Mohammad Hafeez favourite to become new Test captain [Reports]

[Stewie]

Karachi conspiracy theorists need to get off their high horse. So far there is no evidence that sarfaraz is a good captain. If anything he loOks too emotional and I have heard major experts question his ability to lead the team. He is a good player and should prove himself as ODi captain first.

Unfortunately I don't see anybody fitting the bill at the moment as test captain. I don't like hafeez. I think Azhar is also not too a good choice.

This o e will be a tough one for the board..

 

[Big Mac]

Karachi conspiracy theorists need to get off their high horse. So far there is no evidence that sarfaraz is a good captain. If anything he loOks too emotional and I have heard major experts question his ability to lead the team. He is a good player and should prove himself as ODi captain first.

Unfortunately I don't see anybody fitting the bill at the moment as test captain. I don't like hafeez. I think Azhar is also not too a good choice.

This o e will be a tough one for the board..

The problem is that neither us fans, nor the so called experts, are privy to what happens inside the dressing room so we have to make our own narratives from what we see on the field.

So with Misbah, some people see him as being calm and in control, others see the same thing as being defensive and not engaged with the game.

With Sarfraz, some people see a passionate guy who is trying to give the players a boost, others see a hyperactive guy who is demoralising his players by being so emotional.

On top of that, the teams results affect how a player is perceived. So if we win, Safraz will be praised for being proactive and aggressive but if we lose we'll have people piling onto him for being unable to control his emotions and upsetting his bowlers.

Remember how Michael Clarke was this amazing captain? So attacking, so proactive, so innovative and imaginative and garnering all this praise for his funky captaincy? You know, everything that Misbah isn't? Then Australia came to the UAE and got battered out of sight and his amazing innovative captaincy just made him look like a complete idiot, randomly moving fielders around with no plan whatsoever. Remember him sticking a fielder directly behind the bowler and alternating bowlers with one over spells?

What changed? He was doing exactly the same things he was being praised for in Australia, yet looked like a headless chicken against Pakistan.

Moral of the story, let's wait before we start declaring whether someone is or isn't a good captain, especially when they have such gigantic boots to fill.

 

[KyoOne]

Hafeez is a good choice, but Sarfraz needs to be given time to settle in the role. Hafeez will be gone in an year or so, Sarfraz was the vice-captain here, a WC winning U19 captain, he is the only choice imo.

 

[The_Odd_One]

Hafeez does not merit a place in the team.

Make Sarfraz captain in tests too. This is the only practical solution.

 

[Ultimate]

This has to be one of the most outdated decisions ever in our cricket history. Rejected.

 

[clean n cool]

Okay so maybe 3 formats might be too much burden for Sarfaraz but at the moment there's no one else in the current team. Why not make him captain for a year and groom a vice-captain till that time who has a solid position in the team.

 

[yasir]

If PCB is reluctant to burden Sarfraz with all three formats, then the only realistic alternatives are:

Hafeez
Azhar
Shafiq

Let's not waste time on left-field options like Yasir, Amir, Wahab etc. because it is not going to happen. Between the three - with a heavy heart - I would go for Hafeez. He is tactically much better than Azhar, and as long as he bats in the middle-order, he shouldn't be a problem. Plus he gives the 5th bowling option as well. The downside is that he is past retirement age already and will most likely insist on opening.

Azhar is entering his prime as a batsman and is a proven failure as captain. No need of making the same mistake again. As far as Shafiq is concerned, his captaincy is untested, but he can't even handle his own batting let alone lead the team. I really hope this isn't true though. Keeping all factors in mind, Sarfraz is the only viable option.

Oh come on, how in the world we can have Hafeez as permanent member of team, let alone Captain?? - He is too weak against seamers, he cannot be opener or #1 down, where else he can bat...Making him Captain would be disaster, you cannot have a Captain who is worse player, there is no upside to his Captaincy, its going to be same mistake which PCB did by making Azhar ODI Captain, Azhar did not deserve spot in ODI, how you can make him Captain? - Hafeez at 35/36, has very poor technique and is out of the test team on poor performance, how he can be made Captain??

Azhar and Sami are best possible opener, which is very important for a team that lacks experience in middle order. Hafeez will play as what, #4, really??

Shafiq is also very fragile, he has not perform at all against new ball consistently. He fails way too many times.

 

[TalentSpotterPk]

I would want to go with Sarfraz personally but the Counter argument is very Strong.


1. Mickey requested Inzamam to send Hafeez & Tallat for the Test Squad. (Reported)


2. Pakistan will struggle against Top 4 Test teams with 4 bowling options only. Shadab isn't ready by any means. Only Hussain & Amad have potential to be genuine Test allrounders but one isn't ready yet while other is in poor form for a while with creeped up technical issues with bowling. Agha Salman isn't ready either. 5th bowling option if any is Hafeez.


3. We mostly play Test Cricket in Asia. Hafeez in last 7 years has averaged 45-50 with the Bat in Asia and 50-55 in UAE.


4. Sarfraz has a very good start to his Captaincy stinct but it was against very weak Windies Odi side. We won both limited overs series but Sarfraz was seen losing his cool on dozens of ocassions. Only youngsters were at receiving end. This would be huge issue (if not curbed) in Champions Trophy against Top sides. Players performance will be affected hugely while bowling, fielding & catching because naturally there will be added pressure of " Jhirhakk " of Kaptaan. Hope Sarfraz changes this weak link quickly.


This hasn't gone well with players aswell as administrators. Hence this is another reason that Selectors & Board are thinking to appoint Hafeez as Test Captain for 1-2 years. They want to observe Sarfraz's Captaincy for few more months and than give him the reigns with Hafeez's retirement if Sarfraz manages to be calm, cool & collective as Captain on the field.

 

[Mainul]

Pakistan cricket will go backwards if Hafeez is made captain.

 

[Da_Future_Knick]

Hafeez is the best captain Pakistan can appoint

 

[MightyObnoxious]

I would want to go with Sarfraz personally but the Counter argument is very Strong.


1. Mickey requested Inzamam to send Hafeez & Tallat for the Test Squad. (Reported)


2. Pakistan will struggle against Top 4 Test teams with 4 bowling options only. Shadab isn't ready by any means. Only Hussain & Amad have potential to be genuine Test allrounders but one isn't ready yet while other is in poor form for a while with creeped up technical issues with bowling. Agha Salman isn't ready either. 5th bowling option if any is Hafeez.


3. We mostly play Test Cricket in Asia. Hafeez in last 7 years has averaged 45-50 with the Bat in Asia and 50-55 in UAE.


4. Sarfraz has a very good start to his Captaincy stinct but it was against very weak Windies Odi side. We won both limited overs series but Sarfraz was seen losing his cool on dozens of ocassions. Only youngsters were at receiving end. This would be huge issue (if not curbed) in Champions Trophy against Top sides. Players performance will be affected hugely while bowling, fielding & catching because naturally there will be added pressure of " Jhirhakk " of Kaptaan. Hope Sarfraz changes this weak link quickly.


This hasn't gone well with players aswell as administrators. Hence this is another reason that Selectors & Board are thinking to appoint Hafeez as Test Captain for 1-2 years. They want to observe Sarfraz's Captaincy for few more months and than give him the reigns with Hafeez's retirement if Sarfraz manages to be calm, cool & collective as Captain on the field.

Also has effected his wicketkeeping. And let's be honest, Sarfaraz is not MS Dhoni. Keeper Captain is a dangerous combination that require calmness, which he isn't. Also, did you see the last DRS Pakistan took because Safaraz's impulsiveness.

 

[TalentSpotterPk]

Also has effected his wicketkeeping. And let's be honest, Sarfaraz is not MS Dhoni. Keeper Captain is a dangerous combination that require calmness, which he isn't. Also, did you see the last DRS Pakistan took because Safaraz's impulsiveness.

Yes I agree. Dhoni indeed was an Exception. Even before his captaincy stinct started I wrote that his keeping might get affected because your concentration is divided. But we can hope that He improves. He is our main player. Naturally everyone has not equal propensity to soak in pressure. Emotions get hold of some people quickly while others have higher level of patience. Lastly Yes you are right about DRS too.


What according to you is the way forward ?

 

[MightyObnoxious]

Yes I agree. Dhoni indeed was an Exception. Even before his captaincy stinct started I wrote that his keeping might get affected because your concentration is divided. But we can hope that He improves. He is our main player. Naturally everyone has not equal propensity to soak in pressure. Emotions get hold of some people quickly while others have higher level of patience. Lastly Yes you are right about DRS too.


What according to you is the way forward ?

TBH, I have always like Hafeez. As a captain especially. Think he has the personality and tactical ability, also will be a good fifth bowler, plus can accelerate as well so can be a good no 6. But, let's be fair. Before this news, I wouldn't have thought of him as an option. I was rooting for Azhar. I feel that he can be our cook. Axed from ODI's captaincy and team and become test match giant. But let's wait and watch.
If Hafeez can find a place in the team, (Which I think he will) then best option otherwise, Azhar.

 

[ads101]

I would want to go with Sarfraz personally but the Counter argument is very Strong.


1. Mickey requested Inzamam to send Hafeez & Tallat for the Test Squad. (Reported)

Think that is mostly due to the side missing a good part time bowler. Azhar sadly doesn't seem good enough.

Shan and Shehzad aren't exactly doing too well, and Hafeez would look like an upgrade over them, at least he'd provide the fifth bowling option. Hopefully Shehzad can pick it up, he's looked dreadful in LOI and test recently, and I wouldn't have dropped Sami Aslam from the side. And of course Shahzaib's out which doesn't help matters.

Hopefully the issue of the fifth bowler will be resolved with the middle order batsmen that replace YK and Misbah. Haris and Fawad might be able to cover it (particularly fawad I hope, maybe best to let haris focus on batting for now as he's just recovered).

But yeah Hafeez ain't the future, no point, though I don't think he was a terrible opener, an average of near 40 was a damn sight better than khurram, farhat, butt, shan etc even if it was asian pitches heavy. I think Sarfraz would make a good captain though, I don't think he'll be too temperamental. I would definitely advise someone else to advise him upon reviews though, think his judgement there isn't too great.

 

[Stewie]

Come on, now... fans never have had access to any of that in history but we all know what sort of captains Imran, border, Waugh, Taylor, ganguly, sobers, Lloyd, etc were.

Look we don't come up with the narrative, we base it on educated deductions based on what goes in the field, which is always more important that the dressing room, what experts say, in the media and the commentary box.

I am not saying sarfaraz is a bad captain. So far I just don't see the stability and calm level headedness you expect from a test captain. Looks afridi appeared agitate and over excited all the time. Sarfaraz kind of falls in the same category. Hafeez is just not competent enough in my book. Azhar looked clueless. Younis was good. Misbah excellent in my opinion.

What troubles me is the conspiracy theorists who pop up and blame everything on anti Karachi, pro Punjabi policy. It is effing ridiculous. Our most mature and competent cricketers are now coming from KPK. Stop living in the 80s and 90s.

maybe getting be sarfaraz captaincy on a series by series basis and see how he does. He is declining as a keeper so I do t know if giving him test captaincy as added burden will help though.

 

[htariq25]

Azhar is a better choice if not sarfraz!