- Joined
- Oct 2, 2004
- Runs
- 217,541
Many thanks to [MENTION=139595]Ab Fan[/MENTION] for his valuable time in answering questions for our members - A wonderful read am sure.
==
PakPassion.net: What brings you to PakPassion?
AB Fan: Actually I used to be a lurker for quite a time before I joined PP. Back then I used to saw a lot of threads and funnily enough, I always felt like I should get in and give an appropriate reply that will seal the motto of the thread. But then after I joined, I eventually found that it was all emotions from my side and there are lot of good posters with quite insightful and in-depth cricketing knowledge.
I have found this forum quite informative and balanced and you can freely express your opinions or have a strong discussion on anything you might disagree about .There are posters from different nationalities(like England, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand) and its always a pleasure to have the knowledge of their cricketing culture, setup and grounds.
PakPassion.net: Do you play cricket? If yes, what was your highest level?
AB Fan: I was quite passionate about cricket during my childhood and played a lot at school level primarily as a batsmen and a very good fielder but over time knew that I won't be able to take it as a profession as it becomes very harder with no family background or anyone with any interest for cricket. So, didn't really go ahead with it and focussed on my studies.
PakPassion.net: Did AB de Villiers retire at the right time and should he come back to help South Africa?
AB Fan: I have always believed that when it comes to retirement, the cricketers themselves are the best guys to take this decision and whenever they decide, it needs to be respected.
However, personally, when I first heard the news, I was quite disappointed and actually shocked. AB's form was quite excellent at that time and I felt he still had a few years left in him considering his recent performances. There is nothing wrong in not opting for T20 leagues which helps you from a financial perspective. However, it was unacceptable doing it with a World Cup around in a year time.
He could have easily played a year of cricket, maybe reach a few milestones like 10,000 ODI runs or even in test cricket and give his country a fair chance going to World Cup and then retire. That would have been the best time for him but as I said, we have to leave these decisions to the cricketers and whenever they decide, it needs to be accepted and their services shouldn't be forgotten just because of that.
Regarding the return to South Africa team, if AB feels he still has a lot left in the tank and can make a difference being the part of WT20 side then he definitely should.
PakPassion.net: Who would be the top 6 batsmen in your XI for Pakistan in the T20 World Cup.
AB Fan: I am not much into T20 cricket lineup of other teams yet, will probably be when the WC will be closer but I do believe that Pakistan’s chances would be higher if they don’t pick Hafeez and Malik in WT20 squad and if there are better alternatives. Need to look ahead now. Personally, the four overs of Shaheen Shah Afridi can be quite pivotal for Pakistan in this tournament.
PakPassion.net: What are your cricket predictions for the next 10 years?
AB Fan: Over the next 10 years, India, Australia and England will obviously remain a strong Test team because of the Big 3 influence. I think there will be a lot more cricket played in Pakistan and I expect the Pakistan team to rise in this decade. One reason is because they have a world class all format batsmen who can bat through and others can rotate around him. Bangladesh U-19 team did very well and this decade might be more favourable to them in international cricket than ever.
My only concern is limited overs cricket and the over-kill of it in subcontinent especially with T20 domestic leagues, and also the World T20s and Asia Cup(T20s) being played quite often. Cricket needs more test matches to be alive. So, there needs to be a balance struck between both formats.
PakPassion.net: Do you think T20 format has done damage to cricket?
AB Fan: Unfortunately, the answer to this is yes. The influence of T20 cricket and over-killing of it while making the ODI pitches flatter has weakened the defense of modern era batters. The attacking brand of cricket has been a welcome change but in alien conditions, they don't really know to dig in and bat long which is also the reason why teams have gotten stronger at home but weaker away.
It doesn't have a complete downside though. I feel the players ability to win games under pressure is tested and improved in this format. But there is just so much of easy money with the T20 leagues and over killing of it is what eventually hampers the game of cricket
PakPassion.net: Who's your favorite batsman of all time?
AB Fan: My favourite batsmen still is AB de Villiers. I think he is arguably the most gifted batsmen that I have seen. He is technically as perfect as any world class test batsmen, and when on song as destructive as anyone.
During his early days, his defense was weak which is why he used to struggle a bit but he did very well to add that dimension of cricket to his game. I think the lack of hunger of runs and big hundreds are the reason why we couldn't witness the best of him or a full-fledged version of him for a longer period in test cricket. But he really was a 'once in a generation player' IMO.
From India, its Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. In India, Sachin was everyone's favourite in the ‘90s for obvious reasons. However, with time, the legend of Rahul Dravid grew a lot on me.
PakPassion.net: Who's your favorite bowler of all time?
AB Fan: I would be lying if I mention some other name, it has to be Wasim Akram. In my opinion, he was the most iconic pace bowler of all time. If you talk about pace, swinging the new ball, reverse swing the old ball, bowl lethal yorkers and bouncers - he was a genius at everything. The most admired bowler the game has ever seen and it’s not just me but many legends of the game who played with and against him has said that.
PakPassion.net: Your opinion on Babar Azam vs Quinton de Kock.
AB Fan: Babar is without a doubt the best batting talent that has come from Pakistan in last many years and his game possess the art of mastering that talent into performance. He has a very Indian-like batting game in him and got a very good game awareness.
Quinton de Kock is a bit underrated and that is understandable because of his failures in World Cups. But he is an excellent timer of ball and has a solid power game. I liked his chasing ability in limited overs and personally think he will surely end up as second best wicket keeper batsmen of all time, only behind Gilchrist.
Both are excellent players, best batsmen of their team and the two best under-29 batsmen in the world currently. Babar obviously has a higher ceiling in tests because his role will be of the main batsmen in the team while SA will have to look for someone else and as long as they don't find, its Qdk with the additional responsibility of gloves.
PakPassion.net: What's your prediction on upcoming T20 World Cup and the World Test Championship?
AB Fan: T20 World Cup is always hard to predict because it’s such a format which is so unpredictable that on a given day, anyone can win it. I would have said Australia with closed eyes but their T20 team doesn’t look great. Honestly, it can be anyone's to take!
World Test Championship final, in my view, will eventually be played between India and Australia and the winner will be the one who wins the toss.
PakPassion.net: ICC role on cricket expansion to other countries.
AB Fan: ICC definitely has an important role to play but it will depend a lot on the countries being considered. The top priority should be to popularize cricket in countries where local population plays cricket like Nepal, Scotland and Papua New Guinea. I think these countries have shown good signs and can be brought to higher level. It’s pointless promoting cricket in Middle East and South America.
Obviously if ICC could bring cricket into the Olympics and Commonwealth Games, that would probably be the best way to expand the game of cricket and associate countries can start prioritizing it as it will become a serious medal prospect.
Another point is that hosting big tournaments in these countries will encourage local cricket fans to watch the game from the stadiums. The local cricket body will take the game professionally. Imagine if the top ranked teams in the ICC rankings have to 'defend' their ODI or test championship at a neutral venue, that will be great. The 2000 champions Trophy happened in Kenya. I feel more such tournaments should be played in these countries and not just a one-off T20 match like India and West Indies had in USA.
PakPassion.net: Why do you have such a vast interest in old era cricket?
AB Fan: Not exactly a vast interest but it’s always great to get some insights and be well-aware on some of the old era cricket. It’s really a great pleasure for us that we have some really well-respected posters over here with immense cricketing knowledge on past era cricket and are always willing to share their opinions. It’s always nice to explore how the cricket has transformed and changed across the decades and across the eras.
PakPassion.net: Do you agree with statement: "India still not winning outside Asia despite other teams being overall weaker"?
AB Fan: I assume that this is about Test cricket. The answer is still No. I think the teams that India lose to away in alien conditions are definitely not weaker atleast in their home conditions. I have this opinion that in this era, many teams have become a lot stronger at home while being completely inept away.
So, while it has become a lot easier for the current Indian team to beat other teams in India, its more harder to beat them away. If you look at the bowling attack of some of the teams at their home, it’s phenomenal. In England conditions facing Anderson and Broad is as hard as facing two ATG bowlers, same for facing Kagiso Rabada and Vernon Philander in South Africa and Trent Boult and Neil Wagner in New Zealand conditions. So, overseas players are still beast at home which means it’s still hard to beat them in their backyard but at same time they are completely inept outside their comfort zone.
Moreover, India haven't lost a test match in West Indies from a long time. So, they have been a good team outside Asia but simply not a great team.
==
PakPassion.net: What brings you to PakPassion?
AB Fan: Actually I used to be a lurker for quite a time before I joined PP. Back then I used to saw a lot of threads and funnily enough, I always felt like I should get in and give an appropriate reply that will seal the motto of the thread. But then after I joined, I eventually found that it was all emotions from my side and there are lot of good posters with quite insightful and in-depth cricketing knowledge.
I have found this forum quite informative and balanced and you can freely express your opinions or have a strong discussion on anything you might disagree about .There are posters from different nationalities(like England, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand) and its always a pleasure to have the knowledge of their cricketing culture, setup and grounds.
PakPassion.net: Do you play cricket? If yes, what was your highest level?
AB Fan: I was quite passionate about cricket during my childhood and played a lot at school level primarily as a batsmen and a very good fielder but over time knew that I won't be able to take it as a profession as it becomes very harder with no family background or anyone with any interest for cricket. So, didn't really go ahead with it and focussed on my studies.
PakPassion.net: Did AB de Villiers retire at the right time and should he come back to help South Africa?
AB Fan: I have always believed that when it comes to retirement, the cricketers themselves are the best guys to take this decision and whenever they decide, it needs to be respected.
However, personally, when I first heard the news, I was quite disappointed and actually shocked. AB's form was quite excellent at that time and I felt he still had a few years left in him considering his recent performances. There is nothing wrong in not opting for T20 leagues which helps you from a financial perspective. However, it was unacceptable doing it with a World Cup around in a year time.
He could have easily played a year of cricket, maybe reach a few milestones like 10,000 ODI runs or even in test cricket and give his country a fair chance going to World Cup and then retire. That would have been the best time for him but as I said, we have to leave these decisions to the cricketers and whenever they decide, it needs to be accepted and their services shouldn't be forgotten just because of that.
Regarding the return to South Africa team, if AB feels he still has a lot left in the tank and can make a difference being the part of WT20 side then he definitely should.
PakPassion.net: Who would be the top 6 batsmen in your XI for Pakistan in the T20 World Cup.
AB Fan: I am not much into T20 cricket lineup of other teams yet, will probably be when the WC will be closer but I do believe that Pakistan’s chances would be higher if they don’t pick Hafeez and Malik in WT20 squad and if there are better alternatives. Need to look ahead now. Personally, the four overs of Shaheen Shah Afridi can be quite pivotal for Pakistan in this tournament.
PakPassion.net: What are your cricket predictions for the next 10 years?
AB Fan: Over the next 10 years, India, Australia and England will obviously remain a strong Test team because of the Big 3 influence. I think there will be a lot more cricket played in Pakistan and I expect the Pakistan team to rise in this decade. One reason is because they have a world class all format batsmen who can bat through and others can rotate around him. Bangladesh U-19 team did very well and this decade might be more favourable to them in international cricket than ever.
My only concern is limited overs cricket and the over-kill of it in subcontinent especially with T20 domestic leagues, and also the World T20s and Asia Cup(T20s) being played quite often. Cricket needs more test matches to be alive. So, there needs to be a balance struck between both formats.
PakPassion.net: Do you think T20 format has done damage to cricket?
AB Fan: Unfortunately, the answer to this is yes. The influence of T20 cricket and over-killing of it while making the ODI pitches flatter has weakened the defense of modern era batters. The attacking brand of cricket has been a welcome change but in alien conditions, they don't really know to dig in and bat long which is also the reason why teams have gotten stronger at home but weaker away.
It doesn't have a complete downside though. I feel the players ability to win games under pressure is tested and improved in this format. But there is just so much of easy money with the T20 leagues and over killing of it is what eventually hampers the game of cricket
PakPassion.net: Who's your favorite batsman of all time?
AB Fan: My favourite batsmen still is AB de Villiers. I think he is arguably the most gifted batsmen that I have seen. He is technically as perfect as any world class test batsmen, and when on song as destructive as anyone.
During his early days, his defense was weak which is why he used to struggle a bit but he did very well to add that dimension of cricket to his game. I think the lack of hunger of runs and big hundreds are the reason why we couldn't witness the best of him or a full-fledged version of him for a longer period in test cricket. But he really was a 'once in a generation player' IMO.
From India, its Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. In India, Sachin was everyone's favourite in the ‘90s for obvious reasons. However, with time, the legend of Rahul Dravid grew a lot on me.
PakPassion.net: Who's your favorite bowler of all time?
AB Fan: I would be lying if I mention some other name, it has to be Wasim Akram. In my opinion, he was the most iconic pace bowler of all time. If you talk about pace, swinging the new ball, reverse swing the old ball, bowl lethal yorkers and bouncers - he was a genius at everything. The most admired bowler the game has ever seen and it’s not just me but many legends of the game who played with and against him has said that.
PakPassion.net: Your opinion on Babar Azam vs Quinton de Kock.
AB Fan: Babar is without a doubt the best batting talent that has come from Pakistan in last many years and his game possess the art of mastering that talent into performance. He has a very Indian-like batting game in him and got a very good game awareness.
Quinton de Kock is a bit underrated and that is understandable because of his failures in World Cups. But he is an excellent timer of ball and has a solid power game. I liked his chasing ability in limited overs and personally think he will surely end up as second best wicket keeper batsmen of all time, only behind Gilchrist.
Both are excellent players, best batsmen of their team and the two best under-29 batsmen in the world currently. Babar obviously has a higher ceiling in tests because his role will be of the main batsmen in the team while SA will have to look for someone else and as long as they don't find, its Qdk with the additional responsibility of gloves.
PakPassion.net: What's your prediction on upcoming T20 World Cup and the World Test Championship?
AB Fan: T20 World Cup is always hard to predict because it’s such a format which is so unpredictable that on a given day, anyone can win it. I would have said Australia with closed eyes but their T20 team doesn’t look great. Honestly, it can be anyone's to take!
World Test Championship final, in my view, will eventually be played between India and Australia and the winner will be the one who wins the toss.
PakPassion.net: ICC role on cricket expansion to other countries.
AB Fan: ICC definitely has an important role to play but it will depend a lot on the countries being considered. The top priority should be to popularize cricket in countries where local population plays cricket like Nepal, Scotland and Papua New Guinea. I think these countries have shown good signs and can be brought to higher level. It’s pointless promoting cricket in Middle East and South America.
Obviously if ICC could bring cricket into the Olympics and Commonwealth Games, that would probably be the best way to expand the game of cricket and associate countries can start prioritizing it as it will become a serious medal prospect.
Another point is that hosting big tournaments in these countries will encourage local cricket fans to watch the game from the stadiums. The local cricket body will take the game professionally. Imagine if the top ranked teams in the ICC rankings have to 'defend' their ODI or test championship at a neutral venue, that will be great. The 2000 champions Trophy happened in Kenya. I feel more such tournaments should be played in these countries and not just a one-off T20 match like India and West Indies had in USA.
PakPassion.net: Why do you have such a vast interest in old era cricket?
AB Fan: Not exactly a vast interest but it’s always great to get some insights and be well-aware on some of the old era cricket. It’s really a great pleasure for us that we have some really well-respected posters over here with immense cricketing knowledge on past era cricket and are always willing to share their opinions. It’s always nice to explore how the cricket has transformed and changed across the decades and across the eras.
PakPassion.net: Do you agree with statement: "India still not winning outside Asia despite other teams being overall weaker"?
AB Fan: I assume that this is about Test cricket. The answer is still No. I think the teams that India lose to away in alien conditions are definitely not weaker atleast in their home conditions. I have this opinion that in this era, many teams have become a lot stronger at home while being completely inept away.
So, while it has become a lot easier for the current Indian team to beat other teams in India, its more harder to beat them away. If you look at the bowling attack of some of the teams at their home, it’s phenomenal. In England conditions facing Anderson and Broad is as hard as facing two ATG bowlers, same for facing Kagiso Rabada and Vernon Philander in South Africa and Trent Boult and Neil Wagner in New Zealand conditions. So, overseas players are still beast at home which means it’s still hard to beat them in their backyard but at same time they are completely inept outside their comfort zone.
Moreover, India haven't lost a test match in West Indies from a long time. So, they have been a good team outside Asia but simply not a great team.
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