Abdullah719
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A brilliant interview by [MENTION=107807]Pete Rose[/MENTION] with some excellent, in-depth answers. Many thanks.
PakPassion.net : Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Pete Rose : Corporate slave, travel around a bit due to the nature of the job. Have been lucky to be exposed to very diverse environments like Europe, Middle East, and Africa. Wife and kids keep me grounded.
PakPassion.net : What are your thoughts on a two-tier Test system and what do you think needs to be done to revive interest in Test cricket?
Pete Rose : There’s an interesting article by Andy Bull in June this year, about the two tier system. It was fascinating for me to learn that people have been complaining about the death of Test cricket since the 1800’s. To quote The Times in 1890 “there’s a preponderance of batting leading to boring draws, and turning spectators away from the game”. Wisden in the 1900s "cricket is in the very direst peril of degenerating from the finest of all summer games into an exhibition of dullness and weariness.” Let that sink in: people were dissatisfied with Test cricket to an extent even way before the ODIs showed up. Solutions included, for example, doing away with draws and making the team with more runs per wicket the winner. Other intriguing solutions included “an extra be added to the total for every ball scored off, and one deducted for every ball not scored off”. (side note - we should do that to Pakistan’s limited overs teams).
That being said, I agree with the two test tier system - but in a broader sense, the answer depends on whether you are a fan, an administrator, or a player. And for all three, the answer can vary depending on whether your team is in the top tier or the bottom tier.
The recent FICA player survey indicates broad support for it, so the player view is largely reflected.
Now as a fan, in the interest of brevity, I am going to discuss how it impacts Pakistan. Wasim and Waqar played their last tests in 2002 early 2003. Taking December 2002 as a cut-off (I consider the last of Pakistan’s bowling Test match-winners to be the two W’s and the team they built), Pakistan had the fourth highest W/L ratio for all Tests that they played up till then.
For the next 14 years, Pakistan played just 10 Tests against Australia, 15 against South Africa, 12 against India. I suppose only England sort of cooperated and we played 21 Tests against them during this period (and they’ve decided that we deserve just two Tests in 2018 because there’s more money to be made on a five match series vs India).
Compare that to India (its not meant as a slight - if you think otherwise, that’s your problem), they’ve played 30 Tests against Australia, 19 against South Africa, 21 against England. To be fair to India, they’ve actually competed with Australia (more due to having home tests than anything else).
There is a fine line between being financially entrepreneurial vs being consumed by greed. So, as a Pakistani fan, I would like to see my team get the respect it deserves on the basis of the results it’s delivered. If I look at the FTP as it stands till the end of 2019: we play 6 Tests against Australia, 2 against England, 3 against South Africa, 3 against India (and a bunch of others). Is this the FTP of a number one ranked Test nation? Compare that to what would happen if the two-tier system existed: Pakistan would play 6 Tests against each of the top seven nations every two years. So, as a fan, why wouldn’t I want that?
Personally, I think Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are delusional when they think they will be shut out from playing the big boys. They don’t play the big boys even now. Their FTP (current and future) is even worse than ours. As for India - for them the motivation is that under the current method of winner takes all, they can avoid dealing with Pakistan altogether, and perhaps they would have lesser influence with Sri Lanka, Bangladesh to whom they can still dangle the possibility of a Test tour without really following through.
Will the two-tier proposal fix the issue with Test attendance? Probably not, that’s up to the boards to find a way. But it will level the playing field of financial clout vs actual performance. And as a fan a top ranked Test team, I have no objection to that. There are other aspects to it, which I can certainly debate.
PakPassion.net : Do you think the ICC are doing enough to assist Associates in their development and how critical are you of their decision to exclude them from the 2019 World Cup?
Pete Rose : There are ten Full ICC Members (allowed to play all three forms of the game), 39 Associates and 56 Affiliate Members. As we all know, even the ten Full Members are hardly uniform in their results, administration, funds and long term viability. Zimbabwe and West Indies are just abysmal, while Sri Lanka has highs and lows but is always on the verge of bankruptcy.
As an administrator, I'm torn between what takes more priority: saving the existing guys or spreading the net far and wide and hoping for the next great team to emerge. The 95 Associates and Affiliate Members received $252 million for the period of 2007 to 2015 (they are expected to receive $299 million for the next 8 year cycle). Looking at the $252 million figure, that works out an average of approximately $330,000 per member per year. Of course, the money is not rewarded evenly; Afghanistan and Ireland receive about $2.5 million annually.
I think the question about ICC support should not always be looked at as a reflexively emotional one: 'Oh, the ICC just want to enrich themselves, India is taking all the money, and they are not spreading the game far and wide.' The reality is that there is no unlimited funding available. It is fair to ask questions about how to quickly and optimally generate cricket playing teams that are competitive. Bangladesh received Test status in 2000 (I use this as an example and not to single them out) and I was reading an article that indicates that Bangladesh did not have a first class competition at the time (i.e. no four day cricket). Whether that's true or not it is a fair question to ask - Why give a country Test status when they have played just 93 Tests in 15 years and won just 7? The fault can be spread evenly: they were rewarded Test status to strengthen the Asian bloc, the countries that supported them did not play enough cricket against them and the countries that were against them have not played them enough.
Assistance is a two-way street. You can get all the money you need but you have to show results for it. I would guess most folks agree that in this case, assistance falls in to two broad categories: financial and playing opportunities. In the 2015 World Cup, we had Ireland, Afghanistan, Scotland and UAE. In 2011, we had Canada, Kenya, Ireland and Netherlands. In 2007, we had Bermuda, Kenya, Netherlands, Scotland, Ireland and Canada. What we see here is that the only constants have been Ireland and Scotland. The progress in Netherlands, Canada and Kenya seems to have taken a step back. Also, these teams (barring Kenya and maybe Ireland) have not exactly been giant killers in these tournaments. That's because we forget about them once the World Cup is over. As a cricket administrator, I feel it is important to have a tournament which is as competitive as possible. I feel ODI cricket and certainly Test cricket is too big a hurdle for junior teams to compete - which is why I completely support having ten teams at the World Cup in 2019. But I also support having 14 to 16 teams in the World T20. T20 cricket, I feel, allows more competitive matches and we should be using that as the primary tool to spread cricket.
PakPassion.net : Who is the ideal Pakistani cricketer for you at the moment given our resources?
Pete Rose : Let me start by saying that I like cricketers who don’t just perform in a bubble, but who have the capacity to impact the team (their own team but also the opposition) with their style of play.
It's difficult to say considering the vastly differing fortunes of our limited overs sides and the Test side who the ideal player is. The upcoming transition to the Test team (probably post Australia tour) adds another level of complication. Safe to say there is no current ideal cricketer, but there are a couple with potential.
In the limited overs side, in the short term, I think no player will have a bigger impact on our approach than Sharjeel. Let me qualify that a bit: If you think of aggressive Pakistani ODI openers, you have Saeed Anwar, (to a limited extent) Aamir Sohail and Shahid Afridi (ignoring guys like Ijaz who did not do it for long enough). Of all of them, Afridi lasted the longest and was clearly the least successful. However, his brand of unreliable but ultra aggressive batting had a lasting impact for future young cricketers because Anwar and Sohail were long gone by then.
Thereafter, we had a few guys whose careers were cut short due to their own follies (Butt, Jamshed). So, guys came in the middle and tried their best; some were too aggressive and unreliable (Imran Nazir, Kamran Akmal) while others were too defensive (Wajahatullah Wasti, Ahmed Shehzad). And during Misbah’s time (but not because of it) we became a bit cautious as selectors showed a lack of vision in finding new guys or a lack of patience in sticking with them (yes, unlike most folk on PP, I don't believe that Pakistan’s issues are driven by a captain not selecting XYZ player, it's always the selector’s job and his fault if we have no batting talent).
So coming back to Sharjeel, I would say he is right in the middle between Anwar and Afridi; if he keeps developing his game, he will have the single biggest impact on Pakistan’s LOI side not just in terms of results but also their approach to batting. I think we saw that a bit in the recently concluded ODI series: Sharjeel out, there go our chances of competing as batsmen.
In terms of Tests, it will be Asad Shafiq. At the pivotal #3 spot, he has the opportunity and the fluency (we should note that he has played the England series at a higher strike rate than usual, and at number 3 in the last Test match, he has played the fastest before slowing down for his century) to carry the game forward and to ‘protect’ Younis/Misbah in the short term and then to ‘shield’ the newcomers (their replacements) down the line. It is true that Azhar and Shafiq are the true inheritors of Misbah and YK, but in some ways, Shafiq, in terms of batting pedigree is better than all of them. These are big fan-boy words from me, but I think he is equipped for the challenge.
There are plenty of guys that are going to be a big part of Pakistan’s success, but I would say that these two will have an out sized role in determining our T20I, ODI, and Test form over the next 12 to 18 months.
PakPassion.net : With the ODI series against England over, which members of the current squad do you see as key to Pakistan's future in this format?
Pete Rose : As mentioned earlier, for me, Sharjeel will have a much bigger impact than any of the others. If Mickey’s motto is to play brave cricket without fear, he (Sharjeel) will need a lot of support. And if he come off, it will rub off on the rest of the team. In my book, that's what a good player does, he lifts the team with him.
I like Hasan Ali and I think/hope we haven't seen the best of his batting yet. Most of the other guys need to stay as well (Imad, Rizwan, Nawaz, Amir).
I would like that we start pointing the exit aisles to Hafeez (he’s a goner in my view), Malik, Gul. Yasir, I would persist with, but for that the team needs to accept that it must always look to score 300 or chase 300. It will help his confidence immensely to know that the team will be satisfied with an average return of 2 for 60.
Azhar Ali - I would keep him, but he needs to find a way to keep a strike rate of 85+ throughout the innings rather than catch up at the end of the innings. It's not fair on his partner and future batters he ends up getting dismissed at a strike rate of 60 for a score of 40.
Wahab Riaz - doesn't really show the bowling intelligence to be in the ODI team, but like Akmal, he blows hot and cold. So can't rule him out completely.
Babar Azam - don't really see what the big deal is; I understand everyone is trying to big him up (coaches, commentators) but so far he is following the Akmals. Still needs to deliver, and is far from justifying the hype.
Umar Akmal - the door is open. While I disagree with his being fast tracked considering he averages 26 over the last three years (he wouldn’t make the Bangladesh 3rd XI with those figures), I wouldn't be surprised if a decent score in one of the three T20Is sees him make a comeback to the ODI squad.
Captaincy - too early to change from my point of view. It’s disruptive and knee-jerk and bad for team morale. They are subjective reasons but I am too tired to argue otherwise.
PakPassion.net : Do you think Shoaib Malik's international career is over?
Pete Rose : I think it should be. I have always been very supportive, particularly because he was crucified as the sole cause of Pakistan’s ODI fortunes when he became captain. Much like Azhar Ali, the criticism was that he isn't the best player in the team so why is he captain? I should note that while the results under Malik were ok-ish, they went in to complete free-fall as the circus that ringmaster Ijaz Butt was running meant players were constantly being banned or un-banned. Fast forward to now, after his comeback - this series was the first true test of his renewed pedigree. I am afraid a success ratio of 1 in 4 matches is not good enough and he is on the wrong side of 30 to be give an extended rope. Besides, Pakistan has players of his type or better who need to be invested in. However, he has found himself a new lease of life with that last innings in England and might cement it further against the hopeless Windies. My honest advice to him is that he should (deservedly) play every match as his last match.
PakPassion.net : You've always backed Asad Shafiq. Does he have it in him to succeed in ODIs?
Pete Rose : I think his ODI record is an anomaly considering the talent he possesses. But there can be no excuses considering the number of chances he has been given. Just as there should be no excuses for Junior Akmal. Both average in their 20’s over the last two years. Does he deserve a chance to turn it around? No. Will he get a chance? Yes, because I think his Test batting strike-rate will improve at one-down. Will it make me happy if he is given yet another chance and he succeeds? Absolutely. Do I think he can do it? Soft yes.
PakPassion.net : It seems likely that Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq will continue with the Test team on the overseas tour of NZ/AUS. Is that wise, and what are your expectations from them?
Pete Rose : I have been against the idea of both touring this year right from the beginning, but I suppose the results speak for themselves in England. They weren’t spectacular returns but followed a complementary pattern: Misbah started strong and trailed off, only for Younis to pick it up spectacularly towards the end after starting weak. I think we will see a similar pattern - collectively the two of them might average 45 or so.
I do believe however, if YK can find a way of starting strong (as opposed to jumping around for four innings before waking up in the last match), Pakistan will win against Australia. There’s another aspect to it: I don't like YK the man, and I dread the idea of him captaining if Misbah can't make the tour (that's how Pakistan cricket works; Azhar is the incumbent but he is struggling to hold on to his ODI captaincy) or gets injured. So both need to go. Lastly, as with England, Azhar and Asad need to do more. I thought they were good (not excellent) in England, but if Pakistan wants to play two uncles in the team, then the top three need to have a huge series.
PakPassion.net : Who is the prime candidate for the Test captaincy once Misbah retires?
Pete Rose : I'd prefer not to speculate when certain things are defined. Azhar is the vice-captain and the incumbent. There are of course many things that can go south by then: Azhar might continue to have a horror show with the ODI side and might have a loss in confidence while Sarfraz, who is the current flavor of the month, might justify the hype and perhaps be considered the appropriate alternative. The worst thing in my view would be for a stop gap arrangement like Younis taking over. I would not rule out Shafiq, if all the guys above are struggling to justify their form.
PakPassion.net : Will Pakistan cricket die out eventually?
Pete Rose : In the long term, everyone and everything dies. But in between, we are going to have a good time. So no, Pakistan cricket will never die out. I think we are on the verge of something special in all three formats. Pakistan should be thinking about methods by which they can institutionalise the way to win. Having said that, its difficult to get out of this shadow of unpredictability that we like to wrap ourselves in - some would argue we are predictably bad in ODIs, vs Australia, and vs India in ICC tournaments. But what we have achieved with the Test team and what we will hopefully achieve with the limited overs team will need to be formalised so that future captains and players can use that as a template for success. That’s not easy in Pakistan, where in too many aspects of our life, the cult of personality is elevated to a near mythical status.
It is tough: there is this super smart guy, Nikhilesh Arora, with an amazing track record in bringing method and numbers to Silicon Valley. He did that with Google and he joined the board of Softbank (one of the largest conglomerates in the world based out of Japan). His job was to bring a method of predictability to the eccentric owner’s management style. Getting Nikhilesh on board cost a few hundred million in cash and shares and getting rid of him cost a few multiples of that. Nikhilesh moved on when he realised that bringing order was going to be tough considering the owner decided he wanted to hang around for a few more years vs handing over the reigns. So yeah, there are far bigger things in the world out there, where the loss of a much loved boss or leader results in short term disturbances or a feeling of vulnerability (eg. Apple). Somehow Pakistan needs to break this mould. Misbah won’t be here forever. The success of Pakistan cricket is sustainable, as long as they believe in the ideology that got them here more than the individuals involved.
PakPassion.net : For how long have you been following cricket?
Pete Rose : The first cricket game that I followed in totality was the semifinal of the 1992 World Cup - Pakistan vs New Zealand. I was in Karachi staying over at my cousin’s place. My maternal uncle lived close by and he was quite the cricket fanatic. Throughout the World Cup, he would show up at the cousins house early morning and would watch the match with his young nephews. Our job was to make sure that we got up by 5:30 and rode a few blocks to a baara (a cow barn where you get fresh milk) and pick up special parathas on way back and be home in and have tea and parathas ready in time for the start of the match. I am not gonna spend too much space talking about that game except to say that you could not hope for a better introduction to cricket than that game: a huge score by New Zealand by those days standards, a shaky start for Pakistan, the slow and steady recovery (and a style of batting that plagues us today but was revolutionary then) followed by a precocious innings by Inzi. 60 odd off 36 balls under pressure when the asking rate was close to ten. That innings was ahead of its time by at least twenty years. As great as it was to spontaneously jump up and down with my relatives at every ebb and flow, I think what stayed with me longer was the simple safe fun that seems dangerous today. Getting on our bikes early morning with a slight chill in the air that passes for Karachi winters, riding through the streets to the sights and sounds of a city waking up, to a barn in the middle of an urban jungle, to the paratha chai and to be a part of a really special match. It's left an indelible mark on me.
PakPassion.net : Any interests and hobbies?
Pete Rose : I have a lot of interest in all things retro or from the past. Primarily because they explain why our world is the way it is today, eg. Ferrero Rocher exist because the maker was short of chocolate during World War 2 and hence decided to fill it with different types of nuts in order to use lesser chocolate. Baby incubators found widespread acceptance because a doctor convinced mothers that he can cover the expensive costs of their premature babies by getting the funding by having the premature children in incubators as displays in a circus on Coney Island. I strongly feel that our part of the world has not done enough to evolve given the circumstances.
I like old cars and bikes and have belatedly gotten off the couch and bought a near junk triumph bike that I want to restore as a cafe racer. I don't know how to ride a motor bike but will address that once the bike is ready.
PakPassion.net : What's the reason behind your username 'Pete Rose'?
Pete Rose : Pete Rose was a much loved player and then manger for the Cincinatti Reds baseball team. He had a host of awards and achievements to his name, but in 1989 he was found to betting illegally on games involving his team. He steadfastly denied allegations until admitting to them finally in 2004 but professing that he was betting on games not involving his team. Depending on whom you talk to or read there are many versions of the actual truth. Ultimately, his activities cost him a place in the baseball hall of fame. Why I chose the name is as a tribute to his fans who have to struggle immensely with balancing their love for a favourite gifted player while still maintaining that they don't condone cheating. In cricket, I have been conflicted like that twice in my career. First was for a magically gifted left-armer who has been very very lucky to have the post retirement career that he has. The second time was for a once in a lifetime opening right-arm fast-bowler who in his brief career has done some real order top-order damage to the gun players and teams of his era. It's very difficult for me to reconcile my desire to see the right-armer back with the need to keep the sport clean by setting examples.
PakPassion.net : Favorite posters on PP?
Pete Rose : I would say that PP would not hold my attention if everyone was sensible all the time or simply was of the same views as mine. Every poster at PP makes it worthwhile to be on the forum.
PakPassion.net : What brought/keeps you to/at PakPassion?
Pete Rose : I followed Shahid Afridi’s 37-ball century on IRC chat (for those old enough to know what that is). The match was not being televised wherever I was that day. It was surreal to refresh the chat forum and read commentary like four six six six four without having a picture next to it. It was further unique, because the brutality of the innings meant that as a follower you were reading an endless word sequence of boundaries and no dot balls. In some ways the live matches section of PP reminds of that, except I get to participate in the commentary with a lot of other posters and it's kind of fun, I guess. The more mundane, yet still valid reason is that I get an unbiased view of the goings on in Pakistan cricket because not a lot of it is agenda led, like our national press.
PakPassion.net : Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Pete Rose : Corporate slave, travel around a bit due to the nature of the job. Have been lucky to be exposed to very diverse environments like Europe, Middle East, and Africa. Wife and kids keep me grounded.
PakPassion.net : What are your thoughts on a two-tier Test system and what do you think needs to be done to revive interest in Test cricket?
Pete Rose : There’s an interesting article by Andy Bull in June this year, about the two tier system. It was fascinating for me to learn that people have been complaining about the death of Test cricket since the 1800’s. To quote The Times in 1890 “there’s a preponderance of batting leading to boring draws, and turning spectators away from the game”. Wisden in the 1900s "cricket is in the very direst peril of degenerating from the finest of all summer games into an exhibition of dullness and weariness.” Let that sink in: people were dissatisfied with Test cricket to an extent even way before the ODIs showed up. Solutions included, for example, doing away with draws and making the team with more runs per wicket the winner. Other intriguing solutions included “an extra be added to the total for every ball scored off, and one deducted for every ball not scored off”. (side note - we should do that to Pakistan’s limited overs teams).
That being said, I agree with the two test tier system - but in a broader sense, the answer depends on whether you are a fan, an administrator, or a player. And for all three, the answer can vary depending on whether your team is in the top tier or the bottom tier.
The recent FICA player survey indicates broad support for it, so the player view is largely reflected.
Now as a fan, in the interest of brevity, I am going to discuss how it impacts Pakistan. Wasim and Waqar played their last tests in 2002 early 2003. Taking December 2002 as a cut-off (I consider the last of Pakistan’s bowling Test match-winners to be the two W’s and the team they built), Pakistan had the fourth highest W/L ratio for all Tests that they played up till then.
For the next 14 years, Pakistan played just 10 Tests against Australia, 15 against South Africa, 12 against India. I suppose only England sort of cooperated and we played 21 Tests against them during this period (and they’ve decided that we deserve just two Tests in 2018 because there’s more money to be made on a five match series vs India).
Compare that to India (its not meant as a slight - if you think otherwise, that’s your problem), they’ve played 30 Tests against Australia, 19 against South Africa, 21 against England. To be fair to India, they’ve actually competed with Australia (more due to having home tests than anything else).
There is a fine line between being financially entrepreneurial vs being consumed by greed. So, as a Pakistani fan, I would like to see my team get the respect it deserves on the basis of the results it’s delivered. If I look at the FTP as it stands till the end of 2019: we play 6 Tests against Australia, 2 against England, 3 against South Africa, 3 against India (and a bunch of others). Is this the FTP of a number one ranked Test nation? Compare that to what would happen if the two-tier system existed: Pakistan would play 6 Tests against each of the top seven nations every two years. So, as a fan, why wouldn’t I want that?
Personally, I think Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are delusional when they think they will be shut out from playing the big boys. They don’t play the big boys even now. Their FTP (current and future) is even worse than ours. As for India - for them the motivation is that under the current method of winner takes all, they can avoid dealing with Pakistan altogether, and perhaps they would have lesser influence with Sri Lanka, Bangladesh to whom they can still dangle the possibility of a Test tour without really following through.
Will the two-tier proposal fix the issue with Test attendance? Probably not, that’s up to the boards to find a way. But it will level the playing field of financial clout vs actual performance. And as a fan a top ranked Test team, I have no objection to that. There are other aspects to it, which I can certainly debate.
PakPassion.net : Do you think the ICC are doing enough to assist Associates in their development and how critical are you of their decision to exclude them from the 2019 World Cup?
Pete Rose : There are ten Full ICC Members (allowed to play all three forms of the game), 39 Associates and 56 Affiliate Members. As we all know, even the ten Full Members are hardly uniform in their results, administration, funds and long term viability. Zimbabwe and West Indies are just abysmal, while Sri Lanka has highs and lows but is always on the verge of bankruptcy.
As an administrator, I'm torn between what takes more priority: saving the existing guys or spreading the net far and wide and hoping for the next great team to emerge. The 95 Associates and Affiliate Members received $252 million for the period of 2007 to 2015 (they are expected to receive $299 million for the next 8 year cycle). Looking at the $252 million figure, that works out an average of approximately $330,000 per member per year. Of course, the money is not rewarded evenly; Afghanistan and Ireland receive about $2.5 million annually.
I think the question about ICC support should not always be looked at as a reflexively emotional one: 'Oh, the ICC just want to enrich themselves, India is taking all the money, and they are not spreading the game far and wide.' The reality is that there is no unlimited funding available. It is fair to ask questions about how to quickly and optimally generate cricket playing teams that are competitive. Bangladesh received Test status in 2000 (I use this as an example and not to single them out) and I was reading an article that indicates that Bangladesh did not have a first class competition at the time (i.e. no four day cricket). Whether that's true or not it is a fair question to ask - Why give a country Test status when they have played just 93 Tests in 15 years and won just 7? The fault can be spread evenly: they were rewarded Test status to strengthen the Asian bloc, the countries that supported them did not play enough cricket against them and the countries that were against them have not played them enough.
Assistance is a two-way street. You can get all the money you need but you have to show results for it. I would guess most folks agree that in this case, assistance falls in to two broad categories: financial and playing opportunities. In the 2015 World Cup, we had Ireland, Afghanistan, Scotland and UAE. In 2011, we had Canada, Kenya, Ireland and Netherlands. In 2007, we had Bermuda, Kenya, Netherlands, Scotland, Ireland and Canada. What we see here is that the only constants have been Ireland and Scotland. The progress in Netherlands, Canada and Kenya seems to have taken a step back. Also, these teams (barring Kenya and maybe Ireland) have not exactly been giant killers in these tournaments. That's because we forget about them once the World Cup is over. As a cricket administrator, I feel it is important to have a tournament which is as competitive as possible. I feel ODI cricket and certainly Test cricket is too big a hurdle for junior teams to compete - which is why I completely support having ten teams at the World Cup in 2019. But I also support having 14 to 16 teams in the World T20. T20 cricket, I feel, allows more competitive matches and we should be using that as the primary tool to spread cricket.
PakPassion.net : Who is the ideal Pakistani cricketer for you at the moment given our resources?
Pete Rose : Let me start by saying that I like cricketers who don’t just perform in a bubble, but who have the capacity to impact the team (their own team but also the opposition) with their style of play.
It's difficult to say considering the vastly differing fortunes of our limited overs sides and the Test side who the ideal player is. The upcoming transition to the Test team (probably post Australia tour) adds another level of complication. Safe to say there is no current ideal cricketer, but there are a couple with potential.
In the limited overs side, in the short term, I think no player will have a bigger impact on our approach than Sharjeel. Let me qualify that a bit: If you think of aggressive Pakistani ODI openers, you have Saeed Anwar, (to a limited extent) Aamir Sohail and Shahid Afridi (ignoring guys like Ijaz who did not do it for long enough). Of all of them, Afridi lasted the longest and was clearly the least successful. However, his brand of unreliable but ultra aggressive batting had a lasting impact for future young cricketers because Anwar and Sohail were long gone by then.
Thereafter, we had a few guys whose careers were cut short due to their own follies (Butt, Jamshed). So, guys came in the middle and tried their best; some were too aggressive and unreliable (Imran Nazir, Kamran Akmal) while others were too defensive (Wajahatullah Wasti, Ahmed Shehzad). And during Misbah’s time (but not because of it) we became a bit cautious as selectors showed a lack of vision in finding new guys or a lack of patience in sticking with them (yes, unlike most folk on PP, I don't believe that Pakistan’s issues are driven by a captain not selecting XYZ player, it's always the selector’s job and his fault if we have no batting talent).
So coming back to Sharjeel, I would say he is right in the middle between Anwar and Afridi; if he keeps developing his game, he will have the single biggest impact on Pakistan’s LOI side not just in terms of results but also their approach to batting. I think we saw that a bit in the recently concluded ODI series: Sharjeel out, there go our chances of competing as batsmen.
In terms of Tests, it will be Asad Shafiq. At the pivotal #3 spot, he has the opportunity and the fluency (we should note that he has played the England series at a higher strike rate than usual, and at number 3 in the last Test match, he has played the fastest before slowing down for his century) to carry the game forward and to ‘protect’ Younis/Misbah in the short term and then to ‘shield’ the newcomers (their replacements) down the line. It is true that Azhar and Shafiq are the true inheritors of Misbah and YK, but in some ways, Shafiq, in terms of batting pedigree is better than all of them. These are big fan-boy words from me, but I think he is equipped for the challenge.
There are plenty of guys that are going to be a big part of Pakistan’s success, but I would say that these two will have an out sized role in determining our T20I, ODI, and Test form over the next 12 to 18 months.
PakPassion.net : With the ODI series against England over, which members of the current squad do you see as key to Pakistan's future in this format?
Pete Rose : As mentioned earlier, for me, Sharjeel will have a much bigger impact than any of the others. If Mickey’s motto is to play brave cricket without fear, he (Sharjeel) will need a lot of support. And if he come off, it will rub off on the rest of the team. In my book, that's what a good player does, he lifts the team with him.
I like Hasan Ali and I think/hope we haven't seen the best of his batting yet. Most of the other guys need to stay as well (Imad, Rizwan, Nawaz, Amir).
I would like that we start pointing the exit aisles to Hafeez (he’s a goner in my view), Malik, Gul. Yasir, I would persist with, but for that the team needs to accept that it must always look to score 300 or chase 300. It will help his confidence immensely to know that the team will be satisfied with an average return of 2 for 60.
Azhar Ali - I would keep him, but he needs to find a way to keep a strike rate of 85+ throughout the innings rather than catch up at the end of the innings. It's not fair on his partner and future batters he ends up getting dismissed at a strike rate of 60 for a score of 40.
Wahab Riaz - doesn't really show the bowling intelligence to be in the ODI team, but like Akmal, he blows hot and cold. So can't rule him out completely.
Babar Azam - don't really see what the big deal is; I understand everyone is trying to big him up (coaches, commentators) but so far he is following the Akmals. Still needs to deliver, and is far from justifying the hype.
Umar Akmal - the door is open. While I disagree with his being fast tracked considering he averages 26 over the last three years (he wouldn’t make the Bangladesh 3rd XI with those figures), I wouldn't be surprised if a decent score in one of the three T20Is sees him make a comeback to the ODI squad.
Captaincy - too early to change from my point of view. It’s disruptive and knee-jerk and bad for team morale. They are subjective reasons but I am too tired to argue otherwise.
PakPassion.net : Do you think Shoaib Malik's international career is over?
Pete Rose : I think it should be. I have always been very supportive, particularly because he was crucified as the sole cause of Pakistan’s ODI fortunes when he became captain. Much like Azhar Ali, the criticism was that he isn't the best player in the team so why is he captain? I should note that while the results under Malik were ok-ish, they went in to complete free-fall as the circus that ringmaster Ijaz Butt was running meant players were constantly being banned or un-banned. Fast forward to now, after his comeback - this series was the first true test of his renewed pedigree. I am afraid a success ratio of 1 in 4 matches is not good enough and he is on the wrong side of 30 to be give an extended rope. Besides, Pakistan has players of his type or better who need to be invested in. However, he has found himself a new lease of life with that last innings in England and might cement it further against the hopeless Windies. My honest advice to him is that he should (deservedly) play every match as his last match.
PakPassion.net : You've always backed Asad Shafiq. Does he have it in him to succeed in ODIs?
Pete Rose : I think his ODI record is an anomaly considering the talent he possesses. But there can be no excuses considering the number of chances he has been given. Just as there should be no excuses for Junior Akmal. Both average in their 20’s over the last two years. Does he deserve a chance to turn it around? No. Will he get a chance? Yes, because I think his Test batting strike-rate will improve at one-down. Will it make me happy if he is given yet another chance and he succeeds? Absolutely. Do I think he can do it? Soft yes.
PakPassion.net : It seems likely that Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq will continue with the Test team on the overseas tour of NZ/AUS. Is that wise, and what are your expectations from them?
Pete Rose : I have been against the idea of both touring this year right from the beginning, but I suppose the results speak for themselves in England. They weren’t spectacular returns but followed a complementary pattern: Misbah started strong and trailed off, only for Younis to pick it up spectacularly towards the end after starting weak. I think we will see a similar pattern - collectively the two of them might average 45 or so.
I do believe however, if YK can find a way of starting strong (as opposed to jumping around for four innings before waking up in the last match), Pakistan will win against Australia. There’s another aspect to it: I don't like YK the man, and I dread the idea of him captaining if Misbah can't make the tour (that's how Pakistan cricket works; Azhar is the incumbent but he is struggling to hold on to his ODI captaincy) or gets injured. So both need to go. Lastly, as with England, Azhar and Asad need to do more. I thought they were good (not excellent) in England, but if Pakistan wants to play two uncles in the team, then the top three need to have a huge series.
PakPassion.net : Who is the prime candidate for the Test captaincy once Misbah retires?
Pete Rose : I'd prefer not to speculate when certain things are defined. Azhar is the vice-captain and the incumbent. There are of course many things that can go south by then: Azhar might continue to have a horror show with the ODI side and might have a loss in confidence while Sarfraz, who is the current flavor of the month, might justify the hype and perhaps be considered the appropriate alternative. The worst thing in my view would be for a stop gap arrangement like Younis taking over. I would not rule out Shafiq, if all the guys above are struggling to justify their form.
PakPassion.net : Will Pakistan cricket die out eventually?
Pete Rose : In the long term, everyone and everything dies. But in between, we are going to have a good time. So no, Pakistan cricket will never die out. I think we are on the verge of something special in all three formats. Pakistan should be thinking about methods by which they can institutionalise the way to win. Having said that, its difficult to get out of this shadow of unpredictability that we like to wrap ourselves in - some would argue we are predictably bad in ODIs, vs Australia, and vs India in ICC tournaments. But what we have achieved with the Test team and what we will hopefully achieve with the limited overs team will need to be formalised so that future captains and players can use that as a template for success. That’s not easy in Pakistan, where in too many aspects of our life, the cult of personality is elevated to a near mythical status.
It is tough: there is this super smart guy, Nikhilesh Arora, with an amazing track record in bringing method and numbers to Silicon Valley. He did that with Google and he joined the board of Softbank (one of the largest conglomerates in the world based out of Japan). His job was to bring a method of predictability to the eccentric owner’s management style. Getting Nikhilesh on board cost a few hundred million in cash and shares and getting rid of him cost a few multiples of that. Nikhilesh moved on when he realised that bringing order was going to be tough considering the owner decided he wanted to hang around for a few more years vs handing over the reigns. So yeah, there are far bigger things in the world out there, where the loss of a much loved boss or leader results in short term disturbances or a feeling of vulnerability (eg. Apple). Somehow Pakistan needs to break this mould. Misbah won’t be here forever. The success of Pakistan cricket is sustainable, as long as they believe in the ideology that got them here more than the individuals involved.
PakPassion.net : For how long have you been following cricket?
Pete Rose : The first cricket game that I followed in totality was the semifinal of the 1992 World Cup - Pakistan vs New Zealand. I was in Karachi staying over at my cousin’s place. My maternal uncle lived close by and he was quite the cricket fanatic. Throughout the World Cup, he would show up at the cousins house early morning and would watch the match with his young nephews. Our job was to make sure that we got up by 5:30 and rode a few blocks to a baara (a cow barn where you get fresh milk) and pick up special parathas on way back and be home in and have tea and parathas ready in time for the start of the match. I am not gonna spend too much space talking about that game except to say that you could not hope for a better introduction to cricket than that game: a huge score by New Zealand by those days standards, a shaky start for Pakistan, the slow and steady recovery (and a style of batting that plagues us today but was revolutionary then) followed by a precocious innings by Inzi. 60 odd off 36 balls under pressure when the asking rate was close to ten. That innings was ahead of its time by at least twenty years. As great as it was to spontaneously jump up and down with my relatives at every ebb and flow, I think what stayed with me longer was the simple safe fun that seems dangerous today. Getting on our bikes early morning with a slight chill in the air that passes for Karachi winters, riding through the streets to the sights and sounds of a city waking up, to a barn in the middle of an urban jungle, to the paratha chai and to be a part of a really special match. It's left an indelible mark on me.
PakPassion.net : Any interests and hobbies?
Pete Rose : I have a lot of interest in all things retro or from the past. Primarily because they explain why our world is the way it is today, eg. Ferrero Rocher exist because the maker was short of chocolate during World War 2 and hence decided to fill it with different types of nuts in order to use lesser chocolate. Baby incubators found widespread acceptance because a doctor convinced mothers that he can cover the expensive costs of their premature babies by getting the funding by having the premature children in incubators as displays in a circus on Coney Island. I strongly feel that our part of the world has not done enough to evolve given the circumstances.
I like old cars and bikes and have belatedly gotten off the couch and bought a near junk triumph bike that I want to restore as a cafe racer. I don't know how to ride a motor bike but will address that once the bike is ready.
PakPassion.net : What's the reason behind your username 'Pete Rose'?
Pete Rose : Pete Rose was a much loved player and then manger for the Cincinatti Reds baseball team. He had a host of awards and achievements to his name, but in 1989 he was found to betting illegally on games involving his team. He steadfastly denied allegations until admitting to them finally in 2004 but professing that he was betting on games not involving his team. Depending on whom you talk to or read there are many versions of the actual truth. Ultimately, his activities cost him a place in the baseball hall of fame. Why I chose the name is as a tribute to his fans who have to struggle immensely with balancing their love for a favourite gifted player while still maintaining that they don't condone cheating. In cricket, I have been conflicted like that twice in my career. First was for a magically gifted left-armer who has been very very lucky to have the post retirement career that he has. The second time was for a once in a lifetime opening right-arm fast-bowler who in his brief career has done some real order top-order damage to the gun players and teams of his era. It's very difficult for me to reconcile my desire to see the right-armer back with the need to keep the sport clean by setting examples.
PakPassion.net : Favorite posters on PP?
Pete Rose : I would say that PP would not hold my attention if everyone was sensible all the time or simply was of the same views as mine. Every poster at PP makes it worthwhile to be on the forum.
PakPassion.net : What brought/keeps you to/at PakPassion?
Pete Rose : I followed Shahid Afridi’s 37-ball century on IRC chat (for those old enough to know what that is). The match was not being televised wherever I was that day. It was surreal to refresh the chat forum and read commentary like four six six six four without having a picture next to it. It was further unique, because the brutality of the innings meant that as a follower you were reading an endless word sequence of boundaries and no dot balls. In some ways the live matches section of PP reminds of that, except I get to participate in the commentary with a lot of other posters and it's kind of fun, I guess. The more mundane, yet still valid reason is that I get an unbiased view of the goings on in Pakistan cricket because not a lot of it is agenda led, like our national press.
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