Mohammad Abbas' success in internationals and what it tells us about Sadaf Hussain...

[Slog]

For years we have been told that Sadaf Hussain is too slow for international cricket to succeed and that his domestic stats are not any indication of how he will do in international cricket

Like Sadaf, Muhammad Abbas also managed to average very low in domestic FC cricket (20-21). However he also lacks speed and unlike Sadaf is also not tall so does not get same bounce.

However despite this he has been a roaring success in internationals so far. Would Sadaf Hussain have been as successful?

For me at the very least it destroys any argument about how his 'bowling style' is not suitable for international cricket

 

[b.lesner]

Sadaf was the best bowler in pakistan couple of years back i dont know how he is bowling now

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

One other key point is both Abbas and Sadaf are pretty good both with conventional and reverse swing and if we follow their domestic matches taking wickets with reverse swing was a part of their success. Abbas has once again showed now in internationals too that how reverse swing is key especially on dead wickets of UAE and has out bowled both Wahab and Starc in getting wickets with reverse swing.

 

[Slog]

Sadaf was the best bowler in pakistan couple of years back i dont know how he is bowling now

It’s a case of what could have been....

Atleast we got Abbas in relatively quickly (still 28 already).

Aizaz cheema was another one who used to
Have great domestic stats but was not considered quick enough or good for internationals. He eventually got his debut in his 30s and tbf did well if not great leaving you wondering how he would have done in his 20s

 

[bujhee kom]

Domestic stats mean something if the sample is large.

 

[Barragan]

He should still be given a chance and see how it goes.

I don't know whether he may have lost the bite he once had, but certainly worth a try and a much better option than guys like wahab or rahat.

Also, same was the case with Zulfiqar Babar, who was doing so well in domestic cricket, but was brought in late and he did do well when initially, but age had already cut up with him and he wasn't the same force he was, when he was wrecking havoc in domestic cricket.

Such a shame!

 

[Hawkeye]

Tells us nothing about Sadaf.

Nobody has seen how he bowls.

 

[Usman Chadda]

Interesting to note Abbas' selection was encouraged by Misbah. Sadaf wasn't hand-picked by anyone.

 

[Sirris]

Interesting to note Abbas' selection was encouraged by Misbah. Sadaf wasn't hand-picked by anyone.

I saw an interview with Asif who said he was impressed by Abbas in the domestic circuit. That was before Abbas got his debut. Asif needs to stop dreaming of a comeback and work as a bowling consultant.

 

[Usman Chadda]

I saw an interview with Asif who said he was impressed by Abbas in the domestic circuit. That was before Abbas got his debut. Asif needs to stop dreaming of a comeback and work as a bowling consultant.

I doubt he is serious enough to take it up.

 

[Justcrazy]

Abbas has proved that if you can bowl at right places you can still be successful , even at 135 km / hr

It also shows that Sadaf could have been a very good bowler if given chance, its terrible that undeserving players getting so many chances and they ignoring first class completely.

 

[Salman4.]

Saw Sadaf in a televised match, didn't look International material to me. Also, his fielding was M Irfan-esque. But yeah, he should be tried atleast once so we don't lament this whole life.

 

[topspin]

It’s a case of what could have been....

Atleast we got Abbas in relatively quickly (still 28 already).

Aizaz cheema was another one who used to
Have great domestic stats but was not considered quick enough or good for internationals. He eventually got his debut in his 30s and tbf did well if not great leaving you wondering how he would have done in his 20s

Aizaz Cheema was bowling mid 140s at his prime. The reason he was not selected was because Inzy had an intolerance of going for new blood.

He always valued experience over potential. He wasn't one for building teams for the future. In the mid to late 2000s he was the 3rd best fast bowler in the country so should have been first change after opening with Shoaib and Asif but it wasn't to be.

 

[topspin]

Domestic stats mean something if the sample is large.

Large but diversified across different bowling conditions.

That remains to be unknown because he was never given a chance to bowl in UAE for Pakistan's home tests.

 

[moghul]

Enough of Sadaf , let’s move on .

 

[BunnyRabbit]

Domestic stats mean something if the sample is large.

Both Sadaf and Abbas play for the same team in domestic cricket and sample size for Sadaf Hussain's career is larger than Abbas'.

 

[MMHS]

I understand the point, but we should also consider that Abbas has a phenomenal raise after half a season in Counties, therefore drawing conclusion could be misleading here. For example, Hamza has a FC career stats of like 18 average @ 38 SR for 280 wickets, which actually are better than Abbas & Sadaf.

Abbas had a County season in pro set-up, where he bowled like 350 overs for 50+ wickets @17, and this helped him definitely. I think, during ENG tour, I wrote that he is bowling much closer to sticks now and making batsmen play almost every ball - minor things, but that extra little is probably worth 1-2 additional wickets/Test.

Still, Sadaf was definitely worth investing, at least for A teams & such gala series like SRL/ZIM reserves.

 

[Savak]

I understand the point, but we should also consider that Abbas has a phenomenal raise after half a season in Counties, therefore drawing conclusion could be misleading here. For example, Hamza has a FC career stats of like 18 average @ 38 SR for 280 wickets, which actually are better than Abbas & Sadaf.

Abbas had a County season in pro set-up, where he bowled like 350 overs for 50+ wickets @17, and this helped him definitely. I think, during ENG tour, I wrote that he is bowling much closer to sticks now and making batsmen play almost every ball - minor things, but that extra little is probably worth 1-2 additional wickets/Test.

Still, Sadaf was definitely worth investing, at least for A teams & such gala series like SRL/ZIM reserves.

Zaheer Khan credited the full county season for turning around his career. The reason why he stated county Cricket was a God send for him is because in county Cricket there is no media pressure, no off field distractions, it's literally like going to boarding school or an army camp and all you do is focus on Cricket, the game and nothing else. He recommends a few full four day season to every upcoming cricketer.

Am sure Abbas will echo the same sentiments

 

[Flat_Track_Bully]

I saw an interview with Asif who said he was impressed by Abbas in the domestic circuit. That was before Abbas got his debut. Asif needs to stop dreaming of a comeback and work as a bowling consultant.

Asif can become the greatest bowling coach in cricket history.

 

[Savak]

Sadaf Hussain might have been equally successful as Abbas inspite of his lack of pace. He strongly deserved a chance on merit.

 

[boomboom6]

Enough of Sadaf , let’s move on .

Sadaf's only 27-28 like Abbas, why move on?

Seam bowlers have a larger cricketing life then pure fast bowlers ... for how long will we continue with this ignorance?

Sadaf absolutely deserves selection for his perennial FC domination just like Fawad for his mountains of runs in FC!

 

[silent ischemia]

Saw Sadaf in a televised match, didn't look International material to me. Also, his fielding was M Irfan-esque. But yeah, he should be tried atleast once so we don't lament this whole life.

Agreed. I watched a lot of his bowling in those Ramzan T20 tournaments in Karachi. Looked quite ordinary. Guys like Anwar Ali were hitting him out of the park for fun.

 

[Savak]

Agreed. I watched a lot of his bowling in those Ramzan T20 tournaments in Karachi. Looked quite ordinary. Guys like Anwar Ali were hitting him out of the park for fun.

To be honest, i have seen Asif tonked around in his prime in those Ramzan T20 tournaments

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

Saw Sadaf in a televised match, didn't look International material to me. Also, his fielding was M Irfan-esque. But yeah, he should be tried atleast once so we don't lament this whole life.

You would have the same opinion on Abbas too if you have seen him in domestic one days on those pitches.

Everyone downplays Sadaf but before Abbas' international debut Sadaf had a much better record than Abbas in one days and slightly better in FC. Average of 18 and 19 in FC and List A respectively and sample size was large.

One of the guy here said that Sadaf benefited from playing in Rawalpindi which is not true. Sadaf has an average in late teens and early 20s all over Pakistan. Plus Abbas and Sadaf played in the same KRL team for few years and both were good.

 

[Hawkeye]

You would have the same opinion on Abbas too if you have seen him in domestic one days on those pitches.

Everyone downplays Sadaf but before Abbas' international debut Sadaf had a much better record than Abbas in one days and slightly better in FC. Average of 18 and 19 in FC and List A respectively and sample size was large.

One of the guy here said that Sadaf benefited from playing in Rawalpindi which is not true. Sadaf has an average in late teens and early 20s all over Pakistan. Plus Abbas and Sadaf played in the same KRL team for few years and both were good.

There's a reason why still nobody in the cricket setup rates him.

Even Mir Hamza has a better average than Sadaf - he's as mediocre as they come.

Selections are not blindly done by sorting players on their average.

Although yes Sadaf should've been tried, but all indicators say he would've been mediocre.

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

There's a reason why still nobody in the cricket setup rates him.

Even Mir Hamza has a better average than Sadaf - he's as mediocre as they come.

Selections are not blindly done by sorting players on their average.

Although yes Sadaf should've been tried, but all indicators say he would've been mediocre.

Ex batsmen and current batsmen have also said Sadaf is a difficult bowler to face. One current batsmen replied to me saying Sadaf is a very difficult bowler and moves it both ways.

Azhar Mehmood said Sadaf should have been given a chance to represent Pakistan but now we are working with different bowlers..

Did well for Pak A team too 2 times and and was the highest wicket taker in one of those series.

Sadaf has 382 wickets while Hamza has 295. There is hardly a 0.5 difference in average.

It is largely due tol Waqar Younis' (worst captain of his time and poor coach) incompetence of persisting with Wahab (because he is pacy) & Rahat and the politics in Pindi cricket why Sadaf is off the scenes. Pindi politics has ruined the career of quite a few cricketers. His best days are over now but he should have got a chance and probably now too if Rahat and Wahab are the anwser.