Should Imam-ul-Haq play in the first Test vs England?

[The Viper]

In the first warm-up game, he scored 41 and 5, whilst opening the batting.

In the ongoing game, he was injured when he was batting initially, but he has returned and is batting on 29*.

Does he merit a spot in the batting order for the first Test?

Also, which position should he bat, if he is selected?

 

[Usman]

Well I actually see a lot of promise in Imam but it's difficult for him to make the XI ahead of the man who so many have a soft spot for, Shan Masood.

I actually this Imam and Fakhar are a much better opening pair than Shan and Abid. The form on this tour so far shows that too.

 

[Bullet Drive]

lol

He is so so so so bad for the test format

He can get away with a shoddy technique in ODI's.

In tests, he has too many errors. LBW and caught in slips so many times.

 

[ads101]

I'd probably play him. I would have liked Saad or Usman instead. There's one free spot, given Shan, Abid, Babar, Azhar, Asad, Rizwan will all start.

Fawad has been prolific in domestics for decades but is 34 now. If he were already someone around the team it'd be fine, but trying to blood in a cricketer at that age, in a few years he'll be retired. He has to produce something instantly, no room for investment and he hasn't done much in these two practice matches. If we were going with him better in UAE/asia where we could expect instant results.

Haris is likely to walk back into the side after this series. So the place is only a temporary one really. Imam is younger, could be a learning experience for him. He also has better experience in England in the world cup where he's made centuries. Just needs to figure out how to apply the same skills he does in ODIs to tests.

Fakhar needs to get back form in LOI cricket, forget about test cricket. Iftikhar I see someone being useful in LOIs but I don't think is the future in tests, though I think he's the one who will be picked.

I'd play him middle order 5/6 most likely.

 

[shamaan]

In the first warm-up game, he scored 41 and 5, whilst opening the batting.

In the ongoing game, he was injured when he was batting initially, but he has returned and is batting on 29*.

Does he merit a spot in the batting order for the first Test?

Also, which position should he bat, if he is selected?

If they want to play a proper bateman he can either bat at number 3 drop everyone down a position or he can bat an 7 if they go with 4 bowlers

 

[ads101]

lol

He is so so so so bad for the test format

He can get away with a shoddy technique in ODI's.

In tests, he has too many errors. LBW and caught in slips so many times.

Most of his competitors for the slot have shoddy technique. I don't have faith in any of them really. I would have gone for Saad or Usman. Who would you choose from the current squad? Main thing Imam's got really is he's a decade younger, and had recent experience in England albeit in ODIs.

 

[Xoib]

I think he is getting the 6 number spot since @ 6 you need to face new ball few times as well.

 

[shamaan]

Well I actually see a lot of promise in Imam but it's difficult for him to make the XI ahead of the man who so many have a soft spot for, Shan Masood.

I actually this Imam and Fakhar are a much better opening pair than Shan and Abid. The form on this tour so far shows that too.

I dont think fakhar is proberly last person to be picked in the oppening slot. cant imaam bat at number 3 drop everyonedown a position or bat him at 6 depending on team combo

 

[Omer2002]

He should get the nod if the mgt have brains...abid is a no go in england and even shaan is hit and miss

 

[shamaan]

I think he is getting the 6 number spot since @ 6 you need to face new ball few times as well.

Hes facing the new ball at oppening ?

 

[shamaan]

He should get the nod if the mgt have brains...abid is a no go in england and even shaan is hit and miss

I'd stil keep abid and shan oppening maybe imaam at number 3 or 6

 

[Usman]

I dont think fakhar is proberly last person to be picked in the oppening slot. cant imaam bat at number 3 drop everyonedown a position or bat him at 6 depending on team combo

Fakhar scored 99 in the last game. That's about 99 more runs than any other opener so far!

Both Shan and Abid have been poor whilst Fakhar and Imam have both done better.

 

[Titan24]

I like Imam however, I personally wont change main batting or main bowling on the basis of warm up matches. Shan and Abid have just played some solid knocks in tests against Srl and BD.

We dont know how were the conditions in the warm up but I havent seen many teams changing their top order or pacers based upon the warm up matches especially when they have performed pretty well in last tests they have played.

I dont think there should be any tinkering in the top order.

 

[shamaan]

Fakhar scored 99 in the last game. That's about 99 more runs than any other opener so far!

Both Shan and Abid have been poor whilst Fakhar and Imam have both done better.

So should yasir shah play ahead of azhar and shafiq and the rest due to his 100 against austrlia ?

 

[Zaz]

You cant drop estabished opening pairs on the basis of inter team warmups it shouldnt work like that in good teams

Warmups are just to get time in the middle and get back into the swing of things Not basis for selections

If you were doing this there would be a new batting combinations in every test

Abid and Shan are the people in possession Unless they have shockers over 2-3 series theres no way they should be dropped

 

[Usman]

So should yasir shah play ahead of azhar and shafiq and the rest due to his 100 against austrlia ?

Well both Azhar and Asad have vastly underperformed since the retirements of MisYo so Yasir probably wouldn't do much worse!

On a serious note, the comparison between Fakhar v Shan/Abid and Yasir Shah v Azhar/Asad is clearly not sensible. Whatever you think of Fakhar, he has played some absolutely stunning innings and has performed at a level that the likes of Shan Masood could only dream of. Could Shan ever score a match winning century in a Champions Trophy final v India? Not even if you paid him a trillion pounds to do it. Could Shan Masood beat Anwar's record for the highest score ever by a Pakistani and score a ODI double century? Again, not even in his wildest dreams.

I am not saying test and odi formats are the same, but my point is that Shan Masood is far less talented than Fakhar Zaman and so the suggestion that Fakhar, who has performed in the practice games unlike Masood, should play ahead of Masood is not a crazy suggestion as you and trying to suggest.

 

[Titan24]

You cant drop estabished opening pairs on the basis of inter team warmups it shouldnt work like that in good teams

Warmups are just to get time in the middle and get back into the swing of things Not basis for selections

If you were doing this there would be a new batting combinations in every test

Abid and Shan are the people in possession Unless they have shockers over 2-3 series theres no way they should be dropped

Exactly.

 

[Bullet Drive]

Most of his competitors for the slot have shoddy technique. I don't have faith in any of them really. I would have gone for Saad or Usman. Who would you choose from the current squad? Main thing Imam's got really is he's a decade younger, and had recent experience in England albeit in ODIs.

Abdullah Shafique.

Best batsman in Pakistan right now after Babar.

 

[Zaz]

Well both Azhar and Asad have vastly underperformed since the retirements of MisYo so Yasir probably wouldn't do much worse!

On a serious note, the comparison between Fakhar v Shan/Abid and Yasir Shah v Azhar/Asad is clearly not sensible. Whatever you think of Fakhar, he has played some absolutely stunning innings and has performed at a level that the likes of Shan Masood could only dream of. Could Shan ever score a match winning century in a Champions Trophy final v India? Not even if you paid him a trillion pounds to do it. Could Shan Masood beat Anwar's record for the highest score ever by a Pakistani and score a ODI double century? Again, not even in his wildest dreams.

I am not saying test and odi formats are the same, but my point is that Shan Masood is far less talented than Fakhar Zaman and so the suggestion that Fakhar, who has performed in the practice games unlike Masood, should play ahead of Masood is not a crazy suggestion as you and trying to suggest.

Its not about talent opening in england rather technqiue and the ability to know what to play and what not to play

Yes shan masood may not be a saeed anwar or capable of playing a 2017 final type of innings but this is a different test and different skills are needed

The openers job is to see off the new ball for the middle order bat for sessions and get pakistan off to decent opening starts Is fakhar capable of that?

No matter what fakhar has done in the past in odis and how poor masood is He has more experience in this format, id be a lot more comfortable shan masood fronting up to broad and anderson on a overcast test at old trafford than fakhar with his technique and lack of test skills

 

[Usman]

Its not about talent opening in england rather technqiue and the ability to know what to play and what not to play

Yes shan masood may not be a saeed anwar or capable of playing a 2017 final type of innings but this is a different test and different skills are needed

The openers job is to see off the new ball for the middle order bat for sessions and get pakistan off to decent opening starts Is fakhar capable of that?

No matter what fakhar has done in the past in odis and how poor masood is He has more experience in this format, id be a lot more comfortable shan masood fronting up to broad and anderson on a overcast test at old trafford than fakhar with his technique and lack of test skills

Ok so let's say the distinctly average Shan plays the first game (despite his first class 30 average). Are you telling me that Abid Ali despite his failure once again deserves selection above both Imam and Fakhar? I think not.