Misbah decision 1: Appoint a failing almost-35 year old as captain after his Test batting average for the last 2 years has fallen by 18 runs from 46 to 28.
Misbah decision 2: Drop your fast-bowling all-rounder from a tour of Australia after he took 6-99 in the previous Test.
Misbah decision 3: Pick a suspiciously old off-spinning all-rounder to tour Australia instead of a pace-bowling all-rounder.
Misbah decision 4: Don't pick tall fast bowlers like Ehsan Adil and Sameen Gul to tour Australia. Pack your pace bowling attack with guys of under 6 foot in height - Abbas, Imran, Naseem and Musa.
Misbah decision 5: Pick short, slow "Fast" bowlers like Mohammad Abbas and Imran Khan to tour Australia - guys who both failed on their last tour to South Africa and Australia respectively.
Misbah decision 6: Pick a fast bowling attack in which the players are either too old (Imran Khan, Mohammad Abbas) or too raw (Mohammad Musa, Naseem Shah). Ignore fast bowlers aged in their twenties.
Misbah decision 7: Don't take to Australia the spinner who took 4 wickets and scored a 50 in your last Test, in identical conditions in South Africa. Instead pick the guy who averages 88 runs per wicket with the ball after 6 Tests in Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.
Some very good points made, but there could be explanation for each of those.
1 - completely agree. Azhar could be a worse pick for this tour than Sarfraz in SAF. Sarfraz actually kept brilliantly and did score a 50. Having said that, I think there was very little option - current management is almost forced to go with Azhar, because there hasn't been anyone developed as a fall-back plan. Could have been Asad, but between the two seniors, I think Azhar draws more respect, and a better communicator as well. Ideally, Azhar should have been dropped from squad, but as he is picked, he is made Captain which is likely to cost PAK. I would have made Haris Captain for Test, and drop Azhar from squad.
2 - Completely disagree. That 6-99 is a statistical anomaly. Faheem Ashraf doesn't merit a selection in Test squad, for the sake of picking an all-rounder. Also, you have been bleeding for a "tall" pacer - at 5'9" max, Faheem doesn't serve that purpose either. An all-rounder could have been picked, and I would have picked Amad Butt for that; but not Faheem.
3 - I guess this one is Iftekhar. Partially agree - Iftekhar shouldn't merit the selection in the Test squad. However, I don't think h is picked here as all-rounder, rather a specialist bat, which makes it even worse. I would have picked another batsman, but definitely not Umar Akmal.
4 - Tall fast bowlers have absolutely nothing to offer in Australia, if he doesn't have the skill and pace (Yes, I have read your 50% height theory - something doesn't go with Lindwall, Kapil, Styen, Marshall, Gough....even Hadlee). Last time, Aussies scored over 660 at WACA (the most typical of AUS tracks) against ENG attack that had Craig Overton (6'5"+), Broad (6'5"+), and Anderson (6'2"+) ... that series, Braod went at 48 average and Overton at 38 .... Edil could have been a choice as he is bowling well, but not for his height. Sameen should have been definitely picked over Musa - but poor guy isn't playing even in for his FC teams, means he is not in the focus.
5 - Abbas commands his selection, absolutely no question on that. He had a poor SAF tour not because of his "Height", rather for his fitness. Guy was born as several years old, therefore at prime official age of a fast bowler (29), if he is not fit enough, he'll again go for plenty in AUS. Imran is a poor, poor pick - I saw last round of QeA, just to see him bowling and he was horrible. But, they probably has picked him as the only pacer with some experience in AUS - I won't have picked him, but don't know who are alternatives after Amir, Wahab & Hasan (& Sohail) .... Rahat may be, but not sure
6 - I did write this one in my review, but this is not a fault of Misbah actually. Once those 3 pacers were out of selection scope, Misbah was left with very little. This is a blunder made by PCT's previous pair of Inzi-Arthur who kept playing 1st choice pacers even against ZIM reserves. There is a generation gap, outcome of which is a pace attack with 3 in their "teens", and rest in 30s. Adil or Sameen should have been tried earlier, at least should have been picked for the squad - in any case, Musa doesn't make any sense for AUS tour.
7 - Yasir is a "forced" pick, I guess to avoid criticism. His overall record is so good that, ignoring him wasn't possible. I don't buy much on Shadab's stats in J'burg (no, the conditions are not identical, neither the teams that he'll be bowling or batting against), but he does offer a 2nd option. May be, they could have picked both leggies as no way PAK is going to play 2 spinners at Gabba or Adelaide in a D/N Test. In any case, Shadab isn't ready yet for premier spinner's role in a Test - his best option is the 2nd spinner of a 5 men attack - had Yasir been a SLAO spinner, Shadab would have been definitely picked. Yasir is bowling well recently with very good rhythm (I know his 39+ average in recent season - but I judge cricket by watching, more so for spinners), but his fitness state is horrible - won't last a full Test if PAK batsmen somehow can take the Test to 14th/15th session. Misbah most likely picked Kashif for his economy and won't be surprised if he debuts at one of the Tests.
Over all, I do agree with most points of your post, though don't agree with the personals in many cases - this squad is selected on obligations, not from preference; there are not much left in the tank. After scratching the bottom of the barrel, if you come out with Ehsan Adil, Sameen Gul, Faheem Ashraf or Shadab Khan as a savior of AUS tour - I have to say you are over estimating PAK's talent. Gone are those days ........., come back to 2019. This PAK side has lost 2 of last 3 series in UAE, has made 5th day of a Test like 2 times in last ~ 20 efforts in SENA countries - will do brilliant to do once more in coming series.
