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On This Day: February 19, 1985 - Azhar Ali was born

A

Abdullah719

T20I Captain
Joined
Apr 16, 2013
Runs
44,825
253484.3.jpg
 
Happy birthday Azhar. A man who always gives 100 percent and is very humble. Every team needs players like this.
 
Upcoming overseas tours will decide his legacy. Let’s see whether he can stand up.
 
Pakistan's best ever opener in Tests and a future ATG in that particular format.
 
Happy Birthday to a certified Pakistan Cricket legend in the test format.
 
One of the few Pakistani test batsman that can actually score big and consistently outside Asia. A true gem! Happy Birthday, Azhar! :salute
 
Remember his debut in England 2010, tough baptism, has only got better since. Good top order bat in test cricket and importantly when he scores, he scores big :)
 
He was a very good player from 09/10 - 16/17.

However, his time is up and he's past it now. Should not be picked again.
 
Happy Birthday Azhar Ali

The Pakistan Test Skipper turns 35 today. Should lead until he's aged 38 up until the second World Test Championship final in 2023.

Big Match player:
302* in Pakistan first day night Test in 2016.
205* at the MCG boxing day Test 2016.
50 vs India in the Champions Trophy pool game 2017.
76 vs England in the Champions Trophy semi final 2017.
59 vs India in the Champions Trophy final 2017.
Crucial half century in the Test win at Lord's in 2018 to set up the foundations for an impressive lead.

Greatest Pakistan player to have never played a World Cup game.

Played 34 consecutive Test series for Pakistan.
Played 77 out of 81 Tests since his debut.

19 international 100s for Pakistan.
14 international wins as Pakistan Captain.
Most ODI 100s by a Pakistan Captain with 3 in just 31 ODIs.

Backing him to lead Pakistan to a Test win in England this summer. Team have bounced back nicely after a tough time in Australia.

Should be playing in the PSL as well as the premier Pakistan Test batsman still playing statistically over a sustained period of time and a hero of the Champions Trophy win. Remember how he put on over 100 for the opening wicket for Lahore Qalandars in the PSL of 2016 alongside Gayle and made an impressive half century. He's barely played another PSL game after that.
 
His best inning was the 2017 CT final against India. He is the only reason we won that day. If it wasn't for him then none of our batsmen including FZ would be able to do anything.
 
[MENTION=40190]BoomBoomCricket[/MENTION]

On what basis should he captain Pakistan for three more years?

His Test average outside Asia since his 33rd birthday Is 12.12.

He used to be an international class batsman but he hasn’t been for two years now, and you want to give him three more years?

Outside Asia he is effectively a Number 9 batsman.
 
Last edited:
badsha001 said:
His best inning was the 2017 CT final against India. He is the only reason we won that day. If it wasn't for him then none of our batsmen including FZ would be able to do anything.
Click to expand...

he was a really good odi batsman, had the potential to be like babar if he was taken care of and given chances like babar. that may have also benefited his test batting.

even in domestic cricket , his list a average was much higher than his first class average.
 
Along with Misbah, has led an unbelievable turnaround for PCT - selections, execution, everything has been perfect. [MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION] you have to give it to him. You wanted it, he gave it to you - Pakistan is a top 3 team today only due to Misbah and Azhar Ali's vision.
 
Last edited:
Junaids said:
[MENTION=40190]BoomBoomCricket[/MENTION]

On what basis should he captain Pakistan for three more years?

His Test average outside Asia since his 33rd birthday Is 12.12.

He used to be an international class batsman but he hasn’t been for two years now, and you want to give him three more years?

Outside Asia he is effectively a Number 9 batsman.
Click to expand...

75 run opening stand at the Gabba. Was looking the part.
Helped Somerset win the Royal London One Day Cup in 2019 in England with some valuable contributions, particularly in the knockout games and big games.
He started his Test career at 25 so still has plenty in the tank. Didn't exactly start early.
Only 2 of Pakistan's next 9 Test series are in SENA and both are this year with Eng and NZ. Got those 9 series in him for sure.
Won't be going to SA and Aus in his career again.
 
Azhar Ali is now one of the four oldest remaining non-bowlers in Test cricket.

The only one whose batting performances are relatively intact is Ross Taylor, who will retire next month.

Azhar as a batsman since the age of 33 is identical to FAF du Plessis, whose performances made him quit as captain.

And they are both identical to Tim Paine Minus the Wicketkeeping.

In other words, what you get from a geriatric Azhar Ali is identical to if you picked Tim Paine (in old age) as a Specialist Batsman.

The OP has listed Azhar’s feats as a younger man.

But he hasn’t explained why Azhar is suitable to continue at an older age than his long-retired contemporaries AB De Villiers and Alastair Cook, or even Kevin Pietersen or Graeme Smith or Michael Clarke.

Was Azhar so superior a batsman to them that his skills have lasted until an older age?
 
Imagine thinking he should carry on till 38. Carrying on just based on age not performance.

He’s 38-41 years old.

I hope this time next year he’s gone.
 
Azhar Ali's entire Test record outside Asia since his 33rd birthday

4
2
50
4
2
11
36
0
2
6
0
15
39
5
9
9

8 Tests
16 innings
194 runs (in 16 innings!)
1 fifty
0 hundreds
11 single digit scores
Average 12.12
 
Junaids said:
Azhar Ali is now one of the four oldest remaining non-bowlers in Test cricket.

The only one whose batting performances are relatively intact is Ross Taylor, who will retire next month.

Azhar as a batsman since the age of 33 is identical to FAF du Plessis, whose performances made him quit as captain.

And they are both identical to Tim Paine Minus the Wicketkeeping.

In other words, what you get from a geriatric Azhar Ali is identical to if you picked Tim Paine (in old age) as a Specialist Batsman.

The OP has listed Azhar’s feats as a younger man.

But he hasn’t explained why Azhar is suitable to continue at an older age than his long-retired contemporaries AB De Villiers and Alastair Cook, or even Kevin Pietersen or Graeme Smith or Michael Clarke.

Was Azhar so superior a batsman to them that his skills have lasted until an older age?
Click to expand...

Misbah ul Haq scored 43 50+ scores in 99 Test innings after the age of 36 as Pakistan Captain when he came back into the side in 2010 till 2017 :))) :)))

Scored 5 of his 10 Test centuries after the age of 40. All against good teams i.e Aus, NZ and Eng.

Hitting a century in his first Test innings in England aged 42 on 14th July 2016 having not played a Test Match since 5th November 2015 the previous year.

Was man of the series in England aged 42 in 2016.
Averaged over 100 in a series win in New Zealand in 2011.
Was consistent in the West Indies in 2011 and 2017 too.

Dravid scored 3 Test centuries in England in 2011 aged 38.

Alastair Cook made his Test debut at 21 and played 150 Tests. He was mentally so tired.
Graeme Smith also started in his early 20s and played over 100 Tests.
Clarke also played over 100 Tests.
They all had long stints as Captain too which took its toll.

Azhar has only captained in 6 Tests and played 77 Tests in comparison. He generally plays little Test Cricket in a calendar year given he plays for Pakistan. Started his Test career later than the others so is not as drained.

It is not about age.
It is about volume of top level cricket played.
It is about how long you've been playing international cricket.
 
Last edited:
BoomBoomCricket said:
Misbah ul Haq scored 43 50+ scores in 99 Test innings after the age of 36 as Pakistan Captain when he came back into the side in 2010 till 2017 :))) :)))

Scored 5 of his 10 Test centuries after the age of 40. All against good teams i.e Aus, NZ and Eng.

Hitting a century in his first Test innings in England aged 42 on 14th July 2016 having not played a Test Match since 5th November 2015 the previous year.

Was man of the series in England aged 42 in 2016.
Averaged over 100 in a series win in New Zealand in 2011.
Was consistent in the West Indies in 2011 and 2017 too.

Dravid scored 3 Test centuries in England in 2011 aged 38.

Alastair Cook made his Test debut at 21 and played 150 Tests. He was mentally so tired.
Graeme Smith also started in his early 20s and played over 100 Tests.
Clarke also played over 100 Tests.
They all had long stints as Captain too which took its toll.

Azhar has only captained in 6 Tests and played 77 Tests in comparison. He generally plays little Test Cricket in a calendar year given he plays for Pakistan. Started his Test career later than the others so is not as drained.

It is not about age.
It is about volume of top level cricket played.
It is about how long you've been playing international cricket.
Click to expand...
With respect, I disagree totally and completely.

Misbah and Younis were once in a lifetime players - once in a lifetime because:

a) In their forties they were the two fittest players in the team, and fitter even than the fast bowlers.
b) They both had unusual techniques in which they played the ball very late, right under their eyes. This allowed them to continue to maintain their averages beyond an age long after more conventional players - such as Azhar Ali - see their averages go into freefall.

Even then, Misbah's record in SENA late in his career was so appalling that here in Australia he was considered a national joke. For the record, Misbah's late career record in SENA was:

38
18
0
11
5
4
15
10
56
35
52
0
114
5
10
44
0
64
12

Misbah's record in SENA in the last five years of his career was pitiful:

10 Tests
19 innings
1 century
3 fifties
12 scores less than 20
493 runs
Average 25.94

There is a huge irony to this thread.

The people who tend to defend or support the continued embarrassment of Azhar Ali as a failing Test batsman tend to be admirers of Misbah-ul-Haq who see Azhar as a proxy for Misbah. They think that because Misbah appointed Azhar, if they acknowledge how hopeless he has become they somehow attack Misbah.

But that is the comical absurdity of the situation.

Misbah was a proper Test captain, who made clear to the Coach that he was his boss and that he had the final say. Hence the likes of Sohail Khan and Mohammad Hafeez and Imran Khan were selected against the wishes of Mickey Arthur.

Think about it. Can you even remember who the Chief Selector and Head Coach were when Imran Khan was the captain? Precisely, of course you can't.

But actually Misbah has installed Azhar because he is the opposite of himself. He is a weak, subservient puppet captain who lets the Coach and Chief Selector run the team.

Azhar is the opposite of Misbah as a captain.

And Azhar is the opposite of Misbah as a veteran batsman - he is one of the 99% who deteriorate with age.
 
Happy birthday to Azhar :azhar2

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OnThisDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OnThisDay</a> in 1985. Azhar Ali was born in Lahore.<br><br>85 Tests ✅<br>53 ODIs ✅<br>Captained Pakistan in Tests & ODIs ✅<br>Champions Trophy winner ✅<br>2 Test double-hundreds ✅<br>A Test triple-hundred ✅<br>Pakistan's 5th highest Test runscorer ✅<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://t.co/QXgpHQiP6u">pic.twitter.com/QXgpHQiP6u</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1362759949730906121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
In short, a fine batsman in his prime but one who has struggled with making changes to his batting.

His refusal to open and insisting to bat at #3 has damaged his career in the long-run.

A poor cricketing brain with meek leadership qualities resulted in the greatest Pakistani cricketing blunder since the match-fixing scandal.

No controversies off the field and a very useful and underused part-time bowler.

Should retire to save his legacy.
 
37+ Average in SENA+WI with 6 x 100s (Better record than Pujara)

~6500 test runs, Pakistani test great!
 
Average player who was forcefully tried to turn in to a legend. Got a free run for a decade. If it wasn’t for pathetic Misbah and Waqar he would have never made it to the national team.
 
Happy Birthday! Great player who's had his fair share of match winning innings. Not sure how much longer he will play but that match saving innings against England in the third Test last year was class and showed he probably has more left.
 
Underappreciated Pakistan great. He will partner Saeed Anwar at the top of the innings in my all time Pakistan Test XI.
 
Heisenberg111 said:
Saeed Anwar's opening partner has to be none other than the late Hanif Mohammad.
Click to expand...

I have lots of respect for Hanif Mohammad but you have to look at the eras too. On pure ability, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Azhar is better. Obviously Hanif bhai will always be the bigger legend.
 
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