Can you tell me what's the difference between Fahim, Shadab with Bilal Asif for Test team? I can bet, if Bilal is played in T20, he'll chuck some six some day and pick regular wickets when the asking is 8+. Fahim averages 48 with ball against Kiwis in ODI and 40 in NZ - his stats are flattered by 9 wickets (50% of career) @7 against ZIM reserves. Take out ZIM & HK, his average goes to 42, which includes 3 games against SRL reserves last winter as well. And, Shadab's Test average is 48, excluding Ireland, that goes to 73.
You can't play such bowlers in Test cricket for their 10-12 extra contribution with bat. At Abu Dhabi, PAK lost 7/23 not because tail-enders can't bat, rather tail-enders (including the biggest one hiding as Captain) didn't apply themselves, when in both innings one set batsman was last man out. Replace Yasir & Hasan with those 2 all-rounders, PAK would have been chasing 275 at least, if not 375 - do you think their batting contribution is good enough to cover that?
No point playing posedu all-rounders, unless they make it for their bowling. In history of the game only 2 all-rounders succeeded for long with batting being their prime strength - one is Sir Gary, other is Jaques Kallis.
6 batsmen, and 6 proper batsmen, not all-rounder again, backed by a WK, who can keep and bat decent + 4 bowlers. I don't mind if those 4 are as good as McGrath with bat (& better if with ball as well). This all-rounder syndrome is the latest curse for PAK cricket - play specialists and ask them to be accountable for their key role; no hiding.
I give hypothetical scenario - may be, my attack should get SAF all-out for a total of 575 on decent batting condition, or even 450 in bowling condition, which 7 batsmen should be able to match, at least give a realistic try. For those 2 all-rounders replacing Yasir & say Hasan will allow at least 75 to 100 extra - do you think their batting is that good to make it a better exchange? PAK won 2 Tests against AUS & ENG in 2010 summer when those two were top 2 ranked team, without YK, MoYo; because Amir, Asif, Gul, Wahab & Ajmal did their job, and these were genuine tail-ender (still Amir contributed with bat both times).
Shadab & Fahim are the two most over hyped cricketer in PP - even Miraz took 8 wickets and scored 95 runs (NO both innings) against ZIM; at current state, these two shouldn't be even in Test squad. Your revolutionary CS has picked 5 pacers and 1.5 spinners for 2 Tests in UAE - so, everything is possible and somehow, someday a Bilal Asif can happen like Dubai ..... I'll accept being "put in place" that day; rest leave it for my way.
Shadab Vs Bilal:
That's an easy one, Shadab spins the ball more and both ways. Bilal has doggy action and was called once already, he cannot bowl doosra. Most of his wickets were in first innings against AUS, after that he is pretty flat, there is hardly any spin in his ball... I don't see anything special in him, he is no Abdul Rehman, he is also an allrounder not a specialist spinner.
His batting is more Tula than anything substantial, Shadab is far better test batsman than him. Shadab cannot hit big boundaries, but he has good defense and can play more than decent partnership, play a long innings. He is better batsman (both him and Faheem) in western conditions than our Captain...
Shadab Vs Yasir
Yasir is not that special as many thing he is. He still has not developed google, he is mostly effective in 3/4th innings when wicket breaks. I bet you Shadab can be as potent in those conditions, we have never played Shadab in those conditions. Yasir takes like 30 overs to make a break through at times even in those conditions. Last time we lost to WI and SL, because Yasir was not able to spin where as Bishwoo and SL spinners run through us. Its not all green and glory for Yasir in UAE either...
Yasir in West has mixed results with ball. Shadab would be more potent in first innings in SA, because he actually spins the ball and has pretty decent googlie... Plus batting of Shadab is way superior than Yasir.
Importance of Allrounders in West:
Long tail is important part of batting strategy in SA. Best time to bat in SA is from 35-80 overs(that too in first innings), with top order of Pakistan, we are going to be mostly 5 down by 40th over with 130/150 odd on board, if you only play with 6 batters, one more wicket are you are in tail. Where as with Shadab, Faheem and Amir, you have possibility of doubling that score 50% of the time. That can take the match forward. Under 200, you cannot win, even if you have 8 specialist bowlers most of the time.
Faheem and Hasan bowled pretty evenly in ENG, its not like there is day and night difference. He can be economical and can generate pace and bounce. He is more than decent with ball on those pitches. In second English test, he bowled better than our top tier bowlers.
In last 13 losses, batting is the main reason, we cannot go light. We cannot win without decent runs on board. We are struggling to make scores in UAE, SA will be a whole different challenge. You got to make use of overs 40-80...
BTW: India lost 3 out of 4 test because of long tail of ENG, they got rid of top order, it was Buttler and Sam that bailed ENG out, without even one of them ENG would have lost 1/2 more tests, that would have been the difference.
Even Indian batting order did not work by relying on top only, they needed tail to fire, which did not happened. We cannot go Tail light in SA. Only reason we won two test in early summer of ENG, was because of allrounders adding 80/100 partnership that extend the lead...
