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To not award this post a POTW would have been criminal negligence!
A wonderful piece of writing and a well deserved award - Congratz to [MENTION=142670]mak36[/MENTION]
http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/s...a-left-arm-wristspinner&p=9866044#post9866044
A wonderful piece of writing and a well deserved award - Congratz to [MENTION=142670]mak36[/MENTION]
Pakistan have been at the centre of innovation in cricket. From reverse swing, to the doosra to the reverse sweep, it was Pakistan who led the way. Yet they have failed to produce a left arm wristspinner which is made all the more surprising when you consider the assets they have at their disposal. Nevertheless, all the signs point to it being a matter of when, not if, Pakistan debuts a left arm wristspinner.
Why are left-arm wristspinners so rare?
The standard answer to this question is usually something along the lines of: (i) wristspin is a difficult art so few take it up and (ii) left arm bowlers, of any variety, are in a minority. It stands to reason therefore that left arm wristspinners, a combination of (i) and (ii), are even rarer.
Push a little more and you might be told it is to do with the fact that the majority of batsmen are right handed. The stock ball of a left-arm wristspinner turns into the right-hander and because it is generally easier to play spin when this is the case there is little demand for left-arm wristspinners.
Whatever the case may be, in the entire history of the game there has only been 12 out-and-out specialist left-arm wristspinners. To put that in perspective, left-arm wristspinners account for less than 2% of all balls ever bowled by spinners in international cricket.
Rising Tide?
Wristpin has undergone something of a resurgence in recent years, particularly in the shorter formats. It has been said a rising tide lifts all boats and that has certainly been the case here, with the general rise in wristspin leading to a welcome increase in the number of left-arm wristspin bowlers across the sport.
Left-arm wristspinners have gone from a near extinct species (with there being long periods without one operating on the international scene) to becoming an increasingly common sight in world cricket; in the last two years alone there have been three specialists making their international debuts: Shamsi (2016), Sanadakan (2017) and Kuldeep (2017). That may not sound much but it is a significant number given how long it took for the world to produce the first nine!
The increase hasn’t been limited to the international scene with the likes of Kabir Khan, Shivil Kaushik and Liam Bowe playing domestic cricket in their respective countries. Even the Associates have got involved with Michael Rippon debuting for the Netherlands in 2013.
The Pakistan Mystery
Given all this, it is surprising to learn Pakistan are yet to debut a left arm wristspinner. It’s particularly surprising when one considers that the usual reasons given to explain the lack of left-arm wristspinners don’t seem to apply to Pakistan.
First, there are plenty of legspinners playing domestic cricket in Pakistan currently; in addition to national team regulars Yasir Shah and Shadab Khan, Pakistan have the likes of Usama Mir and Mohammed Irfan in their domestic ranks.
Second, the “Wasim Akram” effect has meant there are an abundance of left arm bowlers, of every variety, in Pakistan’s cricket scene. Indeed whilst the rest of the world struggles to produce left arm bowlers of any kind, Pakistan has a seemingly endless supply chain. So much so, it seems a domestic side isn’t complete in Pakistan without at least one left arm seamer and finger spinner in the playing XI!
Third, Pakistan have produced some of the finest spinners the world has ever seen, not least because Pakistan has a long history of innovation when it comes to spin. The likes of Abdul Qadir, Saqlain Mushtaq, Mushtaq Ahmed and Saeed Ajmal all made a living out of making opposition batsmen look foolish at a moment’s notice with their variations.
Despite all of this, there isn’t a single left arm wristspinner playing in Pakistan’s domestic circuit. Once again Pakistan showcases its ability to confound its fans!
Asia playing Catch-Up?
The lack of left arm wristspinners is by no means unique to Pakistan. In fact, this is an area where the entire subcontinent has somewhat surprisingly lagged behind. If you were to look at the distribution of the 12 specialist left-arm wristspinners to have played the game at the highest level, you may be surprised to learn that Australia lead the way with five.
Indeed, Asia has only just got around to selecting its first two; Sri Lanka the first to get there in 2016, with India following in 2017. Set in this context, it is clear the subcontinent has been the main beneficiary of the current resurgence in left-arm wristspin. This points to Pakistan being next.
A False Dawn?
Pakistan have in fact previously flirted with the idea of a left-arm wristspinner in Ahsan Jamil Baig. The initial signs looked good. So much so you would be forgiven for thinking the PCB were grooming him for the national side and his national debut would be the result of long-term planning by the board. Perish the thought!
Baig was part of Pakistan’s Under-15 side and he went on to be the youngster member named in the Pakistan U19 Squad for the World Cup in 2008. Whilst his then captain Imad Wasim chose not to make use of his services, Baig was undeterred and represented Pakistan U21 two years later at the South Asian Games. He picked up three wickets (including Thisara Perera) in four games at an average of 27.66 and S/R of 30. Perhaps most pleasingly of all for a young legspinner, he went for less than 6 an over. The future looked bright.
And then… nothing.
In the space of eight years, he has played a grand total of four List A matches and a solitary T20. He may have made his first class debut in 2007, a day after turning 15, but he had to wait until 2016, some nine years later, to play his second. He hasn’t played any domestic cricket since.
Lessons learnt?
There may not be any left arm wristspinners playing senior domestic cricket in Pakistan but, whether by design or fortune, there is a promising trend in Pakistan’s age-group cricket; four left arm wristspinners featured in January’s U-19 One Day Tournament. They are:
- Ishfaq Ahmed (15 y/o): 5 matches, 13 wickets @ 6.77 average and 18.46 s/r with an economy rate of 2.2.
- Sharjeel Umar (16 y/o): 6 matches, 13 wickets @ 9.62 average and 19.38 s/r, with an economy rate of 2.98.
- Najam Naseer Kiyani (17 y/o): 4 matches, 7 wickets @ 16.57 average and 30 s/r with an economy rate of 3.31.
- Mohammad Arsalan (15 y/o): 3 matches, 5 wickets @ 7.4 average and 27.6 s/r with an economy rate of 1.61.
All but Arsalan are currently playing in the Inter Region U-19 One Day Tournament, with Kiyani in particular putting in consistent performances. The trend doesn’t stop there with 14 year old left-arm wristspinner Ajmal Khan also featuring in the tournament. It falls on the current management to learn from the past and take these players under their wings and develop them as future prospects.
Fortune Favours the Prepared Mind
This could happen a lot quicker than one might otherwise expect. How so?
Well, Pakistan will be facing two left arm wristspinners in the Asia Cup: Sandakan and Kuldeep. They are also likely to face South Africa’s Shamsi in WC19. Sarfaraz Ahmed has said Pakistan will call up left arm wristspinners as part of their pre-tournament preparations.
This in turn increases the likelihood of (at least one of) the players named above being brought into the fold to help the national team. Which brings us back to Ahsan Baig. After all, he seems the most likely candidate; at 25 years of age he will have matured and built up his skill levels from his junior days whilst still having his best years as a wristspinner ahead of him.
And assuming the management is open and alert to the possibility, a good showing in the nets could be what parachutes Baig (or one of his peers) to stardom; this might sound far-fetched but it’s worth bearing in mind a certain Wasim Akram made his debut in very similar circumstances.
At the very least, the optimist would say all the signs point to it being a matter of when not if Pakistan debuts a left arm wristspinner. The cynic, of course, would dismiss this as pure conjecture. Only time will tell who is correct but it is fair to say the management’s efforts to prepare for the challenge posed by the likes of Sandakan and Kuldeep could lead to so much more; Pakistan discovering a left arm wristspinner of its very own. In which case the world better watch out, the best may be yet to come…
http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/s...a-left-arm-wristspinner&p=9866044#post9866044
