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"Our batsmen don't make Test centuries that often" : Sarfaraz Ahmed

Abdullah719

T20I Captain
Joined
Apr 16, 2013
Runs
44,825
Sarfaraz Ahmed's presser ahead of the 2nd Test vs NZ:

"We have left behind the mistakes we committed in the first Test. We had a meeting and discussed that we need to look forward, this Test is important and we should not repeat the same mistakes again, we need to play good cricket"

"We have the same playing XI but we have Shaheen Shah Afridi back in the squad and depending on the pitch tomorrow, we may make one change"

"The pitch has some moisture so we'll decide in the morning whether we should play another fast bowler or play two spinners"

"It was very disappointing to lose as we got so close, we should have won. However, it's part of the game and the match can turn around very quickly. We will try to ensure this doesn't happen again"

"Toss is very important if you think the pitch will start turning a lot in the 4th innings, if you can play in the first innings and make a big score then the opponents are under pressure as they have the 4th innings in mind. So in Asia, teams generally try to bat first after winning the toss"

"Pakistan team has come up short in chases recently, that's true and we will have to look at it. In ODIs and T20Is, we are going well but we will have to improve while chasing in Tests"

"In the last 8 Tests, we have noted that batsmen aren't making big runs, we throw away starts. We don't make centuries that often. We have discussed that if anyone gets set, they should take the game deep and if in the 4th innings, finish the game"

"We are focused on the current series and are trying to improve our fitness, our physio and trainer are doing really well with the boys regarding workouts and wellness program, which helps to recover from slight injuries etc. We are trying to use fast-bowlers intelligently as we have a lot of cricket coming up, we have a bench of 7-8 fast bowlers. It's tough but this is professional cricket and this is the time to play cricket and become mature"

"In the last few years, the Dubai and Abu Dhabi pitches have been very similar but in the last 2 matches, Abu Dhabi pitch is playing very differently. It didn't have so much turn before and we would see 500-600 runs scored but now batsmen have to apply themselves a lot, it's difficult for batsmen. It looks like this pitch may play similarly to how the last match in Dubai went, we will try to not repeat the same mistakes and play with good preparation"

"Ajaz Patel didn't bowl any bad balls in a pressure situation, he deserves credit for bowling well"
 
Sarfraz can't score a half century so there is no point blaming other batsmen for failing to make centuries!!
 
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His words, even when heard by his team mates, would fume anyone.

He doesn't even make the team on merit, doesn't perform, can't bat, average keeper, commands no respect.

How can he even talk about hundreds when he can't score 10 - 20 runs to save a match? That too against spinners, not his bogeyman pacers.

Averaging in 20s.
 
Sarfraz " Dear team and especially our top order batsmen I take my words back since I have only scored in a test before last but not in the last test, you should also relax and do not worry about scoring big as your no 7 batsman has not scored century for a while"
 
Sarfraz " Dear team and especially our top order batsmen I take my words back since I have only scored in a test before last but not in the last test, you should also relax and do not worry about scoring big as your no 7 batsman has not scored century for a while"

You clearly missed the point of what people are saying.
 
Why don't you lead the way? Score a 100 and drop those who aren't performing. (Including you). Have the guts!
 
You clearly missed the point of what people are saying.

I clearly did as I see no other reason for singling out Sarfraz as if other 6 batsmen are pulling tree trunks out, just because he happens to be captain of the team. He can only perform best of his ability and like others can play shots which sometimes pay off other times lead to his dismissals. If alternatives are Rizwan then I can only but laugh at D&G fans. What I do admit to is that captaincy in 3 formats is too much of a burden on him and he should relinquish it in tests, and that will help him with his batting.
 
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Worst captain in world cricket. Honestly he treats the players like kids it’s ridiculous. Any other cricketing nation and their would be a revolt. Sarfraz is the worst keeper batsman in the world including minnow nations.

Can’t wait till post 2019 World Cup when we drop him.
 
Why don't you lead the way? Score a 100 and drop those who aren't performing. (Including you). Have the guts!
Did Misbah had guts, how many time has Hafeez been dropped under his captaincy and now Amir as well. Should he replace all the team as bar one or two players the whole team is not performingin tests
 
Specialist captain can't talk about other batsmen failing. Couldn't even play Patel when he is supposed to be a good player of spin :)).

This line up will struggle in South Africa. Babar will be fine but don't have much hope for the rest.
 
A waves refrigerator for Sarfaraz for stating the obvious
 
I saw the title of this thread and was like "yeah... PPers gonna put saifi through the ringer here.."

Saifi needs to own up to the fact that he hasn't been stepping up, enough of "our batsmen this, our batsmen that". When all fails, the team looks to their leader and the leader in this case seriously needs to be firing on all cylinders.
 
Specialist captain can't talk about other batsmen failing. Couldn't even play Patel when he is supposed to be a good player of spin :)).

This line up will struggle in South Africa. Babar will be fine but don't have much hope for the rest.

Not even Haris?
 
Sarfraz has himself got out 4 times from 80-94 runs in the last few years. Throws his wicket away when he's all set to get a hundred
 
He has a point.

40s and 50s don't win you matches.

It's almost like some of our batsmen think I've made 30 or 40 that should be enough to keep my place for the next Test match.
 
He has a point.

40s and 50s don't win you matches.

It's almost like some of our batsmen think I've made 30 or 40 that should be enough to keep my place for the next Test match.

Although in SA, considering your average pitch is a minefield for batsmen, 40s and 50s would be pretty good from our point of view. But yes I agree the approach should always be that if you score, you score big.
 
Sarfaraz Ahmed's presser ahead of the 2nd Test vs NZ:

"We have left behind the mistakes we committed in the first Test. We had a meeting and discussed that we need to look forward, this Test is important and we should not repeat the same mistakes again, we need to play good cricket"

"We have the same playing XI but we have Shaheen Shah Afridi back in the squad and depending on the pitch tomorrow, we may make one change"

"The pitch has some moisture so we'll decide in the morning whether we should play another fast bowler or play two spinners"

"It was very disappointing to lose as we got so close, we should have won. However, it's part of the game and the match can turn around very quickly. We will try to ensure this doesn't happen again"

"Toss is very important if you think the pitch will start turning a lot in the 4th innings, if you can play in the first innings and make a big score then the opponents are under pressure as they have the 4th innings in mind. So in Asia, teams generally try to bat first after winning the toss"

"Pakistan team has come up short in chases recently, that's true and we will have to look at it. In ODIs and T20Is, we are going well but we will have to improve while chasing in Tests"

"In the last 8 Tests, we have noted that batsmen aren't making big runs, we throw away starts. We don't make centuries that often. We have discussed that if anyone gets set, they should take the game deep and if in the 4th innings, finish the game"

"We are focused on the current series and are trying to improve our fitness, our physio and trainer are doing really well with the boys regarding workouts and wellness program, which helps to recover from slight injuries etc. We are trying to use fast-bowlers intelligently as we have a lot of cricket coming up, we have a bench of 7-8 fast bowlers. It's tough but this is professional cricket and this is the time to play cricket and become mature"

"In the last few years, the Dubai and Abu Dhabi pitches have been very similar but in the last 2 matches, Abu Dhabi pitch is playing very differently. It didn't have so much turn before and we would see 500-600 runs scored but now batsmen have to apply themselves a lot, it's difficult for batsmen. It looks like this pitch may play similarly to how the last match in Dubai went, we will try to not repeat the same mistakes and play with good preparation"

"Ajaz Patel didn't bowl any bad balls in a pressure situation, he deserves credit for bowling well"

who is stopping Sarfraz to make changes in the top 6 batsmen? You have a good batsman Saad Ali on bench why not select him instead of a TTF?
 
who is stopping Sarfraz to make changes in the top 6 batsmen? You have a good batsman Saad Ali on bench why not select him instead of a TTF?
Saad Ali is a better batsman than anyone in the team, since he is on the bench. PPers logic :genius
 
If everyone 20 runs we would have won the test, let's get batsman who score some runs consistently. Drop your best batsman fakhar from the squad and watch these 30 averaging batsmen fail to score 20.
 
Saad Ali is a better batsman than anyone in the team, since he is on the bench. PPers logic :genius

Only Azhar Ali averages over 40 that too at a strike rate of 41 maybe the logic isn't too bad is it a number of batsmen can do better than the ones selected currently.

Fakhar Zaman
Saud Shakeel
Umar Akmal
Fawad Alam
Saad Ali

Batting looks stronger already with the above top order than the batsmen currently selected after the SA tour there has to be changes.
 
When was the last time a new batsmen came to the team and started scoring century as a habit. Saud Shakeel might be a good talent but to say his inclusion in the playing 11 will make us world beaters need to wake up from their sleep.
 
Only Azhar Ali averages over 40 that too at a strike rate of 41 maybe the logic isn't too bad is it a number of batsmen can do better than the ones selected currently.

Fakhar Zaman
Saud Shakeel
Umar Akmal
Fawad Alam
Saad Ali

Batting looks stronger already with the above top order than the batsmen currently selected after the SA tour there has to be changes.
That name doesn't belong in any self-respecting cricket team anymore.

Wait, so what makes you certain Saud Shakeel, Fawad Alam and Saad Ali will average in the 40s at international level here-on? Saud and Saad haven't played a ball at the highest level, and Fawad last played four years ago.
 
While he has done nothing with bat from long time, it is something I expect a captain should demand from their premier batsmen. This is where it is important that you score runs with bat as well and lead with an example. I mean if he had runs and then demanded this, there won't have been any criticism against this.

The hundreds are so norm in test cricket, they bound to come up if you have to win matches. Just look at no. of hundreds Pakistan current batsmen has: -

Azhar 14
Shafiq 11
Hafeez 10
Sarfaraz 3
Harris 1
Imam/ Babar 0
Rest 0

Total: - 39

39 hundreds in all from the whole team. That is a poor overall result.
 
Only Azhar Ali averages over 40 that too at a strike rate of 41 maybe the logic isn't too bad is it a number of batsmen can do better than the ones selected currently.

Fakhar Zaman
Saud Shakeel
Umar Akmal
Fawad Alam
Saad Ali

Batting looks stronger already with the above top order than the batsmen currently selected after the SA tour there has to be changes.

Umar Akmal?

Are you being serious?
 
That name doesn't belong in any self-respecting cricket team anymore.

Wait, so what makes you certain Saud Shakeel, Fawad Alam and Saad Ali will average in the 40s at international level here-on? Saud and Saad haven't played a ball at the highest level, and Fawad last played four years ago.

To your second part. How we will find out what Saud and Saad can do without trying them out?

Haven't we made positive experience by giving players like Fakhar, Shadab, Hasan and Abbas a chance while dropping deadbags like Umar, Shehzad and Wahab?

What is the reason to be so scared of experimenting?
 
To your second part. How we will find out what Saud and Saad can do without trying them out?

Haven't we made positive experience by giving players like Fakhar, Shadab, Hasan and Abbas a chance while dropping deadbags like Umar, Shehzad and Wahab?

What is the reason to be so scared of experimenting?
Not scared of experimenting. Just have a problem with people thinking everyone on the bench is a superhero while everyone in the team is a joke.
 
127 and 147 aren't big hundreds. But yeah, nice to finally see some centuries

147 is arguable and 127 can turn out to be a big one as well. Anyways,my point is just that the captain got what he wished for.
 
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