Titan24
Senior Test Player
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2016
- Runs
- 25,094
- Post of the Week
- 6
So we have been seeing two extremes in Pakistan test setup, one is inexperienced young players without much FC experience but full of potential and the other is players on the wrong side of their 30s with limited potential but tons of experience.
Both these extremes lack the perfect balance. I personally dont mind inducting young players and grooming them but they do require support of players close to that perfect balance. It unfortunatley doesnt work like a balance scale where you put in weight on each sides to create a balance as you cant balance an inexperience of a teenager with high potential by selecting a 35-36 years old pacer.
When you want to groom a young player you need to support him with players at the peak of their skillet, fitness as well as having good amount of experience.
Lets have a look at the available players to which we can say are at the ripe age to provide that perfect balance. Which ones do you guys think are good enough or can become good enough to come in the team.
1) Ehsan Adil (27 years old; Right arm Fast Medium)
Averages 22 with the ball in FC cricket with 236 wickets in 63 matches. Didnt exactly set the world on fire in QAE 2019 but was bowling with pretty good pace and accuracy. His pace has improved in recent times and as per my estimation was bowling high 130s in QAE 2019 along with his famous nagging line and length. Is decent with the bat too with an avg of 16 and 3 50s in FC cricket. Played his last ODI and Test almost 5 years ago when he was 22.
2) Zafar Gohar (25 years old; Bowling all rounder (Slow left Arm Spinner and Left handed Batsman))
Averages 28 with the ball with 144 wickets and 21 with the bat along with 1083 runs in 39 matches. Someone who gives good revolutions on the ball and has temperament to perform under pressure. Won man of the tournament in QAE 2019. Played just one ODI almost 5 years ago.
3) Saud Shakeel (24 years old; Left handed middle order Batsman and handy slow left arm spinner)
Averages 45 with the bat and has scored 7 100s in 36 FC matches. Have been part of many emerging teams as well as A teams. Know for his elegance, class and temperament in domestic circuit.
4) Sameen Gul (21 years old; Right arm fast medium)
Rated highly since his younger days and made his debut in FC cricket when he was only 16-17 years of age. He has already played 20 FC matches with an outstanding bowling average of 16.80. He is around 6 ft 3 inches tall and can move the ball from a good length.
View attachment 102688
5) Sami Aslam (24 years old; Left handed top order batsman)
Averages 38 in FC cricket with 14 100s in 73 FC matches. Was one of the highest runs scorers in QAE 2019. He was a star of U19 Pak team and has already played 13 tests for Pakistan with an average of 31 with the last one being 3 years ago. Showed a solid defense in test cricket but with limited scoring areas, an aspect which he probably has improved as per his numbers and performances in last QAE 2019.
6) Sajid Khan (26 years old; Right Arm off spinner)
Averages 25 with the ball with 74 wickets in 24 matches. He has a really smooth and likable action allowing him to form a good pivot and decent revs on the ball. A pretty handy lower order batsman with a FC 100, couple of 50s and an avg of 18.
7) Imran Butt (24 years old: Right Handed top order batsman)
Averages 36 with the bat, has scored 10 100s in 68 FC matches. Pretty solid tecnique for red ball cricket and someone who knows his game well. He is someone who came into domestic radar at a very young age of around 16. Was one of the highest scorers in QAE 2019.
8) Raza Hassan (28 years old: Slow Left Arm Spinner)
Averages 28 with the ball in FC cricket with an excellent economy of 2.67 manifesting good control. A tall canny spinner who isnt very easy to hit around. Rated in T20 circuit all over Pakistan in his younger days and got the wickets of batsmen like Watson and Ghambir when he was just 20 while representing Pak in T20 world cup. He have had his fare share of troubles in his life. He has improved his batting in last few years and averages 18 with the bat with 1 100 and 4 50s. He is someone who has the temperament to rise upto the occassion which is a really important trait in close and important matches.
9) Ahmed Bashir (24 years old; Right arm Fast bowler)
Averages 20 with the ball in 26 FC matches and 112 wickets. Someone who gets a natural zip from the surface and ability to go above 140 Kph and possibility upto 145 kph with slight development and adjustments.
10) Zia Ul Haq (25 years old; Left arm Fast bowler)
Was rated really highly in his younger days and why not, a teenager bowling mid 140s kph is always a prospect to look at. His career didnt map out as he or anybody else expected but his numbers in FC cricket are pretty good with a bowling average of 26 and 203 wickets in 63 FC matches. Didnt set the world on fire in QAE 2019 but he has natural ability to move the ball around from his left arm angle and now with good mount of experience behind in he can definitely be someone who can be worked upon.
11) Mir Hamza (27 Years of age)
Averages 20 with the ball and has over 300 FC wickets with 26 5fers and 6 10fers. He doesnt have a lot of pace but has the ability to move the ball around. Can be good to have in the mix of bowlers who can provide decent control.
These are few names around that perfect age and experience mix. Ofcourse all cannot be selected but I would prefer these players selected rather than asking people to take back retirements or forming a big collection of players on the wrong side of 30s. Some of them can definitely be brought into the test setup in my opinion to get the perfect balance in the team. Which players you guys think can be good enough? Please feel free to add any names which are or potentially will be touching their peak of skills and experience soon.
Both these extremes lack the perfect balance. I personally dont mind inducting young players and grooming them but they do require support of players close to that perfect balance. It unfortunatley doesnt work like a balance scale where you put in weight on each sides to create a balance as you cant balance an inexperience of a teenager with high potential by selecting a 35-36 years old pacer.
When you want to groom a young player you need to support him with players at the peak of their skillet, fitness as well as having good amount of experience.
Lets have a look at the available players to which we can say are at the ripe age to provide that perfect balance. Which ones do you guys think are good enough or can become good enough to come in the team.
1) Ehsan Adil (27 years old; Right arm Fast Medium)
Averages 22 with the ball in FC cricket with 236 wickets in 63 matches. Didnt exactly set the world on fire in QAE 2019 but was bowling with pretty good pace and accuracy. His pace has improved in recent times and as per my estimation was bowling high 130s in QAE 2019 along with his famous nagging line and length. Is decent with the bat too with an avg of 16 and 3 50s in FC cricket. Played his last ODI and Test almost 5 years ago when he was 22.
2) Zafar Gohar (25 years old; Bowling all rounder (Slow left Arm Spinner and Left handed Batsman))
Averages 28 with the ball with 144 wickets and 21 with the bat along with 1083 runs in 39 matches. Someone who gives good revolutions on the ball and has temperament to perform under pressure. Won man of the tournament in QAE 2019. Played just one ODI almost 5 years ago.
3) Saud Shakeel (24 years old; Left handed middle order Batsman and handy slow left arm spinner)
Averages 45 with the bat and has scored 7 100s in 36 FC matches. Have been part of many emerging teams as well as A teams. Know for his elegance, class and temperament in domestic circuit.
4) Sameen Gul (21 years old; Right arm fast medium)
Rated highly since his younger days and made his debut in FC cricket when he was only 16-17 years of age. He has already played 20 FC matches with an outstanding bowling average of 16.80. He is around 6 ft 3 inches tall and can move the ball from a good length.
View attachment 102688
5) Sami Aslam (24 years old; Left handed top order batsman)
Averages 38 in FC cricket with 14 100s in 73 FC matches. Was one of the highest runs scorers in QAE 2019. He was a star of U19 Pak team and has already played 13 tests for Pakistan with an average of 31 with the last one being 3 years ago. Showed a solid defense in test cricket but with limited scoring areas, an aspect which he probably has improved as per his numbers and performances in last QAE 2019.
6) Sajid Khan (26 years old; Right Arm off spinner)
Averages 25 with the ball with 74 wickets in 24 matches. He has a really smooth and likable action allowing him to form a good pivot and decent revs on the ball. A pretty handy lower order batsman with a FC 100, couple of 50s and an avg of 18.
7) Imran Butt (24 years old: Right Handed top order batsman)
Averages 36 with the bat, has scored 10 100s in 68 FC matches. Pretty solid tecnique for red ball cricket and someone who knows his game well. He is someone who came into domestic radar at a very young age of around 16. Was one of the highest scorers in QAE 2019.
8) Raza Hassan (28 years old: Slow Left Arm Spinner)
Averages 28 with the ball in FC cricket with an excellent economy of 2.67 manifesting good control. A tall canny spinner who isnt very easy to hit around. Rated in T20 circuit all over Pakistan in his younger days and got the wickets of batsmen like Watson and Ghambir when he was just 20 while representing Pak in T20 world cup. He have had his fare share of troubles in his life. He has improved his batting in last few years and averages 18 with the bat with 1 100 and 4 50s. He is someone who has the temperament to rise upto the occassion which is a really important trait in close and important matches.
9) Ahmed Bashir (24 years old; Right arm Fast bowler)
Averages 20 with the ball in 26 FC matches and 112 wickets. Someone who gets a natural zip from the surface and ability to go above 140 Kph and possibility upto 145 kph with slight development and adjustments.
10) Zia Ul Haq (25 years old; Left arm Fast bowler)
Was rated really highly in his younger days and why not, a teenager bowling mid 140s kph is always a prospect to look at. His career didnt map out as he or anybody else expected but his numbers in FC cricket are pretty good with a bowling average of 26 and 203 wickets in 63 FC matches. Didnt set the world on fire in QAE 2019 but he has natural ability to move the ball around from his left arm angle and now with good mount of experience behind in he can definitely be someone who can be worked upon.
11) Mir Hamza (27 Years of age)
Averages 20 with the ball and has over 300 FC wickets with 26 5fers and 6 10fers. He doesnt have a lot of pace but has the ability to move the ball around. Can be good to have in the mix of bowlers who can provide decent control.
These are few names around that perfect age and experience mix. Ofcourse all cannot be selected but I would prefer these players selected rather than asking people to take back retirements or forming a big collection of players on the wrong side of 30s. Some of them can definitely be brought into the test setup in my opinion to get the perfect balance in the team. Which players you guys think can be good enough? Please feel free to add any names which are or potentially will be touching their peak of skills and experience soon.
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