we havent produced the types of players that could hold their place in the side for that long.

 

[Sunny_majoka]

Fact is we havent produced the types of players that could hold their place in the side for that long.

Fact is we don't play tests that much.. 8 tests per year means 80 tests in 10 years, which is nothing

 

[Varun]

Chanderpaul is the odd one out in that list. Everybody else is a Big-3 name who typically play the most number of tests and long test series (3/4/5 tests), and Kallis from South Africa.

 

[Ab Fan]

Just playing test matches isn't everything. Pakistan has a very good batting legacy and has produced the likes of Miandad, Younis and Inzamam who are roughly in the top 25-30 batsman of all-time.

In the current millennium only, Younis has been one of the best batsman I have seen under crisis situation and has helped Pakistan draw a test series in India, England and won in Sri Lanka, not to forget numerous dominant series vs top teams in UAE.

He is also the only other batsman apart from Sachin Tendulkar in the 10,000 runs club to maintain an average of 50+ in Australia, India and England and that too with a better test match winning prowess than Sachin himself in tests as proved by a detailed analysis in some other thread.

To conclude, Pakistan has a greater batting legacy than teams like New Zealand or Sri Lanka and about same level to South Africa and England. They are only behind India and Australia in this aspect.

 

[cricket4all]

Javed has played the most tests for Pakistan at least from batsman because he was the most reliable and consistent of the lot. Probably could have played a few more in 1993 and beyond but politics and injury stopped him.

The rest, as mentioned above in the thread lacked fitness and the discipline, as well as Pak always prioritising odis and not playing enough tests.

 

[Last Monetarist]

Pakistan have never played enough test matches, similar case with New Zealand and South Africa. If the PCB are only arranging 6-7 matches a year, it's hard for players to play more than a hundred test matches across a career.

 

[gazza619]

Some of our world class players had fitness issues plus PCB didnt schedule enough test matches.

 

[BunnyRabbit]

England, India, Australia and to an extent SA play a lot of Tests.

Cook played for 12 years and went on to play 161 tests.

Sri Lanka probably played the most of their Test and ODI cricket in 2000s. Mahela and Sanga were permanent fixtures in that side, so seeing them isn't surprising.

Tendulkar had a 24 year career so around 9 tests per year.

Australia and England have historically played Tests more than other nations so they were always going to have many 100+ test cricketers.

India and Pak probably played around similar no of matches in 90s, so apart from Inzi, we didn't really have consistent feature who played from 90s all the way till our 2007, that was when the no of test cricket we played decreased significantly.

For WI, Chanderpaul hung around for longer than anyone assumed him to.

For the debutants from 2010, when Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq debuted, they have played around 80 tests. If we compare this with English, Australian and Indian players from that time, Kohli has played 91 tests, Joe Root 104(had played one test till the start of 2013), Nathan Lyon 100 tests(debuted in 2011).

Michael Clarke once said about Younis Khan around 2013-14 something along the lines of, I thought he must have played over 120 tests for the time he has been playing international cricket but i am surprised that he has only played around 90 tests.

 

[BunnyRabbit]

Look at below list and explain why no Pakistanis feature in the top 10?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1402963022759575555

Only Jacques Kallis has a 55+ batting average out of these. In addition he almost had 300 test wickets to his name too. What an incredible and once in a lifetime player he was.

 

[Jazx]

Most of the greats from Pakistan are fast bowlers and a fast bowler's career is not long enough as a batsman. Very few of them are exceptions. That's another reason of this.

 

[Bhaijaan]

Look at below list and explain why no Pakistanis feature in the top 10?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1402963022759575555

Amazing that only 7 tests separate the #2 from #8

Tendulkar, hats off on playing 200 tests despite all the mid career serious injuries and surgeries. Exemplary commitment

 

[Bhaijaan]

Chanderpaul is the odd one out in that list. Everybody else is a Big-3 name who typically play the most number of tests and long test series (3/4/5 tests), and Kallis from South Africa.

Not really.

West Indies were still a respected test team during Chanders career. He had been playing since 1990 something. They were always playing 4-5 test series against Australia, England, South Africa

Only in last 10 years did Wesi Indies lost their importance in tests

 

[Bhaijaan]

Only Jacques Kallis has a 55+ batting average out of these. In addition he almost had 300 test wickets to his name too. What an incredible and once in a lifetime player he was.

He was not a once in a life time player.

My whole childhood ended in wait of Kallis stepping up atleast once to declare he's the best in the business but he was always sheepishly hiding behind other impactful South African greats.

Yes, a once in lifetime stat padder maybe but it's a tough one between him and Sangakkara.l and Sangakkara has played at least a dozen more noteworthy knocks

 

[BunnyRabbit]

He was not a once in a life time player.

My whole childhood ended in wait of Kallis stepping up atleast once to declare he's the best in the business but he was always sheepishly hiding behind other impactful South African greats.

Yes, a once in lifetime stat padder maybe but it's a tough one between him and Sangakkara.l and Sangakkara has played at least a dozen more noteworthy knocks

That's your opinion. Kallis was far from just a stat padder. Even he retired with a match winning test hundred. That 2011 series against India was amazing. He was a consistent pillar in the sub continent for their consistent performances, they didn't lose a single test series in Asia after 2006 till his retirement.

 

[Ab Fan]

That's your opinion. Kallis was far from just a stat padder. Even he retired with a match winning test hundred. That 2011 series against India was amazing. He was a consistent pillar in the sub continent for their consistent performances, they didn't lose a single test series in Asia after 2006 till his retirement.

It is just a perception built by people who haven't watched South African matches in last 25 years.

Kallis has won his team a test series in India 1998 and Pakistan 2007. The equivalent of that for Asian teams will be to beat Australia and South Africa by delivering a series defining performance. India are yet to win a test series in South Africa.

He has also won them the CT 2000.

He saved a test match by hitting a hundred vs McGrath and Warne.

He saved a test series vs India by playing a match winning knock in decider in 2011.

He was one of the major reasons why Tendulkar is considered an awful captain and had to resign as captain in 1998 after the home series loss to South Africa.

 

[MenInG]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1688459853985984512

 

[Bewal Express]

Tests are not popular with people in the grounds. Look at the attendance and you barely see more than a few 1000. This means they will only be played in England, Aus and Ind and PK will be those teams that play the 5 or 6 a year

 

[Justcrazy]

Pakistan does not have much individual records in Tests because of this reason. PCB should try and make sure that Pakistan play at least 12 Tests a year. Even if they can they should play a couple of tests against Ireland or bangladesh , but play tests cricket.

 

[Bhaijaan]

All except Steve Waugh in that tweet are modern era cricketers.

6/8 players mentioned are from
Big 3 nations who play more tests on average as compared to other nations.

The trio of Inzy, Moyo & Yoni Khan should have played close to 150 tests. I reckon Inzy would have done it if he was fitter and had it in him to fight through the Bob Willmer demise phase emotionally speaking. Moyo and Yoni Khan got involved with too much politics. Besides Moyo declined rapidly.

Having said that it takes a hell lot to play that many tests. Even if you belong to the Big 3, the pressure is too much to sustain it for that long. Just look at what Kohli is going through.

For years, Indian fans have been debating here on how special and difficult longevity is while discussing Sachin. Test longevity is the ultimate testament of a world class and timeless cricketing legend.

 

[Bhaijaan]

That's your opinion. Kallis was far from just a stat padder. Even he retired with a match winning test hundred. That 2011 series against India was amazing. He was a consistent pillar in the sub continent for their consistent performances, they didn't lose a single test series in Asia after 2006 till his retirement.

Kallis is already forgotten.
His name only appears in these sort of statistical discussions.
A world class and a legendary cricketer who was never the best in the world or the best in his team at any point during his career. He played safe and that served him and South African cricket well. Literally never left the field having played a stunner of a knock in such a long career.

 

[BunnyRabbit]

It is just a perception built by people who haven't watched South African matches in last 25 years.

Kallis has won his team a test series in India 1998 and Pakistan 2007. The equivalent of that for Asian teams will be to beat Australia and South Africa by delivering a series defining performance. India are yet to win a test series in South Africa.

He has also won them the CT 2000.

He saved a test match by hitting a hundred vs McGrath and Warne.

He saved a test series vs India by playing a match winning knock in decider in 2011.

He was one of the major reasons why Tendulkar is considered an awful captain and had to resign as captain in 1998 after the home series loss to South Africa.

People usually assume if a batter wasn't explosive enough, he wasn't a match winner.
Kallis is one of the GOATs of tests. The only time I saw him out of form in tests was probably in his last year.

 

[TheSultan]

Kallis is already forgotten.
His name only appears in these sort of statistical discussions.
A world class and a legendary cricketer who was never the best in the world or the best in his team at any point during his career. He played safe and that served him and South African cricket well. Literally never left the field having played a stunner of a knock in such a long career.

This applies to the likes of Sachin too. If it wasn’t for the India hype machine since he was 16 years old, he would have the same reputation as a Kallis. Tendulkar’s innings don’t stand out at all - unlike some of his team mates like Laxman and Sehwag. Even Dravid has more memorable innings like the ones he played with Laxman Vs Australia.

 

[Hitman]

This applies to the likes of Sachin too. If it wasn’t for the India hype machine since he was 16 years old, he would have the same reputation as a Kallis. Tendulkar’s innings don’t stand out at all - unlike some of his team mates like Laxman and Sehwag. Even Dravid has more memorable innings like the ones he played with Laxman Vs Australia.

Indian hype machine, huh?

"I didn’t see Don (Bradman) but to me, in all my years associated with the game, I haven’t seen a better batsman than Sachin Tendulkar. If there is a better batsman than Sachin, then he hasn't arrived yet," said the legendary batsman on the sidelines of a promotional event at the Queen's Park Oval on Thursday.

He is the most complete package, the cricketer I respect more than anyone else," he said.

That's coming straight from the King of the West Indies, Viv Richards.

Could it be that it burns your back because of the respect, adulation, critical acclaim and plaudits he has received from the international cricketing community over the years?