Pakistan's 12 months of Test cricket at home ends with 0 wins, under Babar Azam's captaincy

[Major]

The title says it all. We lost and drew matches. Icc gave us the icc trst champion on a plate by giving us hoke games against the top teams and we blew all the games becuase of rameez raja pitch doctoring and Babar Azam inability to act as a captain.

The guy most happy with a draw tonight was Babar, that shows how bad things are

==

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Pakistan last 8 Test matches at home:<br><br>Draw<br>Draw<br>Lost<br>Lost<br>Lost<br>Lost<br>Draw<br>Draw</p>— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/SajSadiqCricket/status/1611347007884378112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
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[Savak]

This was hopefully his final match as captain.

 

[Suleiman]

Sadly, I still fear they will keep him as captain. They are confusing batting reputation (which in his case can be overrated at times, let’s be honest) with ability as captain.

New PCB regime though, who knows. Let’s see if Sethi tolerates.

 

[greatest]

Next real challenge for the Test team is in Australia. As usual a 3-0 humiliation in the waiting.

Let's see if we can compete in Sri Lanka.

The problem is because we play so less Test Cricket our Test players don't get the international experience. And sadly our white ball players don't prefer Test Cricket.

I can't see this Pakistan team reaching any heights in Test Cricket.

 

[jnaveen1980]

After pulling off 2 miraculous draws he is going to be your captain !

 

[Cric1234]

If they wanted to make flat wickets then selecting more naturally aggressive batsmen was ideal Umar Akmal Haider Sarfraz are the type of batsmen who can win you matches.

Unfortunately neither that happened nor was a spinner found to win tests which is difficult with the lack of options currently but poor tactics planning and a scared of the opposition kind of approach has yielded these results.

It’s always not a good thing when people who aren’t involved with the Pakistan cricket team could have done a better job at selecting players as random test caps were given to players without much thought going into their selections.

 

[greatest]

This was hopefully his final match as captain.

They will keep him till the 2023 WC.

 

[Markhor]

It's an extraordinary stat - give Bangladesh eight home Tests against the same opponents and I'm sure they could've mustered at least one victory.

Yet Babar, who seems totally shameless and lacking self-respect, was grinning like a cheshire cat along with the vice-captain after a draw. I guess draws feel like wins when you're Karachi Kings captain and lose 90% of matches.

This comes after suffering our first ever home Test whitewash, and four consecutive home Test defeats which never happened even in our darkest moments as a Test nation. The mentality since Day 1 of the Pindi Test vs AUS has been to avoid defeat as evident from the pitches, tactics and selections.

What's worse is Babar hears criticism about his cowardly and timid captaincy - and responds with ill-conceived, fake bravado !

He starts our tail at 7 for the 3rd Test vs AUS's potent attack to play 5 specialist bowlers, and we get blown away. He declares in the 1st Test vs NZ despite zero chance of PAK taking 10 wickets in 10-15 overs, and very nearly loses the Test trying to mindlessly imitate the aggressive captaincy of Ben Stokes.

I'll give him his due as a batsman - there's been a few excellent innings. However after the Karachi draw vs AUS, a batsman of his class should've helped save at least one Test vs ENG or NZ on very flat pitches. The soft dismissals in pressure situations show why he's long way off ATG status. If Babar wants to protect his legacy, he should accept his limitations as captain and resign.

 

[boomboomcheema]

The overall series result was better compared to whitewash against England, so it will be hailed as an progress and Babar will continue as the Captain in all formats. Its also the ODI WC year so don't think much chopping and changing will happen anyway.

 

[Cover Drive Six]

Lost to AUS (0-1)
Lost to ENG (0-3)
Draw with NZ (0-0)

8 consecutive Tests at home without a win!

 

[Plumb]

So Pakistan is not playing any test in 2023?? Is this true? wow...

In a way its good....

 

[Adil_94]

It's an extraordinary stat - give Bangladesh eight home Tests against the same opponents and I'm sure they could've mustered at least one victory.

Yet Babar, who seems totally shameless and lacking self-respect, was grinning like a cheshire cat along with the vice-captain after a draw. I guess draws feel like wins when you're Karachi Kings captain and lose 90% of matches.

This comes after suffering our first ever home Test whitewash, and four consecutive home Test defeats which never happened even in our darkest moments as a Test nation. The mentality since Day 1 of the Pindi Test vs AUS has been to avoid defeat as evident from the pitches, tactics and selections.

What's worse is Babar hears criticism about his cowardly and timid captaincy - and responds with ill-conceived, fake bravado !

He starts our tail at 7 for the 3rd Test vs AUS's potent attack to play 5 specialist bowlers, and we get blown away. He declares in the 1st Test vs NZ despite zero chance of PAK taking 10 wickets in 10-15 overs, and very nearly loses the Test trying to mindlessly imitate the aggressive captaincy of Ben Stokes.

I'll give him his due as a batsman - there's been a few excellent innings. However after the Karachi draw vs AUS, a batsman of his class should've helped save at least one Test vs ENG or NZ on very flat pitches. The soft dismissals in pressure situations show why he's long way off ATG status. If Babar wants to protect his legacy, he should accept his limitations as captain and resign.

Great Post bro. The captaincy will just be a millstone that will obscure his barring records

 

[Adil_94]

So Pakistan is not playing any test in 2023?? Is this true? wow...

In a way its good....

We play 2 tests vs SL then I think one Test in Aus towards end of the year

 

[Rajdeep]

I have always said it that UAE suited Pakistan team the most as those low and slow surfaces are ideal for Pakistani spinners. Bowlers like Ajmal and Yasir used to torment opposition batsmen there. UAE was almost a fortress for Pakistan.

But for years we have heard the excuse about how Pakistan is missing on not able to play at home and how they would be a top side like India if cricket was not banned. Historically Pakistan always produced flat tracks where batting is very easy. Sehwag used to score run a ball triple century here for fun. There is a reason Pakistan got better test record in India than in Pakistan. On these flat decks, more often than not top sides would outbat Pakistan and the result would be either a draw or opposition win. This is exactly what happened where Pakistan played 8 tests at home, drew 4 and lost 4. LOL

 

[Amjid Javed]

If you look at the entire WTC cycle fixtures you couldn't have asked for more favourable fixtures (W.I away being only one in non Asian conditions) and babar dumb captaincy has made a dog dinners out of it.

To not win a single test in 8 tests is shameful the sooner clown captain is sacked the better.

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

Non Asian teams drawing and winning series at home is shameful, Babar should quit from test captaincy

 

[Champ_Pal]

Blame the pitches. Not conducive for Test cricket. They are all batting roads. Teams with better batting lineups will always outplay Pakistan on such roads.

 

[ask_analyse_act]

This team management "Qudrat ka nizam" Coach has set such low standards for the team and the players and that is why captain , vice-captain who is not even making in to the 11 is grinning as if they have achieved a great feat..

Cant produce a win at home soil after playing 8 tests against different oppositions for whom the conditions are foreign inflicted a whitewash too and to be happy about it is simply pathetic and need to be sacked immediately...

 

[ask_analyse_act]

Non Asian teams drawing and winning series at home is shameful, Babar should quit from test captaincy

Bazball inflicted a whitewash to this mediocre bunch..

 

[W63L35]

Babar Azam's away captaincy record.

Best Win/Loss Ratio among ALL captains in away tests.
Only one Pakistani captain (Misbah) has won more away tests than Babar.

 

[ali_ed2006]

please tell me you're joking with those stats above...

 

[Mamoon]

Babar Azam's away captaincy record.

Best Win/Loss Ratio among ALL captains in away tests.
Only one Pakistani captain (Misbah) has won more away tests than Babar.

Only because he is yet to captain Pakistan in Australia, England, New Zealand & South Africa.

When Pakistan toured New Zealand in 2020-21, he missed the series due to injury.

This is one of those stats that tell you absolutely nothing other than illustrate the point that they can be extremely deceiving without context.

 

[ali_ed2006]

1 test win in WI
2 wins in Zim
2 wins in Bangladesh
where was the 6th win?

 

[shariqnoor]

I want to talk about the 3 players that we have found in Pakistan's home season:

1. Abdullah Shafique:
Anyone who's followed me know how critical I am and have been of Abdullah Shafique. I said it even before the England series that Abdullah is the true heir to Azhar's throne. And he has proved that extraordinarily well in this home season. Shafique is a poster boy example of how a negative mindset inhibits your success. Given how many terrible openers we have tried in Test cricket over the past few years, Abdullah Shafique is easily the best of the lot in terms of technique and application. But he is easily one of the worst when it comes to imposing himself on the game. Never once does he look confident in his strokeplay. Always comes across as jittery/nervous even though he might be batting on a 100. This is not something that cannot be fixed. If he works on creating an aura of himself on the ground, it will drastically improve his run-making because he is not short on ability.

2. Saud Shakeel:
I really like the look of him because he never gives the vibe that he is ever in difficulty at the crease. Extremely confident in both attack and defence which is a trait that not many Pakistani batters have possessed in recent times. However, again for inexplicable reasons he played so slowly in the 2nd Test against New Zealand that it killed Pakistan's chances of winning the match. Was that a directive from Babar or was slowing down of his own volition? If it was the latter, it should be a massive cause of concern because he is someone who can score freely and can attack without looking perturbed. He played some good innings against England at a good strike rate. Let's not have him go the Azhar Ali route.

3. Agha Salman:
One of the best finds for Pakistan at number 7. Great player of spin, however massively undercooked against pace. In Asian conditions, he should be a shoe-in every match. Outside the subcontinent, he will probably be a sitting duck as he doesn't have the game against pace bowling. Also I have rarely come across a Pakistani batsman in recent times who looks so authoritative playing on the off side. His shots over cover to spin are incredible. Needs more improvement in his bowling as he bowls too full. Every time he bowled on a good length, he caused trouble.

Overall, two great finds in Saud and Agha. Needs to be invested in long-term.

 

[Usman Chadda]

So much doom and gloom, when the fact is that we don’t have a Test team. It’s a bunch of random players who don’t know any defined roles yet. Bowlers are a joke, the pacers with potential do not have the necessary experience to get Test class batsmen out. They have all played a handful of First-Class games, while the experienced campaigners selected from FC level are average and have no idea about international cricket themselves.

Batsmen eventually get bored of their own tuk tuk and throw their wickets away either by being strangled down the legside or miscuing their ugly hoicks.

There is nothing there to be excited, this is not an under-performing team. It’s just a really bad group of players, who are not interested in Test cricket.

No captain, coach, selector or chairman can change the Test results, we just have to endure this pitayi for a while.

 

[Markhor]

1 test win in WI
2 wins in Zim
2 wins in Bangladesh
where was the 6th win?

Sri Lanka.

Babar's away record has been boosted by weak teams.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

As a long suffering fan of Pakistani cricket, it has been highly embarrassing to witness the team's recent test cycle. Rather than offering any fight or courage, Pakistan has relied on the visiting teams to perform bravely and carry the matches. This approach was particularly evident in the way that Pakistan offered dead cricket pitches to Australia, England, and New Zealand, effectively neutralizing any chance of an exciting and competitive match.

The result of this approach has been a series of one-sided and uninspiring matches, with Pakistan failing to register a single win. Not only have the on-field performances been lacklustre, but the stadiums have also been largely empty, with little enthusiasm or support for the home team.

It is clear that there is currently no appetite for test cricket among Pakistani fans, administrators, and the team itself. The team lacks the ability and intelligence to play the game at the highest level, and there seems to be little desire to invest in the development of this form of the game.

As a fan, it is highly frustrating to see the current state of Pakistani cricket. The team has a rich history and a passionate fan base, and it is time for it to rediscover its fighting spirit and start delivering the exciting and competitive cricket that fans know it was once capable of.

The decline of Pakistani test cricket has been a long and gradual process, and it is a result of a number of factors. One of the main issues has been the lack of investment in player development and coaching. The Pakistani cricket system has struggled to produce quality players and leaders who are capable of competing at the highest level. This has led to a cycle of underperformance, as the team is constantly relying on a few key players to carry the load.

Another major issue has been the lack of support for test cricket from the administration and the media. In recent years, there has been a shift towards the shorter formats of the game, with the Twenty20 format receiving the lion's share of attention and investment. This has led to a neglect of the longer format, with test cricket becoming an afterthought for both the players and the fans.

It is unfortunately too late for Pakistani test cricket to turn things around. The team and the administration have let the longer format wither away, and it will take a significant effort to rebuild it. Unless there is a dramatic change in approach and mindset, it is unlikely that we will see a return to the competitive and exciting test cricket that Pakistan was once known for.

It is time for Pakistani cricket to take a hard look at itself and decide what it wants to be. If the team and the administration are not willing to commit to the rigorous demands of test cricket and the development of a strong and competitive team, then it may be time to focus on the shorter formats of the game.

 

[greatest]

As a long suffering fan of Pakistani cricket, it has been highly embarrassing to witness the team's recent test cycle. Rather than offering any fight or courage, Pakistan has relied on the visiting teams to perform bravely and carry the matches. This approach was particularly evident in the way that Pakistan offered dead cricket pitches to Australia, England, and New Zealand, effectively neutralizing any chance of an exciting and competitive match.

The result of this approach has been a series of one-sided and uninspiring matches, with Pakistan failing to register a single win. Not only have the on-field performances been lacklustre, but the stadiums have also been largely empty, with little enthusiasm or support for the home team.

It is clear that there is currently no appetite for test cricket among Pakistani fans, administrators, and the team itself. The team lacks the ability and intelligence to play the game at the highest level, and there seems to be little desire to invest in the development of this form of the game.

As a fan, it is highly frustrating to see the current state of Pakistani cricket. The team has a rich history and a passionate fan base, and it is time for it to rediscover its fighting spirit and start delivering the exciting and competitive cricket that fans know it was once capable of.

The decline of Pakistani test cricket has been a long and gradual process, and it is a result of a number of factors. One of the main issues has been the lack of investment in player development and coaching. The Pakistani cricket system has struggled to produce quality players and leaders who are capable of competing at the highest level. This has led to a cycle of underperformance, as the team is constantly relying on a few key players to carry the load.

Another major issue has been the lack of support for test cricket from the administration and the media. In recent years, there has been a shift towards the shorter formats of the game, with the Twenty20 format receiving the lion's share of attention and investment. This has led to a neglect of the longer format, with test cricket becoming an afterthought for both the players and the fans.

It is unfortunately too late for Pakistani test cricket to turn things around. The team and the administration have let the longer format wither away, and it will take a significant effort to rebuild it. Unless there is a dramatic change in approach and mindset, it is unlikely that we will see a return to the competitive and exciting test cricket that Pakistan was once known for.

It is time for Pakistani cricket to take a hard look at itself and decide what it wants to be. If the team and the administration are not willing to commit to the rigorous demands of test cricket and the development of a strong and competitive team, then it may be time to focus on the shorter formats of the game.

The current debacle is testimony that we as a nation, players and cricket admins have no interest in Test Cricket.

Sadly, we will no longer produce tough skillful players which only Test Cricket can produce. If all your top talented players want to play white ball cricket than the leftovers, the mediocre will only be selected to play the highest and toughest form of cricket. We will keep on embarrassing ourselves. There is no solution for our cricket.

 

[dildilpak]

Blame the pitches. Not conducive for Test cricket. They are all batting roads. Teams with better batting lineups will always outplay Pakistan on such roads.

More than that it is our bowling which has been simply awful on these pitches. Pakistan has the worst bowling lineup of all test playing nations. Most of our bowlers are good white ball bowlers & don’t know how to bowl test lengths. And our spinners are pathetic. We are struggling to get the opposition team out and that has been the difference, as our batting unit has actually done well.

We need to invest in developing red ball bowlers. Period.

 

[greatest]

More than that it is our bowling which has been simply awful on these pitches. Pakistan has the worst bowling lineup of all test playing nations. Most of our bowlers are good white ball bowlers & don’t know how to bowl test lengths. And our spinners are pathetic. We are struggling to get the opposition team out and that has been the difference, as our batting unit has actually done well.

We need to invest in developing red ball bowlers. Period.

If I'm right this is the first time we have failed to take 20 wickets in any of the matches in the entire home season. This is some record!

 

[Major]

Babar Azam's away captaincy record.

Best Win/Loss Ratio among ALL captains in away tests.
Only one Pakistani captain (Misbah) has won more away tests than Babar.

Babar is yet to play a proper team in away series

 

[oatmeal]

The next few series will be easier. He will not be sacked as captain

 

[SamNJ]

It is sad. After South Africa another proud test cricket nation bites the dust. NZ won't last long either.

 

[Devadwal]

The next few series will be easier. He will not be sacked as captain

Series against australia in Australia will be easier? Lol

 

[ask_analyse_act]

We play 2 tests vs SL then I think one Test in Aus towards end of the year

Before they go to SRL , they have a window in May - July'23 , and later they have a series with AFG just before ASIA cup not sure if that will happen (because AFG play their home games in India) .. While SA also have the same window open..

Should try talk to CSA and schedule home or away series (2 tests and 5 ODIs or tri-series involving Zimbos)

 

[ask_analyse_act]

If I'm right this is the first time we have failed to take 20 wickets in any of the matches in the entire home season. This is some record!

How can they expect to take ten wickets with the players they have selected.. Mohammed Ali (wonder how did he even get a chance ) also Mir Hamza with 120kph domestic players are getting out to him is simply shows the gap between intl and domestics..

 

[JibranAnsari]

Pakistan didnt have bowling firepower to win , without quality experienced spinner and a couple of good test pacers you cant win against good sides.

 

[Barragan]

Babar Azam needs to be axed as a captain!

Also, the FC comp needs to be twice a year.

Get guys like Rauf, Hasnain, Dahani etc playing FC.

 

[Amjid Javed]

Worst thing is this was 1st tour for all 3 visitors in a longtime and PCB decided to act like cowards with pitches produced and the mindset. Teams like SL and Bangla if the had same fixtures would have produced wickets to atleast give their players best chance to try and win games and I reckon that both these teams wouldn't have 8 home games without a win.

Come pakistans next series babar as captain, saqi as coach and players like Shan masood need to be gone

 

[shamaan]

Series against australia in Australia will be easier? Lol

Definitely easier as thier will be no expectations.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Unfair to pin it all on Bobby. He led PAK to a series win over SA. The thing is while that was a commendable win, SA are probably weaker than even Windies in Asian conditions . They can't bowl or bat in these conditions.

Its one thing beating the likes of SA, SL and BD at home. OZ, England and NZ are much more competitive and resilient and the results showed. PAK are just not good enough - Bobby or no Bobby.

 

[Abdullah Rabbani]

After winning against south Africa why these idiots turn pitches into road Pakistan will never change

 

[hitthestump]

Unfair to pin it all on Bobby. He led PAK to a series win over SA. The thing is while that was a commendable win, SA are probably weaker than even Windies in Asian conditions . They can't bowl or bat in these conditions.

Its one thing beating the likes of SA, SL and BD at home. OZ, England and NZ are much more competitive and resilient and the results showed. PAK are just not good enough - Bobby or no Bobby.

You're not wrong but zero home wins is not an outcome any test playing nation can forgive.

There is a distinct lack of alternative candidates but either way, Babar's test captaincy days should be done.

He has done remarkably well with the t20 side and the WC is pretty close, so i think he should keep the white ball job.

 

[oatmeal]

Series against australia in Australia will be easier? Lol

Home series will be easier. Regarding Australia in Australia, even a single draw will be above expectations. So there is no pressure

 

[Markhor]

Unfair to pin it all on Bobby. He led PAK to a series win over SA.

When Misbah was coach and basically still calling the shots as Waqar admitted himself.

Since Ramiz took over and gave Babar unchecked power, you see the results.

 

[malakian]

You can't just blame the pitches, this is easily the weakest Pakistan team I can remember. Pak need Afridi back ASAP

 

[Minnowbasher]

Test cricket has passed away in Pakistan. We will never be a good test team again. That is unless and until we prioritize this format like India did under Virat Kohli and play at least 10 tests a year consistently. I've heard we might not even play a test next year or maybe just 2 or 3 which will only worsen the situation.

 

[W63L35]

Only because he is yet to captain Pakistan in Australia, England, New Zealand & South Africa.

When Pakistan toured New Zealand in 2020-21, he missed the series due to injury.

This is one of those stats that tell you absolutely nothing other than illustrate the point that they can be extremely deceiving without context.

It is strange ..... even borderline comical that the number of wins without the "context" are deceiving.... but the number of losses in the original post without the "context" are not deceiving.

Allow me to put "context" into orginal post.

Our 4 losses were againt two best test teams in the world - Autralia (Ranked #1) and England (Ranked #3). I can blame Babar's capataincy all I want or have an agenda or vested interest against Babar but expecting Pakistan to beat these two teams with the bowlers like Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Hasan Ali, Mahmmad Wasim, Zahid Mahmood etc is like living in fool's paradise.

By the away if Pakistna's away wins against weaker teams do not hold any value then keep in mind we were much weaker than the two teams that beat us in Pakistan. They should not hold any value either for Eng, Aus and their fans - by the same logic. Right?

 

[Nasty Naz]

I am just glad there is no Test cricket in Pakistan for a while because my god, what an abysmal experience it has been. No one should ever ask why fans in Pakistan don't watch Test cricket.

Babar has been awful as a captain, awful with lineup selections, awful tactics, awful at assessing conditions and just about everything you can think of. At least Babar is an inexperienced captain and deserves some leniency but this coaching staff? They are the biggest joke I have ever seen and as an inexperienced captain, he needs much needed guidance & support from the coaching staff and he simply hasn't gotten it.

 

[Markhor]

So much doom and gloom, when the fact is that we don’t have a Test team. It’s a bunch of random players who don’t know any defined roles yet. Bowlers are a joke, the pacers with potential do not have the necessary experience to get Test class batsmen out. They have all played a handful of First-Class games, while the experienced campaigners selected from FC level are average and have no idea about international cricket themselves.

Batsmen eventually get bored of their own tuk tuk and throw their wickets away either by being strangled down the legside or miscuing their ugly hoicks.

There is nothing there to be excited, this is not an under-performing team. It’s just a really bad group of players, who are not interested in Test cricket.

No captain, coach, selector or chairman can change the Test results, we just have to endure this pitayi for a while.

Isn't it the captain's job to clarify the roles of each player ? Sorry to be blunt brother but there's always an excuse for Babar be it his T20 batting or captaincy. Yes agreed our talent pool, particularly in bowling, is mediocre. Frankly, I've never seen a weaker Test attack in our history. Our administration is a politicised clown show.

However if we keep citing external factors then I guess we should never hold anybody accountable for poor performances ? Should we let Babar continue for eternity ? I'm not criticising Babar because he hasn't turned us into worldbeaters, but because he's done horribly by our own historic standards !

1) Team results

Sarfraz and Azhar also had limited talent pools at their disposal yet results never plunged to such depths. Sarfraz still took a Test off Australia and New Zealand, and frankly should've beaten the Kiwis had mental midget Azhar not fluffed a simple chase. He drew in England without Younis and Misbah. Azhar hammered Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, and gave England a tough fight in the one completed Test in 2020 during COVID.

Meanwhile Babar couldn't win a solitary home Test in eight attempts ! This is a far weaker, ageing New Zealand without Boult and Jamieson. Australia are on the rise under Cummins but still drew against a weak Sri Lanka. And despite the hype over Bazball, all three Tests were salvageable with better leadership. He's our first skipper to lose four consecutive home Tests.

2) Selections

Zahid Mehmood over Abrar Ahmed is a sackable offence alone. How do you not select the leading QEA Trophy wicket-taker, and select someone who wasn't even first choice for Sindh in QEA Trophy !

How do you not select an offspinner when NZ have four left-handers in their top seven ? This blunder was further exposed when Salman Agha, part-time at best, took wickets in this 2nd Test.

3) Tactics

Any half-decent captain can run rings tactically around Babar. His primary motive is to always avoid defeat first before pursuing victory as evident by the pitches he requests, the slow run-rates, and playing with only four specialist bowlers.

As stated above when Babar gets criticised for timidity and negativity - he responds with brainless fake bravado. His declaration nearly produced the biggest own goal by a Test captain. He started our tail at 7 for Lahore Test vs AUS's potent attack to play five specialist bowlers, and we get blown away.

4) Press conferences

A total insult to the intelligence. Saying we dominated for five days after Pindi Test vs AUS, made a "below the belt" declaration vs NZ, and just being at odds with reality.

You may have a point if Babar simply sucked as Pakistan captain. However he lost 90% of PSL matches with Karachi Kings. Some players are simply not captains no matter how good their batting is. Root was one, and Babar's another.

 

[KingOfPakBreakfast]

I am just glad there is no Test cricket in Pakistan for a while because my god, what an abysmal experience it has been. No one should ever ask why fans in Pakistan don't watch Test cricket.

Babar has been awful as a captain, awful with lineup selections, awful tactics, awful at assessing conditions and just about everything you can think of. At least Babar is an inexperienced captain and deserves some leniency but this coaching staff? They are the biggest joke I have ever seen and as an inexperienced captain, he needs much needed guidance & support from the coaching staff and he simply hasn't gotten it.

Wholeheartedly agree with this take. He’s not a natural captain, and thus needs an alpha male on the coaching staff to make strong decisions *with* him, rather than just to enable him. That’s why I’m not wholly opposed to Mickey coming back, as he has the strength of personality to light a fire under the backsides of the Boy Scouts. He’d be coming back to a more talented, but less determined dressing room, and that’s where he needs to do his bit to make these lads better versions of themselves.

 

[Bewal Express]

The bowling has been poor, and the spinners have been awful. None of the spinners can get the ball off the straight and as we will soon find, Abrar isn't the answer either. If we find spinners that actually spin the ball, we would have won at least couple of these games. Babar is tactically too autistic and needs someone to sit with him and challenge him.

 

[Markhor]

I am just glad there is no Test cricket in Pakistan for a while because my god, what an abysmal experience it has been. No one should ever ask why fans in Pakistan don't watch Test cricket.

Babar has been awful as a captain, awful with lineup selections, awful tactics, awful at assessing conditions and just about everything you can think of. At least Babar is an inexperienced captain and deserves some leniency but this coaching staff? They are the biggest joke I have ever seen and as an inexperienced captain, he needs much needed guidance & support from the coaching staff and he simply hasn't gotten it.

The last year has been a tragedy for Test cricket in Pakistan.

There was so much goodwill for these historic tours from AUS, ENG and NZL. Finally after all these years of isolation, Pakistan is open for business again. A golden opportunity to revive Test crowds in Pakistan.

And it's all been frittered away. The performances, selections, tactics, pitches, broadcasts and even umpiring have all been lamentable. I had the same feeling after stumps today - thank god there's no Test cricket in Pakistan for a year.
[MENTION=143714]Kroll[/MENTION] it's time for that song again:

https://youtu.be/3GwjfUFyY6M

 

[Cric1234]

It is strange ..... even borderline comical that the number of wins without the "context" are deceiving.... but the number of losses in the original post without the "context" are not deceiving.

Allow me to put "context" into orginal post.

Our 4 losses were againt two best test teams in the world - Autralia (Ranked #1) and England (Ranked #3). I can blame Babar's capataincy all I want or have an agenda or vested interest against Babar but expecting Pakistan to beat these two teams with the bowlers like Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Hasan Ali, Mahmmad Wasim, Zahid Mahmood etc is like living in fool's paradise.

By the away if Pakistna's away wins against weaker teams do not hold any value then keep in mind we were much weaker than the two teams that beat us in Pakistan. They should not hold any value either for Eng, Aus and their fans - by the same logic. Right?

Yes with that bowling attack any captain would struggle but who selected that bowling line up none other than Babar Azam.

M Ali and Hamza both inexperienced fast bowlers bowling 80mph on flat wickets with no help any captain should know that won’t work.

Zahid Mehmood and Nauman Ali both past their prime anyone looking at their bowling styles would know they will struggle in international cricket.

Zahid is too loose and gets hit around even in first class cricket and his average is not good enough Nauman doesn’t turn the ball how can he succeed whilst extracting little or no turn against international batsmen?

Although the options are limited anyone could have selected a better bowling attack.

Same with the batting on flat pitches selecting more naturally aggressive batsmen will work better than heaping a bunch of slow coaches together who only look half decent because of the dead wickets they are plodding 50s and 100s at 40 strike rates.

Even in ideal conditions Shan Abdullah have looked out of place others have batted too slow and simply lacked the ability to dominate once set.

 

[sweep_shot]

Indeed.

4 losses and 4 draws. No win.

I think this is their worst home performance in the last 30 years.

 

[Mamoon]

It is strange ..... even borderline comical that the number of wins without the "context" are deceiving.... but the number of losses in the original post without the "context" are not deceiving.

Allow me to put "context" into orginal post.

The context is very clear - Babar is a clueless captain leading a poor team. It is reflected in the home results but not in away results (so far) because he has only played against other poor teams.

Our 4 losses were againt two best test teams in the world - Autralia (Ranked #1) and England (Ranked #3). I can blame Babar's capataincy all I want or have an agenda or vested interest against Babar but expecting Pakistan to beat these two teams with the bowlers like Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Hasan Ali, Mahmmad Wasim, Zahid Mahmood etc is like living in fool's paradise.

Babar’s captaincy is poor & the bowling attack is weak. It is a lethal combination. Would these bowlers (you forgot to add the 35+ averaging Naseem who is equally poor as these bowlers) do well under a different captain? I don’t think so, but the reality is that captains & coaches live & die by results.

Their captaincy & coaching might not really be a factor in the wins or losses but at the end of the day, the results will determine their survival. Babar should not survive this humiliation even if his captaincy is not the only - or not the biggest - reason for the defeats.

If Babar is allowed to continue, it will create a culture of lack of accountability.

Pakistan’s bowling was weak but batting had enough experience. Players like Babar, Azhar, Fawad, Masood, Imam, Rizwan etc. are not newcomers.

They have all played international cricket for many years & at some point over the last three series, they should have out-batted their Australian, English & New Zealand counterparts & won a few Tests in spite of the bowling.

By the away if Pakistna's away wins against weaker teams do not hold any value then keep in mind we were much weaker than the two teams that beat us in Pakistan. They should not hold any value either for Eng, Aus and their fans - by the same logic. Right?

They might not hold any value for England & Australian fans but for a self-respecting nation & I hope Pakistan is one, those defeats should have repercussions.

Similarly, teams that have lost to Pakistan at home should also face accountability even though they are poor teams. This is how competitive culture works & how you drive improvement.

 

[Saj]

Pakistan last 3 home Test series:

Drawn
Lost
Lost

Could have been worse. Could have lost all 3 series.

 

[SpiritOf1903]

Pakistan last 3 home Test series:

Drawn
Lost
Lost

Could have been worse. Could have lost all 3 series.

Lets clutch them straws . Comprehensively outplayed in every match but this was a red carpet "please, please tour Pakistan, pretty please" and the hospitality extended on to the pitch. None of these sides have to bother again, really.

Aussies were standup, latter two had to be begged and coerced

 

[dildilpak]

Pakistan last 3 home Test series:

Drawn
Lost
Lost

Could have been worse. Could have lost all 3 series.

Yup, they were probably an over away from defeat. Bad light saved the series for Pakistan!

 

[wrongun]

It is strange ..... even borderline comical that the number of wins without the "context" are deceiving.... but the number of losses in the original post without the "context" are not deceiving.

Allow me to put "context" into orginal post.

Our 4 losses were againt two best test teams in the world - Autralia (Ranked #1) and England (Ranked #3). I can blame Babar's capataincy all I want or have an agenda or vested interest against Babar but expecting Pakistan to beat these two teams with the bowlers like Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Hasan Ali, Mahmmad Wasim, Zahid Mahmood etc is like living in fool's paradise.

By the away if Pakistna's away wins against weaker teams do not hold any value then keep in mind we were much weaker than the two teams that beat us in Pakistan. They should not hold any value either for Eng, Aus and their fans - by the same logic. Right?

Thoughtful post.

I think England in that mood may have pulverised almost any team in the world. Current facts are that Pakistan is a middle tier team currently and England would steamroll any of those.

Positives are that Pakistan found just enough batting to draw some games. Babar made runs. Imam is a find. Sarf returned and made a crucial ton- well done to him, I thought his batting was faded.

Negatives are that without Shaheen, the cupboard is bare of quicks. Spinners lacked a leader also. I think Abrar is a couple of years away from being ready to be the main #1 spinner, but I'd always select him when picking 2 spinners.

Vs New Zealand Pakistan should have been able to find a way to win. The NZ spin attack is just average but constant gifting of top order wickets through stupid charges down the track gave NZ inroads into the order, raised their confidence immediately and kept them in every game.

A clear headed method is needed to counter those top order gifts. England currently have a "style" they want to play and select accordingly. This works for England because they already had the #1 white ball team in the world to select from. Pakistan do not and their white ball team also doesn't play with top order hitters either, they play the slow build style. So it would be silly to try and emulate that- the players aren't there to pick and the style isn't familiar.

The "normal" method is just to let each top order player play according to their own style. E.g Sehwag and Warner vs Dravid and Cook.

The NZ seam bowling attack was streets ahead of Pakistan's on paper and performed accordingly. This could have been overcome by the spinners performing but they couldn't quite get there. Naumann isn't threatening. Abrar has potential and should be persisted with but needs some support and experience. The Yasir void hasn't quite been filled.

Not sure the answer for spinners. Mubasir deserves a shot as allrounder but he is also young. Shadab isn't interested but he'd be an interesting choice. Is Yasir not selected for poor domestic form or for his off field problems? But Pakistan won't win many games at home until they either prepare pitches for seamers and favour them or find a spin attack which can outbowl a mediocre NZ attack.

 

[Cricfan4eva]

A bit unfair to compare to Pak to BD/SL. Those 2 countries have been playing at home for decades and have found a pitch that suits them and also built team around it.

Pak has just started playing at home. They need to figure out what pitch works best for them and also reflect on these 12 months to come to a workable playing xi combination.

Expectations need to measured as well. Pak isn't a top 3 test team.

However, I do agree Pak can do with a better captain who is tactically more swift and has a vision. Right now Babar looks more like a template captain, who is confused when things don't go according to plan.

 

[W63L35]

Yes with that bowling attack any captain would struggle but who selected that bowling line up none other than Babar Azam.

Have you heard of a group of people called "selection committee"? What do you think is it's role?

M Ali and Hamza both inexperienced fast bowlers bowling 80mph on flat wickets with no help any captain should know that won’t work.

Good to know that Babar is not being blamed for their perofrmance.

Zahid Mehmood and Nauman Ali both past their prime anyone looking at their bowling styles would know they will struggle in international cricket.

Zahid is too loose and gets hit around even in first class cricket and his average is not good enough Nauman doesn’t turn the ball how can he succeed whilst extracting little or no turn against international batsmen?

Although the options are limited anyone could have selected a better bowling attack.

Same with the batting on flat pitches selecting more naturally aggressive batsmen will work better than heaping a bunch of slow coaches together who only look half decent because of the dead wickets they are plodding 50s and 100s at 40 strike rates.

Even in ideal conditions Shan Abdullah have looked out of place others have batted too slow and simply lacked the ability to dominate once set.

So what does all this has anything to do with Babar's captaincy?

 

[W63L35]

Their captaincy & coaching might not really be a factor in the wins or losses but at the end of the day, the results will determine their survival. Babar should not survive this humiliation even if his captaincy is not the only - or not the biggest - reason for the defeats.

I don't think any sane person would continue the debate after this "argument".....

So two question.....
1. who do you think replace Babar as test captain?
2. Sould Babar continue as ODI captain? If not, who should be the ODI captain?

 

[W63L35]

Thoughtful post.

Thank you!

I think England in that mood may have pulverised almost any team in the world. Current facts are that Pakistan is a middle tier team currently and England would steamroll any of those.

Exaclty!
Thank you for putting this point in better words!

Positives are that Pakistan found just enough batting to draw some games. Babar made runs. Imam is a find. Sarf returned and made a crucial ton- well done to him, I thought his batting was faded.

Negatives are that without Shaheen, the cupboard is bare of quicks. Spinners lacked a leader also. I think Abrar is a couple of years away from being ready to be the main #1 spinner, but I'd always select him when picking 2 spinners.

Vs New Zealand Pakistan should have been able to find a way to win. The NZ spin attack is just average but constant gifting of top order wickets through stupid charges down the track gave NZ inroads into the order, raised their confidence immediately and kept them in every game.

A clear headed method is needed to counter those top order gifts. England currently have a "style" they want to play and select accordingly. This works for England because they already had the #1 white ball team in the world to select from. Pakistan do not and their white ball team also doesn't play with top order hitters either, they play the slow build style. So it would be silly to try and emulate that- the players aren't there to pick and the style isn't familiar.

The "normal" method is just to let each top order player play according to their own style. E.g Sehwag and Warner vs Dravid and Cook.

The NZ seam bowling attack was streets ahead of Pakistan's on paper and performed accordingly. This could have been overcome by the spinners performing but they couldn't quite get there. Naumann isn't threatening. Abrar has potential and should be persisted with but needs some support and experience. The Yasir void hasn't quite been filled.

Not sure the answer for spinners. Mubasir deserves a shot as allrounder but he is also young. Shadab isn't interested but he'd be an interesting choice. Is Yasir not selected for poor domestic form or for his off field problems? But Pakistan won't win many games at home until they either prepare pitches for seamers and favour them or find a spin attack which can outbowl a mediocre NZ attack.

Very good and logic points --- without any personal bais, hidden agenda and vested interests.

 

[W63L35]

Indeed.

4 losses and 4 draws. No win.

I think this is their worst home performance in the last 30 years.

Unfair propaganda against Babar's captaincy would make you think that way but let me surprise you.

This screen shot contains the results of 13 consecutive tests at home.

Above the line record reads:
Tests: 9 --- Wins: 0 --- Losses: 4 --- Drawn: 4 --- abandonded: 1
1 loss vs Zimbabwe & 2 losses vs Sri Lanka.

If you remove the line then the record reads:
Tests: 13 --- Wins: 1 --- Losses: 5 --- Drawn: 6 --- abandonded: 1

 

[W63L35]

Indeed.

4 losses and 4 draws. No win.

I think this is their worst home performance in the last 30 years.

We lost 4 concecutiove home series back them .... which included 1 series loss vs Zimbabwe and 1 vs Sri Lanka.

If you look at all 7 home series, 5 losses, 1 win and 1 drawn.

 

[W63L35]

We lost 4 concecutiove home series back them .... which included 1 series loss vs Zimbabwe and 1 vs Sri Lanka.

If you look at all 7 home series, 5 losses, 1 win and 1 drawn.

[MENTION=141306]sweep_shot[/MENTION]

These were players who "participated" in those 7 home test losses and 5 home series losses.... including losses to Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka - at home.

Who was Babar given against #1 Aus and #3 Eng? Mohammad Ali, Wasim Jr, Zahid Mahmood, Hasan Ali? Fahim Ashraf?

 

[W63L35]

This is for the cricket fan who were writing off Babar's captaincy's away record in the thread above just because it was not in SL/Zim/WI (the weaker teams).....

If I recall, some of them were huge fans of Misbah's test captaincy!

 

[sweep_shot]

[MENTION=141306]sweep_shot[/MENTION]

These were players who "participated" in those 7 home test losses and 5 home series losses.... including losses to Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka - at home.

Who was Babar given against #1 Aus and #3 Eng? Mohammad Ali, Wasim Jr, Zahid Mahmood, Hasan Ali? Fahim Ashraf?

I think oppositions were much tougher then. Even Zimbabwe were pretty solid.

I don't buy that current Australia team are that good. This Australia team couldn't win in Sri Lanka and haven't won a series in India since 2004. I feel like Pakistan made them look good by giving them flat pitches.

 

[Sidilicious]

This is for the cricket fan who were writing off Babar's captaincy's away record in the thread above just because it was not in SL/Zim/WI (the weaker teams).....

If I recall, some of them were huge fans of Misbah's test captaincy!

Can you please post the home/UAE record of Misbah's team vs Aus/NZ/Eng vs Babar's?

 

[Mamoon]

I don't think any sane person would continue the debate after this "argument".....

So two question.....
1. who do you think replace Babar as test captain?
2. Sould Babar continue as ODI captain? If not, who should be the ODI captain?

Yes because any sane person would understand that captains live & die by results. This is how you create a culture of accountability.

Otherwise, you can keep a captain on job forever using the excuse that the team is weak & things will not be better if someone else is captain. If that is so, then let everyone else take turns too. Why should one particular person have the privilege of leading the side?

As far as who should replace him, you have to look at the players who are first-choice & have reasonable experience.

They could try someone like Imam - he is young, has played international cricket for 6 years now & whether people like it or not, he is the first-choice opener & will remain so for the next few years.

Unfortunately, if Babar is sacked, he will most likely be replaced by the 33 year old English speaker who averages 29 after 10 years & was recently promoted to vice-captaincy.

PCB is clearly oblivious to the fact that he has been a clown in international cricket for 10 years.

As far as Babar’s ODI captaincy is concerned, the results have been relatively better compared to Tests so I think he has earned a couple of more series unless PCB thinks it is important to have one captain across formats.

 

[pakistani pride]

So Pakistan is not playing any test in 2023?? Is this true? wow...

In a way its good....

It is good.
This lot is good only for white ball cricket.

8 tests at home without a win and he is still smiling.

 

[jeetu]

In subcontinent the onus is on spinners to win matches for home team. In last few decades Pak spinners played big role in most series wins. After Yasir Shah no one has filled that gap. Once that gap is filled wins will come. But flat track pitches won't help in developing quality spinners.

 

[RyanRyan10]

This is for the cricket fan who were writing off Babar's captaincy's away record in the thread above just because it was not in SL/Zim/WI (the weaker teams).....

If I recall, some of them were huge fans of Misbah's test captaincy!

Misbah led Pakistan test side for a long time and his highs and lows. It's unfair to pick selective results and make comparison.

Pakistan didn't lose a single home series under him and thrashed Australia and England.

The SL team of his time was much stronger than what they are today. They had greats like Sanga, Mahela, Herath etc and a fitter Mathews. The current team is filled with substandard players.

Zimbabwe loss was embarrassing and that shouldn't have happened. That's one place where Babar as captain has got better result than Misbah.

In your other posts, you have mentioned the results of late 90s and early 2000s. While those results were poorly but those came under different captains. So captains were getting sacked after getting poor results. And even then Pakistan registered some impressive wins away from home.

But I do agree with you on the quality of players available for Babar and lack of captaincy options for Pakistan at the moment. Best thing would be to continue him as a captain and replacing Saqlain with a competent coach.

 

[AAli98]

As soon as the likes of shakeel Salman step outside Asia it’s going to be a bloodbath, already aus don’t want Pak anywhere near there shores.

If Pak carry on producing woeful pitches & get schooled by aus/Eng/nz in there own conditions icc may well revoke there test status !!

 

[Saj]

The last time Pakistan won a Test match at home was in February 2021 when they beat South Africa by 95 runs in Rawalpindi. Since then they have lost 4 and drawn 4 Tests at home.

Horrible run of form.

It just goes to show what a very average Test team we are who cannot compete with the best Test teams in the world.

 

[hk031992]

Misbah led Pakistan test side for a long time and his highs and lows. It's unfair to pick selective results and make comparison.

Pakistan didn't lose a single home series under him and thrashed Australia and England.

The SL team of his time was much stronger than what they are today. They had greats like Sanga, Mahela, Herath etc and a fitter Mathews. The current team is filled with substandard players.

Zimbabwe loss was embarrassing and that shouldn't have happened. That's one place where Babar as captain has got better result than Misbah.

In your other posts, you have mentioned the results of late 90s and early 2000s. While those results were poorly but those came under different captains. So captains were getting sacked after getting poor results. And even then Pakistan registered some impressive wins away from home.

But I do agree with you on the quality of players available for Babar and lack of captaincy options for Pakistan at the moment. Best thing would be to continue him as a captain and replacing Saqlain with a competent coach.

Misbah also drew a series in England.

 

[RyanRyan10]

Misbah also drew a series in England.

Yes and he also won a series in NZ. But as of now, Babar hasn't led his side in Eng/NZ so we can't make a comparison.

 

[hk031992]

Yes and he also won a series in NZ. But as of now, Babar hasn't led his side in Eng/NZ so we can't make a comparison.

True, We can't make a comparison. But given that Babar has captained us to losing and drawing at home, i would imagine worse results in NZ and England.

 

[Sir Alex]

Come on, Pakistan hosted world s top most teams in this period. Should invite Zimbabwe, Ireland etc now to prove a point