Harsh Reality:
The hardest thing for fans is to accept that their team is no longer able to compete in the top tier and no longer supremely dominant. There are many examples from around the world, Liverpool, Miami Heat, Chicago Cubs and recently Manchester United. Within the context of Pakistan, Squash and Hockey (historically) and recently cricket are the obvious examples. Except, Pakistan was never supremely dominant in cricket throughout its history, glimpses of dominance and supreme performance but never utterly dominant.
There are many studies about collective sports team collapse, but the study below is a fine example.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6232390/
Whenever, “decline” occurs the fans put pressure on the board and the board makes predictable decisions removing support personnel, replacing the Head coach (Manager etc) and replacing players. History of Teams which rebound shows that when “musical chair” style changes do not work, a systematic review is undertaken, and root and branch changes are made. The resurgence of English White ball Cricket is a fine example of systematic changes and not superficial changes, it took time for the changes to embed themselves and during the period there were agonizing defeats and close calls and media had the knives out but ECB persevered.
What is wrong with Pakistan Cricket?
In order to understand the problem, learn to ignore the highs (Champions Trophy win) or lows (loss by New Zealand) and look at the median.
What do you see when you watch Quaid-e-Azam Cup, Pakistan Cup or even the PSL? You see youngsters (even teens) unable to show basic fitness traits which should be second nature! You see lethargic and unfit youngsters unable to cut off singles, unable to sustain second spells, unable to run hard on the first single and you can directly compare it to Indian or MENA domestic competitions. Secondly, you see basic technical flaws (which can be present at this stage). Thirdly, you see lack of back game awareness!
Watch the current national players and then play back their games from a few years back in domestics and do you see any “major” improvements, no! Those who stood out as “outstanding fielders” still stand out, who has gone from ordinary to outstanding? Watch PSL 2024 and notice how the Pakistani bowlers with International experience bowl to Ifikhar Ahmed who has a serious problem with short ball for years and see how they hardly bowl in his area of obvious weakness!
The answer to “power” hitting is in the name, you can’t hit without power and for that you need muscle. Not Arnold but muscles specifically developed and trained for your craft.
Military camp gimmicks!
Just like, ordinary life the false belief that “Kakul Academy” will fix the problems needs to end. You can’t get fit in 2 weeks, its scientifically impossible, you can get better conditioned and have better team bonding,
Elite sportsmen should be protected from injury and making them run over obstacle courses is risky and can result in injury.
Trajectories of Pakistan & India
While Pakistani people and media were preaching the benefits of “meat based” diet, India was investing in the MRF pace Academy and putting their youngsters through the paces. Today, there is no comparison between Indian and Pakistani pacers in terms of wicket taking and winning games…Stop looking at pace! Indian pacers are winning series around the world while we are unable to win in our backyard.
Watch YouTube videos of coaching from India and see how basics are being emphasized and our greats still talking about "locking the wrist and swinging the ball"
What needs to done?
You can put your mother-in-law as coach and it will not “much” difference. Hiring a top coach will make “some” difference but what is needed is to change the trajectory of Pakistan sports (not just cricket). Media has likes and dislikes and toxic narrative in every country and Pakistan is no different. The harsh reality of Pakistan Cricket is fully embodied in “Azam Khan”! Its not about fat shaming or his girth but the fact that years later he is still the same. If he has a serious medical condition then he shouldn’t be playing and if he doesn’t he shouldn’t be playing because by this time he should have been supremely fit and lost all of the extra weight even if he was a member of a $30/month gym!
How is it possible for someone who looks like Azam Khan to be part of franchise and International cricket for so long? It isn’t down to PCB, he has the resources to get help himself and be disciplined enough to get fitter.
Pakistan needs to change its system on a war footing. Instead of hiring expensive coaching staff, hire low to mid-tier fitness coaches and embed them at every level of the system. Teach kids what “biryani and cakes” does to your system. During summer, organize (longer) boot camps and emphasize fitness alongside cricketing skills, there should be a substantial and measurable difference within 12 weeks, otherwise fire the instructor!
Then make all your domestic players play longer cricket. You can’t learn cricket without playing cricket and for longer. Bowlers, Batsmen and fielders all need to toil for long hours to develop muscle memory and learn endurance. The yardstick is to watch domestic performance and measure players in the mid to long term.
Everyone knows all of it and there is nothing new here. Media has knives out after every series and (toxic) ex-players rant and rave on the Media and talk about dropping X and inducting Y and Pakistan cricket is caught in a vicious cycle and it will never get out until someone with authority has the audacity to break the circuit!
The hardest thing for fans is to accept that their team is no longer able to compete in the top tier and no longer supremely dominant. There are many examples from around the world, Liverpool, Miami Heat, Chicago Cubs and recently Manchester United. Within the context of Pakistan, Squash and Hockey (historically) and recently cricket are the obvious examples. Except, Pakistan was never supremely dominant in cricket throughout its history, glimpses of dominance and supreme performance but never utterly dominant.
There are many studies about collective sports team collapse, but the study below is a fine example.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6232390/
Whenever, “decline” occurs the fans put pressure on the board and the board makes predictable decisions removing support personnel, replacing the Head coach (Manager etc) and replacing players. History of Teams which rebound shows that when “musical chair” style changes do not work, a systematic review is undertaken, and root and branch changes are made. The resurgence of English White ball Cricket is a fine example of systematic changes and not superficial changes, it took time for the changes to embed themselves and during the period there were agonizing defeats and close calls and media had the knives out but ECB persevered.
What is wrong with Pakistan Cricket?
In order to understand the problem, learn to ignore the highs (Champions Trophy win) or lows (loss by New Zealand) and look at the median.
What do you see when you watch Quaid-e-Azam Cup, Pakistan Cup or even the PSL? You see youngsters (even teens) unable to show basic fitness traits which should be second nature! You see lethargic and unfit youngsters unable to cut off singles, unable to sustain second spells, unable to run hard on the first single and you can directly compare it to Indian or MENA domestic competitions. Secondly, you see basic technical flaws (which can be present at this stage). Thirdly, you see lack of back game awareness!
Watch the current national players and then play back their games from a few years back in domestics and do you see any “major” improvements, no! Those who stood out as “outstanding fielders” still stand out, who has gone from ordinary to outstanding? Watch PSL 2024 and notice how the Pakistani bowlers with International experience bowl to Ifikhar Ahmed who has a serious problem with short ball for years and see how they hardly bowl in his area of obvious weakness!
The answer to “power” hitting is in the name, you can’t hit without power and for that you need muscle. Not Arnold but muscles specifically developed and trained for your craft.
Military camp gimmicks!
Just like, ordinary life the false belief that “Kakul Academy” will fix the problems needs to end. You can’t get fit in 2 weeks, its scientifically impossible, you can get better conditioned and have better team bonding,
Elite sportsmen should be protected from injury and making them run over obstacle courses is risky and can result in injury.
Trajectories of Pakistan & India
While Pakistani people and media were preaching the benefits of “meat based” diet, India was investing in the MRF pace Academy and putting their youngsters through the paces. Today, there is no comparison between Indian and Pakistani pacers in terms of wicket taking and winning games…Stop looking at pace! Indian pacers are winning series around the world while we are unable to win in our backyard.
Watch YouTube videos of coaching from India and see how basics are being emphasized and our greats still talking about "locking the wrist and swinging the ball"
What needs to done?
You can put your mother-in-law as coach and it will not “much” difference. Hiring a top coach will make “some” difference but what is needed is to change the trajectory of Pakistan sports (not just cricket). Media has likes and dislikes and toxic narrative in every country and Pakistan is no different. The harsh reality of Pakistan Cricket is fully embodied in “Azam Khan”! Its not about fat shaming or his girth but the fact that years later he is still the same. If he has a serious medical condition then he shouldn’t be playing and if he doesn’t he shouldn’t be playing because by this time he should have been supremely fit and lost all of the extra weight even if he was a member of a $30/month gym!
How is it possible for someone who looks like Azam Khan to be part of franchise and International cricket for so long? It isn’t down to PCB, he has the resources to get help himself and be disciplined enough to get fitter.
Pakistan needs to change its system on a war footing. Instead of hiring expensive coaching staff, hire low to mid-tier fitness coaches and embed them at every level of the system. Teach kids what “biryani and cakes” does to your system. During summer, organize (longer) boot camps and emphasize fitness alongside cricketing skills, there should be a substantial and measurable difference within 12 weeks, otherwise fire the instructor!
Then make all your domestic players play longer cricket. You can’t learn cricket without playing cricket and for longer. Bowlers, Batsmen and fielders all need to toil for long hours to develop muscle memory and learn endurance. The yardstick is to watch domestic performance and measure players in the mid to long term.
Everyone knows all of it and there is nothing new here. Media has knives out after every series and (toxic) ex-players rant and rave on the Media and talk about dropping X and inducting Y and Pakistan cricket is caught in a vicious cycle and it will never get out until someone with authority has the audacity to break the circuit!
