Sarfaraz Ahmed versus Dinesh Karthik; Whose career didn't live up to expectations?

[Major]

Sarfraz Ahmad and Dinesh Karthik have 1 thing in common, while they both were good wicket keepers, they couldn't enter the playing 11 of their team.

Dinesh Karthik had to sit out, and understandably, for Ms Dhoni. Because MS Dhoni was a very good batsman along with a keeper, who batted very well at the lower order. Plus, Dhoni won all the ICC trophies as a captain.

Than there is Sarfraz Ahmad. Sarfraz stayed out of the team, because Kamran Akmal was given the first choice. Interestingly, while Kamran was a terrible keeper, he was kept in the team only because of his batting cameos. He saved a test against India twice, and that allowed him to play in the team for the next 5 years.

Sarfraz Ahmad initially was a very ugly batsman with no confidence. Even though he had avgs of 35+ in domestic cricket, but because his body language was as such, he used to bat at no.7 or no.8 in the national team. He was never given the confidence.

Sarfraz was known as the SOS keeper. If Kamran dropped dollies, Sarfraz would get called for 1 game, and he would than get dropped for the next series where Kamran would be back.

Sarfraz would finally shine under Moin Khan, when Moin Khan was part of the team management, he removed that low confidence of sarfraz and gave him a personality.

While Sarfraz won ICC Champions trophy, his batting form and fitness caused him to lose his spot in the national team eventually.

So between these two players who do you think couldn't make out a career at international level?

 

[Rajdeep]

Actually, Sarfraz Ahmed has over-achieved. He was always a limited player and zero personality but still manage to lead Pakistan in all formats. Not only that, he won Pakistan an ICC event.

Dinesh Karthik had tremendous potential but unfortunately his career collided with MS Dhoni. Both Parthiv Patel and DK has underachieved due to Dhoni factor.

 

[Zaz]

Id say Sarfraz has had the greater career

In terms of ability they are probably on par but sarfraz had led his country whilst karthik has always unfortunately been in dhonis shadows

 

[jnaveen1980]

DK has definitely under-achieved. He hardly had any weakness as a batsman. But his basic fidgety nature never allowed him to stay composed for longer periods. The innings of 93 against Pakistan under pressure when he was 19 was gold. Eventually helped India won the match. Also played a crucial part in England series win when he opened the innings there. In South Africa also he did very well in a Test that India should have won and series as well. Above all Dhoni's career completely shut down all the keepers in India for more than 10 years.

 

[MenInG]

Thread about Sarf and Karthik

Leave it like that please.

 

[msb314]

Both are mediocre but DK had to compete with Dhoni for the majority of his career. He was unlucky in that regard..

As a batsman - DK is far superior to Sarfraz

WK wise both are average

 

[shamaan]

Sarfraz in terms of keeping and as a batter.

 

[MenInG]

Thread about Sarf and Karthik

Leave it like that please.

Stick to the title of the thread.

Not seen any comparison with Karthik yet.

 

[Ab Fan]

Sarfaraz had better career. He was a good test match keeper batsman in subcontinent and led Pakistan to ICC Champions Trophy in 2017.

DK couldn't replicate even a Saha type test career considering that MS retired from tests way back in 2014.

 

[Firebat]

Sarfaraz had a far more fulfilling career than DK, who was a perennial backup. Sarf lead his country to an ICC trophy beating India in a final. I think any Pakistani would retire a happy man the day after.

 

[Hitman]

Dinesh Karthik was never good enough to represent India. It's baffling how he managed to play so many matches.

 

[Asif321]

Sarfraz as test player is way ahead of karthik . T20 and ODi karthik is better but Sarfraz didn’t use himself properly when he was captain had he fixed himself at one batting position he would be successful . Being captain brought his form downhill . But winning an ICC event was historic

 

[Savak]

Karthik achievements are mostly based on the IPL, he didn't do much for India in International Cricket. Sarfaraz is ahead of him as a player

 

[Energy]

Sarfaraz shouldn't be compared to Karthik- it's almost like an insult. Sarfaraz has had an excellent tenure during his time and achieved much more.

 

[Flat_Track_Bully]

Has Karthik won a ICC tournament as captain? Didn't think so. Sarfraz has achieved more than most in the game.

 

[Major]

Sarfaraz shouldn't be compared to Karthik- it's almost like an insult. Sarfaraz has had an excellent tenure during his time and achieved much more.

this is not a player comparison thread. This is just looking at the two under studies that got their break into the team very late and after the main guy had been dropped or retired.

Just like how Brad Haddin had to sit out due to gilchrist being first choice.

I feel bad for Sarfraz Ahmed, because he was sitting out for a terrible keeper. Kamran was the most useless keeper we ever had. He was soo much useless that Pakistan even gave Mohammad Salman a debut just to get away from him.

If only Sarfraz had moin back in 2008, his career could had started from that point.

 

[Bhaijaan]

DK looked like a million dollars when he arrived. Well coached technique, looked fit and looked kind of natural against bounce as a batter played the pulls and cuts very well. Like someone mentioned above just always been too fidgety and never made it count. Too many attractive little cameos and that’s about it.

 

[PakEngFan]

Both rubbish players but Sarfraz has had the better career.

 

[ARK Rafay]

Sarfraz was the best WK Batter up until Rizwan came in, and one of the most successful captains in Pakistan history

 

[Rana]

Sarfraz was the best WK Batter up until Rizwan came in, and one of the most successful captains in Pakistan history

Sarfaraz still is Pakistan’s best wicket keeper batsman

 

[RyanRyan10]

Sarfaraz overachieved and had a decent career.

Dinesh Karthik underachieved. And it's not that he had to compete with Dhoni. He was called back many times even when Dhoni was skipper as a specialist batsman or even when Dhoni took rest as a WKB but each time, he failed to fulfill expectations. His only achievements are being the highest run-getter in the 07 test series in England, playing as an opener and PoM in the Asia Cup final 2010.

 

[Energy]

this is not a player comparison thread. This is just looking at the two under studies that got their break into the team very late and after the main guy had been dropped or retired.

Just like how Brad Haddin had to sit out due to gilchrist being first choice.

I feel bad for Sarfraz Ahmed, because he was sitting out for a terrible keeper. Kamran was the most useless keeper we ever had. He was soo much useless that Pakistan even gave Mohammad Salman a debut just to get away from him.

If only Sarfraz had moin back in 2008, his career could had started from that point.

That's true. Because of Kamran and Umar Akmal musical chair, Sarfaraz probably lost 2-3 good years.

 

[Mamoon]

this is not a player comparison thread. This is just looking at the two under studies that got their break into the team very late and after the main guy had been dropped or retired.

Just like how Brad Haddin had to sit out due to gilchrist being first choice.

I feel bad for Sarfraz Ahmed, because he was sitting out for a terrible keeper. Kamran was the most useless keeper we ever had. He was soo much useless that Pakistan even gave Mohammad Salman a debut just to get away from him.

If only Sarfraz had moin back in 2008, his career could had started from that point.

Salman’s keeping against Ajmal in West Indies was brilliant. He couldn’t bat but as a keeper he was very competent based on the little that I saw.

Kamran’s was Pakistan’s top scorer in all three formats in 2009 and he has a very good year with the gloves as well, but the Sydney Test in 2010 started his downfall.

Sarfraz should have played ahead of Adnan Akmal in 2011-12 because he was a better batsman.

 

[topspin]

Word of advice to OP. You can't go around throwing mud at Sarfraz (even though I don't rate him myself) when your cricketing idol is Misbah.

 

[PakEngFan]

Sarfaraz still is Pakistan’s best wicket keeper batsman

Not according to stats if you are talking about but yes according to your personal grudge against rizwan. Who can forget the legendary comic relief post of yours in which you stated zeeshan ashraf etc are better then rizwan lol.

 

[Major]

Salman’s keeping against Ajmal in West Indies was brilliant. He couldn’t bat but as a keeper he was very competent based on the little that I saw.

Kamran’s was Pakistan’s top scorer in all three formats in 2009 and he has a very good year with the gloves as well, but the Sydney Test in 2010 started his downfall.

Sarfraz should have played ahead of Adnan Akmal in 2011-12 because he was a better batsman.

Salman was a wonderful keeper. Plus, Salman had been playing for Faisalabad so he knew Ajmal better than anyone as Ajmal also played for Faisalabad.

Kamran was a joke of a batsman. The guy was not consistent and only played cameos. He was dropping catches since 2008, I remember this because Sarfraz Ahmad got a debut in Asia Cup, and by 2010 sydney Test the guy had regressed.

This is why it makes me angry when Kamran whines

 

[Mamoon]

Salman was a wonderful keeper. Plus, Salman had been playing for Faisalabad so he knew Ajmal better than anyone as Ajmal also played for Faisalabad.

Kamran was a joke of a batsman. The guy was not consistent and only played cameos. He was dropping catches since 2008, I remember this because Sarfraz Ahmad got a debut in Asia Cup, and by 2010 sydney Test the guy had regressed.

This is why it makes me angry when Kamran whines

I would disagree with the assessment that Kamran was a joke of a batsman. A joke of a batsman cannot play the type of innings he played across all formats.

He was clearly a very talented batsman, but he was also highly inconsistent because he had major flaws in his batting which were regularly exploited by the bowlers, but he was as good as anyone when they bowled to his strengths.

I would rank him higher than all Pakistani WK as far as batting is concerned (including Rizwan) regardless of what the averages look like, I saw his whole career and I also saw Moin and Latif.

When he replaced them in 2004 it was very obvious that his batting was much better than both but his keeping was poor like Moin’s.

Kamran as a batsman was one of the biggest wasted talents in Pakistan’s history and I think a young Kamran would have been a fantastic white ball opener in today’s era.

 

[adi_62941]

I would disagree with the assessment that Kamran was a joke of a batsman. A joke of a batsman cannot play the type of innings he played across all formats.

He was clearly a very talented batsman, but he was also highly inconsistent because he had major flaws in his batting which were regularly exploited by the bowlers, but he was as good as anyone when they bowled to his strengths.

I would rank him higher than all Pakistani WK as far as batting is concerned (including Rizwan) regardless of what the averages look like, I saw his whole career and I also saw Moin and Latif.

When he replaced them in 2004 it was very obvious that his batting was much better than both but his keeping was poor like Moin’s.

Kamran as a batsman was one of the biggest wasted talents in Pakistan’s history and I think a young Kamran would have been a fantastic white ball opener in today’s era.

Agree. I have watched him from his debut match and he bring excitement into Pakistan team as that time we were used to look at Gilchrist and wish to have as half of his claiber batsmen WK in our team. Kamran has provided depth in pak batting, he played as an opener during inzi captaincy and performed quite well in patches. BTW inzi was great in giving chances to young players too.

His maiden debut ODI century in australia against WI chasing 270 odd runs on a turning wicket was one of his best and the century he made batting at number 7 or 8 against India in karachi is in the list of all time best batting performances.

The only issue he had was his WK skills which were really poor otherwise he would have played longer for Pak.