- Joined
- Nov 25, 2023
- Runs
- 16,120
Aaqib Javed speaking during the post-match presser after losing the Tri-Nation series final against New Zealand:
About the mystery spinner’s effectiveness:
“You have to figure out what your best options are with spinners in ODIs and stick with them. Like today, just because they've played reverse well doesn’t mean it's always going to work. If you look at Abrar Ahmed’s performance, especially with the white ball, it's been impressive. But there are times when some players just manage the conditions better than others. It's not always straightforward. Every player manages things in their own way. You need to see if your accuracy is good and if your leg spin variety is on point. Sometimes, one player can handle things well, but that doesn't mean all players will play the same way in every match."
About a specialist opener missing in the squad and Babar Azam:
“If you look at the matches that have happened, the term "open" refers to the first five, six, or seven overs where you need a solid start. Our thinking was that, just like what happened in the three ODIs in South Africa, unfortunately, Babar Azam had to go in during the first over in all three games. Then Saim Ayub got injured during Test matches and Babar had to open in the Test. The challenge on these pitches isn't the top order because there’s no seam or anything like that on these kinds of pitches. If there's any movement and bounce, we thought that your best player could really suit us if he plays in the first 10 overs on these pitches. Also, we've been looking at the combinations we've had, whether it's Test or ODI, and we brought in the players who have been in form and performed well.”
“You'll notice a change in the ODIs; people are still trying to figure it out, but often they overlook the importance of the 11 to 40 overs and having those four fielders out of the circle. You really don’t need to go for crazy shots or try to accelerate too much in ODIs. If you look at the players who are mainly Test players and have solid techniques, like Kane Williamson and Tom Latham, they can be way more effective. You just need to use four fielders properly. I believe that with the way Babar is playing, he should open on pitches like this and make the most of the hard ball for the first 10 overs. The signs are clear that there's an important game coming up and there's one innings due. So maybe he will play that inning on the day when Pakistan needs it the most?”
“Babar Azam usually bats at number three, and when you're opening, there’s a difference. When you’re playing outside Pakistan, the ball tends to seam more and moves around a bit. So, if you’re going in after five or six overs or even ten, the ball can seam a bit less. If the swing isn’t happening, then on this pitch, you won’t get much seam or bounce either. So, if your best player usually bats at three and gets the chance to open, it’s not a bad idea.”
About Khushdil Shah and Salman Ali Agha as bowlers:
“You need to think about the team’s balance. If you’re playing two specialist spinners, it means you’re going to have to leave out two fast bowlers. We're going to need at least three seamers who can bowl with the new ball, and then we need a Haris Rauf-type bowler who can take wickets in the middle overs. Unfortunately, he hasn't been playing for the last couple of matches, so that gap is pretty noticeable. If you look around, every team has a specialist spinner, and the rest are all-rounders. Salman and Khushdil are also all-rounders. When you build a team, you usually include four specialist bowlers, and the rest you've got all-rounders, Pakistan has three options as well. If you look today or even in the last match, you can see that Khushdil has bowled pretty well. The problem that stands out is that Pakistan loses three wickets in just two or three overs. When that pressure builds up, that's when the spinners come in, and it becomes easier for them to bowl. Whereas, if you have a team where one wicket has fallen, and then there's a partnership of 40 runs followed by another of 50, it changes things for the spinners when they come in. They didn't get the playing conditions they needed.”
About losing 2 games against New Zealand back to back:
“If you look at the first game in Lahore, a few more runs were scored at the end. It was around 290-300 runs, which you can chase down. In this match, we noticed in the morning that this pitch wasn't the same as the usual one; it had 270-280 runs on it, and that’s why we batted first. If you bat first and get over 270 runs, chasing that becomes tough. In the end, when you know you're chasing 240 runs, your batters react differently. If things get a bit quiet in between, it doesn’t really matter. But when the total starts approaching 280, you take more risks, which can lead to wickets falling. So, the key is that the main batters on a given day need to play long innings. You'll have to play well because if you look at it, there are pitches where among the top three batters, at least one or two batters have scored big runs. That's a bit missing right now. I can feel that Babar is due for a big innings; he did well in the last two matches. I don’t think that's a major issue. The situation in both matches was that back-to-back wickets fell.”
About Pakistan’s performance in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy:
“This team will do great because, if you think about it, a couple of things could have gone better. If you just play normal batting, you could easily score 350 runs on these pitches if you play through to the 50 overs. And if Haris's fitness comes back, having him in the team along with your three fast bowlers who bowled brilliantly today, it could really make a difference at the right time. We've got Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf in the lineup, along with spinners. This team has everything it takes to beat any opponent. Sometimes, when we lose a match or two, it feels like the team is falling apart, but I honestly believe this squad has what it takes to stay on top. You can see the quality of our bowling – I don’t think any other team has three fast bowlers like ours who can reverse swing and handle death bowling in these conditions.”
About the selection of Khushdil Shah, Faheem Ashraf, and Saud Shakeel:
“If you are playing on home ground, then there's no need to rush. The reason is that when you have to go somewhere, like to Australia or wherever, the team that gets announced for travel plans has to be done, even if you don't want to. So, when you know it's happening in Pakistan, there's no need to hurry. First, you need to figure out that you need a spin all-rounder, and then a seam all-rounder. The reason for having Faheem and Khushdil is that sometimes when you're playing in a tournament, you need a bit of variation. When you're playing in a specific series against a team, you might decide to go with either a spin all-rounder or a fast bowler. Since you're facing teams from New Zealand, India, and Bangladesh, you have to consider their strengths. Sometimes you might think about giving less spin or opting for a seam bowler instead. That's how we were looking at Aamer Jamal; we were trying him out for the Tests and considering if he could fit into the squad, but it wasn't quite working out the way we wanted. After the last series against Australia, he had a bit of an injury, but now his confidence is not back, and 100% fit to bowl fast like before. If you look at the options available, there was Aamer Jamal and then there's Faheem Ashraf who comes to mind. Sometimes, we mix up T20 performances with ODI, but in a 50-over match, you need a bit of experience to meet the demands of the game. We needed both pace bowling all-rounders and spin bowlers”
Lessons from this tri-series:
“Learning is about chasing or you need to bat first and defend. You tried out a combination by playing Faheem. In the earlier matches, Mohammad Hasnain played instead of Faheem, and then Haris played. So, you're testing out your combination. Also, should we bat first or second? What's the best strategy? What effect does it have? What challenges come with bowling first? We've learned some stuff too. Now, if we have a match against New Zealand and win the toss, what decision should we make? Which team should we send out against the Kiwis?”
“The learning is that from Lahore till now, we've been trying to figure out whether a combination of batting first or chasing suits us better.”
“In this upcoming tournament or like we’ve already played three matches. We won one outstanding match, but we lost two. The key thing to focus on is identifying that one element you need to improve. If that part gets better, or if they can finish strong, then we’ll be in a good spot.”
“You can see what needs to improve in your batting and how you can make better choices while bowling. With the kind of matches we're seeing, once a batter gets settled, it’s hard to keep track of the game. In the last match, three got out, and two were set and won the match. These pitches are tricky; you won’t even realize how the number 8 or number 7 is going to bat. If Fakhar and Babar can build a solid partnership at the top, everything will change.”
About pitches:
“The tough pitches are made for Test series because the idea is to create conditions where you can win the series. But you can't play Tests and simultaneously prepare for ODIs. If you look at it positively, you've made some sacrifices and tough decisions, like sending your bowlers back during the Test series in South Africa so they'd be fresh for the tournament. Plus, now your players have come in and played a couple of first-class matches. Shaheen Shah Afridi also went to Bangladesh to play cricket. Other than that, if you look at the teams, many of their main fast bowlers are injured. So, I'm really happy with our planning and calculations because all our fast bowlers are ready to go, they're fit and fresh."
About the mystery spinner’s effectiveness:
“You have to figure out what your best options are with spinners in ODIs and stick with them. Like today, just because they've played reverse well doesn’t mean it's always going to work. If you look at Abrar Ahmed’s performance, especially with the white ball, it's been impressive. But there are times when some players just manage the conditions better than others. It's not always straightforward. Every player manages things in their own way. You need to see if your accuracy is good and if your leg spin variety is on point. Sometimes, one player can handle things well, but that doesn't mean all players will play the same way in every match."
About a specialist opener missing in the squad and Babar Azam:
“If you look at the matches that have happened, the term "open" refers to the first five, six, or seven overs where you need a solid start. Our thinking was that, just like what happened in the three ODIs in South Africa, unfortunately, Babar Azam had to go in during the first over in all three games. Then Saim Ayub got injured during Test matches and Babar had to open in the Test. The challenge on these pitches isn't the top order because there’s no seam or anything like that on these kinds of pitches. If there's any movement and bounce, we thought that your best player could really suit us if he plays in the first 10 overs on these pitches. Also, we've been looking at the combinations we've had, whether it's Test or ODI, and we brought in the players who have been in form and performed well.”
“You'll notice a change in the ODIs; people are still trying to figure it out, but often they overlook the importance of the 11 to 40 overs and having those four fielders out of the circle. You really don’t need to go for crazy shots or try to accelerate too much in ODIs. If you look at the players who are mainly Test players and have solid techniques, like Kane Williamson and Tom Latham, they can be way more effective. You just need to use four fielders properly. I believe that with the way Babar is playing, he should open on pitches like this and make the most of the hard ball for the first 10 overs. The signs are clear that there's an important game coming up and there's one innings due. So maybe he will play that inning on the day when Pakistan needs it the most?”
“Babar Azam usually bats at number three, and when you're opening, there’s a difference. When you’re playing outside Pakistan, the ball tends to seam more and moves around a bit. So, if you’re going in after five or six overs or even ten, the ball can seam a bit less. If the swing isn’t happening, then on this pitch, you won’t get much seam or bounce either. So, if your best player usually bats at three and gets the chance to open, it’s not a bad idea.”
About Khushdil Shah and Salman Ali Agha as bowlers:
“You need to think about the team’s balance. If you’re playing two specialist spinners, it means you’re going to have to leave out two fast bowlers. We're going to need at least three seamers who can bowl with the new ball, and then we need a Haris Rauf-type bowler who can take wickets in the middle overs. Unfortunately, he hasn't been playing for the last couple of matches, so that gap is pretty noticeable. If you look around, every team has a specialist spinner, and the rest are all-rounders. Salman and Khushdil are also all-rounders. When you build a team, you usually include four specialist bowlers, and the rest you've got all-rounders, Pakistan has three options as well. If you look today or even in the last match, you can see that Khushdil has bowled pretty well. The problem that stands out is that Pakistan loses three wickets in just two or three overs. When that pressure builds up, that's when the spinners come in, and it becomes easier for them to bowl. Whereas, if you have a team where one wicket has fallen, and then there's a partnership of 40 runs followed by another of 50, it changes things for the spinners when they come in. They didn't get the playing conditions they needed.”
About losing 2 games against New Zealand back to back:
“If you look at the first game in Lahore, a few more runs were scored at the end. It was around 290-300 runs, which you can chase down. In this match, we noticed in the morning that this pitch wasn't the same as the usual one; it had 270-280 runs on it, and that’s why we batted first. If you bat first and get over 270 runs, chasing that becomes tough. In the end, when you know you're chasing 240 runs, your batters react differently. If things get a bit quiet in between, it doesn’t really matter. But when the total starts approaching 280, you take more risks, which can lead to wickets falling. So, the key is that the main batters on a given day need to play long innings. You'll have to play well because if you look at it, there are pitches where among the top three batters, at least one or two batters have scored big runs. That's a bit missing right now. I can feel that Babar is due for a big innings; he did well in the last two matches. I don’t think that's a major issue. The situation in both matches was that back-to-back wickets fell.”
About Pakistan’s performance in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy:
“This team will do great because, if you think about it, a couple of things could have gone better. If you just play normal batting, you could easily score 350 runs on these pitches if you play through to the 50 overs. And if Haris's fitness comes back, having him in the team along with your three fast bowlers who bowled brilliantly today, it could really make a difference at the right time. We've got Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf in the lineup, along with spinners. This team has everything it takes to beat any opponent. Sometimes, when we lose a match or two, it feels like the team is falling apart, but I honestly believe this squad has what it takes to stay on top. You can see the quality of our bowling – I don’t think any other team has three fast bowlers like ours who can reverse swing and handle death bowling in these conditions.”
About the selection of Khushdil Shah, Faheem Ashraf, and Saud Shakeel:
“If you are playing on home ground, then there's no need to rush. The reason is that when you have to go somewhere, like to Australia or wherever, the team that gets announced for travel plans has to be done, even if you don't want to. So, when you know it's happening in Pakistan, there's no need to hurry. First, you need to figure out that you need a spin all-rounder, and then a seam all-rounder. The reason for having Faheem and Khushdil is that sometimes when you're playing in a tournament, you need a bit of variation. When you're playing in a specific series against a team, you might decide to go with either a spin all-rounder or a fast bowler. Since you're facing teams from New Zealand, India, and Bangladesh, you have to consider their strengths. Sometimes you might think about giving less spin or opting for a seam bowler instead. That's how we were looking at Aamer Jamal; we were trying him out for the Tests and considering if he could fit into the squad, but it wasn't quite working out the way we wanted. After the last series against Australia, he had a bit of an injury, but now his confidence is not back, and 100% fit to bowl fast like before. If you look at the options available, there was Aamer Jamal and then there's Faheem Ashraf who comes to mind. Sometimes, we mix up T20 performances with ODI, but in a 50-over match, you need a bit of experience to meet the demands of the game. We needed both pace bowling all-rounders and spin bowlers”
Lessons from this tri-series:
“Learning is about chasing or you need to bat first and defend. You tried out a combination by playing Faheem. In the earlier matches, Mohammad Hasnain played instead of Faheem, and then Haris played. So, you're testing out your combination. Also, should we bat first or second? What's the best strategy? What effect does it have? What challenges come with bowling first? We've learned some stuff too. Now, if we have a match against New Zealand and win the toss, what decision should we make? Which team should we send out against the Kiwis?”
“The learning is that from Lahore till now, we've been trying to figure out whether a combination of batting first or chasing suits us better.”
“In this upcoming tournament or like we’ve already played three matches. We won one outstanding match, but we lost two. The key thing to focus on is identifying that one element you need to improve. If that part gets better, or if they can finish strong, then we’ll be in a good spot.”
“You can see what needs to improve in your batting and how you can make better choices while bowling. With the kind of matches we're seeing, once a batter gets settled, it’s hard to keep track of the game. In the last match, three got out, and two were set and won the match. These pitches are tricky; you won’t even realize how the number 8 or number 7 is going to bat. If Fakhar and Babar can build a solid partnership at the top, everything will change.”
About pitches:
“The tough pitches are made for Test series because the idea is to create conditions where you can win the series. But you can't play Tests and simultaneously prepare for ODIs. If you look at it positively, you've made some sacrifices and tough decisions, like sending your bowlers back during the Test series in South Africa so they'd be fresh for the tournament. Plus, now your players have come in and played a couple of first-class matches. Shaheen Shah Afridi also went to Bangladesh to play cricket. Other than that, if you look at the teams, many of their main fast bowlers are injured. So, I'm really happy with our planning and calculations because all our fast bowlers are ready to go, they're fit and fresh."
Last edited by a moderator:
