Sarfaraz Ahmed receiving far too much on-field advice?

[MenInG]

There has been a lot of criticism of Sarfaraz Ahmed's captaincy but what I saw yesterday on the final day was almost every player who could get to the captain was talking to him, gesturing etc - number one in that was Mohammad Hafeez.

Its one thing when the captain asks for advice, quite another when 5 players come running to him to give their 2 cents

This culture needs to change to allow captain to think about his strategy.

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

There has been a lot of criticism of Sarfaraz Ahmed's captaincy but what I saw yesterday on the final day was almost every player who could get to the captain was talking to him, gesturing etc - number one in that was Mohammad Hafeez.

Its one thing when the captain asks for advice, quite another when 5 players come running to him to give their 2 cents

This culture needs to change to allow captain to think about his strategy.

The number of horrid decisions he'd been making since the start of the first day I'd say he was getting far less advice than it actually warranted. Never in the last 8 years, that we've been playing in the UAE, have I seen such clueless captaincy on a Day 5 pitch.

Snippets of how much he mucked it up:

1) Didn't start with his best bowler
2) Head and Khawaja almost pinched 2-3 singles every over for nearly 30-40 overs
3) Reactionary captaincy whenever Yasir was hit for a reverse sweep or any bowler for a boundary
4) Only 2 men around the bat until the last 20 overs
5) Being a keeper he should be the best judge of DRS calls since he can see the trajectory and line of the ball - (Had no idea where it was going)
6) Never let Yasir settle down on a plan and got impatient too quickly when something didn't work for 3-4 overs.
7) Hafeez was severely underutilized and we wasted the first session given two left-handers were on the crease.


These are just at the top of my head if I analytically dig into it; Sarfraz's captaincy would seem to be at the interschool level game rather than a Test match.

 

[MenInG]

yesterday during the final 2 hours or so - he was surrounded by his team each blabbering away! you cannot run and take decisions like that

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

yesterday during the final 2 hours or so - he was surrounded by his team each blabbering away! you cannot run and take decisions like that

Yet only in the last two hours did things actually started to happen. I firmly believe had it been left to Sarfraz Australia would've walked to this draw without any hiccps.

 

[Fahdi]

yesterday during the final 2 hours or so - he was surrounded by his team each blabbering away! you cannot run and take decisions like that

Not a good example as that was the only time Pakistan seemed to do things right.

 

[MenInG]

Yet only in the last two hours did things actually started to happen. I firmly believe had it been left to Sarfraz Australia would've walked to this draw without any hiccps.

so you are suggesting 10 players blabbering in the captain's ear is the way forward?

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

so you are suggesting 10 players blabbering in the captain's ear is the way forward?

The example that was given in the OP was that of Hafeez, so my reply was continuing that same thought process and refuting it based on the evidence that we have from the game.

I believe had Imam, Babar, Bilal or even the likes of Abbas or Wahab been coming and giving advice then clearly I too would be quite annoyed. However, Hafeez was an integral part of team Misbah along with Asad and Azhar plus given how much Sarfraz was struggling with the captiancy all throughout the game I do not see it as a problem rather than opporuntity for him to have someone providing a different perspective.

It is almost crystal clear that Sarfraz does not employ the Misbah Template for UAE games and he has now lost two games and drawn (almost feels like a loss) to very average touring sides. In such a scneario helping out a struggling captain does not warrant critisim.

 

[Abid Z]

There has been a lot of criticism of Sarfaraz Ahmed's captaincy but what I saw yesterday on the final day was almost every player who could get to the captain was talking to him, gesturing etc - number one in that was Mohammad Hafeez.

Its one thing when the captain asks for advice, quite another when 5 players come running to him to give their 2 cents

This culture needs to change to allow captain to think about his strategy.

Firstly this is an exaggeration. You didn’t have 10 players come to sarfaraz, it was mostly hafeez and the bowlers. Bowlers have a right to set their field with the captain and it’s only right that they should express themselves. Secondly hafeez is a good thinking cricketer. Who should be more involved than he was.

 

[moghul]

so you are suggesting 10 players blabbering in the captain's ear is the way forward?

Not to every other captain but our clueless Sarfraz.

 

[mak36]

There has been a lot of criticism of Sarfaraz Ahmed's captaincy but what I saw yesterday on the final day was almost every player who could get to the captain was talking to him, gesturing etc - number one in that was Mohammad Hafeez.

Its one thing when the captain asks for advice, quite another when 5 players come running to him to give their 2 cents

This culture needs to change to allow captain to think about his strategy.

I noticed this too. It's a huge problem.

 

[Eagle_Eye]

The number of horrid decisions he'd been making since the start of the first day I'd say he was getting far less advice than it actually warranted. Never in the last 8 years, that we've been playing in the UAE, have I seen such clueless captaincy on a Day 5 pitch.

Snippets of how much he mucked it up:

1) Didn't start with his best bowler
2) Head and Khawaja almost pinched 2-3 singles every over for nearly 30-40 overs
3) Reactionary captaincy whenever Yasir was hit for a reverse sweep or any bowler for a boundary
4) Only 2 men around the bat until the last 20 overs
5) Being a keeper he should be the best judge of DRS calls since he can see the trajectory and line of the ball - (Had no idea where it was going)
6) Never let Yasir settle down on a plan and got impatient too quickly when something didn't work for 3-4 overs.
7) Hafeez was severely underutilized and we wasted the first session given two left-handers were on the crease.


These are just at the top of my head if I analytically dig into it; Sarfraz's captaincy would seem to be at the interschool level game rather than a Test match.

A year on, as predicted, you and [MENTION=138254]Syed1[/MENTION] have finally seen the light.

 

[Rayyman]

Sarfraz shouldn't have that much authority. He doesn't even command a place in the team and he's tactically inferior to Hafeez.

Captain doesn't mean dictator.

 

[Hasan123]

The fact he's receiving so much advice tells you the players have lost confidence in his decision making. Other than Dhoni who is an ATG captain, I don't see Virat getting this much advice

 

[Sirris]

The issue to two way. At the one hand the players should let the captain some space at the same time a leader should be able to stand up and tell his peers that he does not need their advice at the moment and take full responsibilities for calling the shots.

I believes since we were in a desperate hence why sarfraz allowed for open discussion.

 

[CricketingMinds]

Sarfaraz - poor keeper, poor batsman and now making poor captaincy decisions (Asia Cup and 1st Test v Aus)

Either he needs to go OR he needs a break OR he needs to realize that he is wasting a spot in the XI and pick up the slack

 

[90MPH]

I have to say I’m really disappointed with Sarfraz Ahmed’s captaincy and tactics.

He seems so impatient at times with his body language and this obviously can rub off in the players mindsets too.

Above all his tactics were not good enough - I think he he just expected to turn up and Australia were fold quickly. The spread fields certainly indicated that.

Above all It’s just pointless showing macho aggression with your facial expressions if you don’t match it and back it with your tactics.

Only in the final hour did the writing hit the wall that he went out all attack but it was too late by then.

 

[Syed1]

A year on, as predicted, you and [MENTION=138254]Syed1[/MENTION] have finally seen the light.

The only difference we are criticizing him on the basis of his performance and not on the basis of where he hails from unlike some people.

 

[Amjid Javed]

Only advise sarfaraz needs is to quit the job hes doing right now which is a bad one, time for him to be dropped before a humilating loss in this series or the one against Kiwis.

 

[Rana]

“He should play as a specialist slip fielder due to his captaincy”

 

[ManFan]

I used to defend Sarfraz because I saw someone who back youngsters, was hungry, and looked to be from a different cloth than previous politicking captains.

However, he has become overweight, lethargic, depressive to watch lead his men out on the field, and a poor keeper/batsman on top of all that.

Won’t be long before someone (Hafeez) gets the nod for Test captaincy with the backing of the locker room.

Sarfraz needs to shut his mouth, score runs, collect stunpings, accept responsibility for himself, and for once, lead his team from the front.

The Irish have a proverb that it is cold and lifeless in the front of the herd and warm and comforting in the back.

Sarfraz seems to have chosen the latter.

 

[Rana]

I believe this is a bad patch and conditions have not been helpful. I dont think that Sarfaraz is undeserving, he needs a ton to calm his nerves and silence his critics. But yes, his antics are not really beffitting that of a Test match captain. I cannot see him getting far a captain of a county team if he is ever signed as their overseas pro

 

[Eagle_Eye]

The only difference we are criticizing him on the basis of his performance and not on the basis of where he hails from unlike some people.

Perhaps some of could see, what you couldn't. Maybe it was you who had the regional bias goggles on which made you give him a free pass.

I told you, give it a year and you will all be calling for his head..... and here we are.

 

[Pete Rose]

All I can say is vultures circle dying prey

 

[Savak]

Someone in charge and with full respect of his team would not have every tom, dick, harry coming up to him with his opinions and advice.

 

[rhony]

He needs to score. His inability to score is impacting his captaincy and his demeanor. He is out of confidence and doubting his own skills.

 

[MenInG]

Well if Mickey Arthur quotes are to be taken on face value, Sarfaraz took advice from seniors also so during the game (wrong advice possibly)

 

[Deewana Mastana]

He's not able get any confidence as it seems like the CT win has taken over too much from him and over confidence creeps in and has over taken his game.

He's not batting well, not keeping well, not making the right on field decisions, it's just going all pear shaped for him and Pakistan since the CT.

Pakistan did well in England to draw the series but had it been a 3 test series it could have been anything.

He does not trust himself and lack of confidence has not helped.

He needs a bit of time away to go and get the basics right and play the game he used to play.

 

[Abdul]

He needs all the advice he can get.

 

[iniqbal223]

So the team captain is someone who is the worst right now, can't contribute and make horrific blunders to wash away others work

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

So far Sarfraz has been an utter failure as test captain. He lacks patience, his tactics oftentimes make little sense and far too often he looks utterly clueless.

Very few players are born captains but the least he can do is learn from his mistakes and reflect on what he could have done differently in certain situations. The vultures are circling and if there was ever a time for him to step-up it's now.