Should Pakistan adopt the aggressive ODI and T20I approach in Test matches?

[Savak]

Our openers in Test matches are slow and defensive. Babar Azam is far too circumspect and defensive in Test Cricket. Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq will never change their style and it is best they stick to their original games. Harris Sohail and Sarfaraz are aggressive players.

The team management needs to approach test matches more aggressively and think about introducing Fakher Zaman in test cricket, getting all rounders like Fahim Ashraf which will allow the team management to play 5 bowlers. Get Hafeez into the team for UAE pitches and play him in the middle to lower order.

Bottomline we need to be aggressive in test cricket now just like we have been in our ODI and T-20 teams.

 

[Syed1]

Yes guys like Azhar and Shafiq will play aggressive who begin sweating if they have to play at more than 2 rpo.



Although Shafiq sometimes can bat at 60-70 SR, but Misbah's mini-me is a complete no-hoper

 

[Kohli The King of Chase]

There is no need to play aggressive cricket in tests, unless you are chasing a total with less overs left, or about to declare the innings.

If you can play your strokes, that's more than enough to have 3.3+ RR (in UAE).

For that to happen, you just need to be positive, and not go into the shell.

Eg: Younis Khan, he was never aggressive, but he made sure he played his shots.

 

[Syed1]

There is no need to play aggressive cricket in tests, unless you are chasing a total with less overs left, or about to declare the innings.

If you can play your strokes, that's more than enough to have 3.3+ RR (in UAE).

For that to happen, you just need to be positive, and not go into the shell.

Eg: Younis Khan, he was never aggressive, but he made sure he played his shots.

We don't even play at 3.3


A typical Pakistani innings is at about 2.7 rpo. What was more embarrassing was that a minnow level Sri Lanka smashed 480 odd in 1 and half day against us, while our snail pace batsmen took same time to score 250 odd.

 

[Savak]

Our low scoring run rates is a major factor in our inability to bat properly and to put pressure on the opposition. You can have a max of 1-2 players like Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq and even then these guys once they get their eye in and settle should break the shackles and start taking the attack to the opposition in the end, but the other batsmen in the team i.e. Openers and the likes of Babar Azam, Harris Sohail, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Fahim Ashraf need to bat positively and aggressively.

 

[Amjid Javed]

Its seen as against the law for most of our batsmen to score quickly or rotate the strike, simply occupying the crease and block for sake of blocking seems to be the plague message going through the team

 

[Kohli The King of Chase]

We don't even play at 3.3


A typical Pakistani innings is at about 2.7 rpo. What was more embarrassing was that a minnow level Sri Lanka smashed 480 odd in 1 and half day against us, while our snail pace batsmen took same time to score 250 odd.

My point is, NO NEED TO PLAY AGGRESSIVE CRICKET , JUST BY PLAYING YOUR STROKES, YOU CAN EASILY HAVE 3.3+ RR(In UAE , it's good).

Younis, Asad sometimes, even Hafeez when in flow, they score at a good 55+ strike rate.

Whereas Misbah, Azhar, Sami, Babar all think that as long as you stay on the crease, runs will come. No, it's not that way.

By playing ur natural game u can score 55(100) and may get out.

But by just staying on the crease , you are bound to fail. All you need is, a peach of a delivery or a little lack of concentration and your stumps go flying. You'll end up 37(105)

 

[another drop catch]

Fakhar is utterly overhyped player who is riding his luck with that one mistake by Bumrah
also no need to play aggressively in longer format ,just play natural game like other teams

 

[ExpressPacer]

Absolutely. However, that being said, this does not mean that you drop Sami Aslam and Babar Azam. Babar Azam is clearly the future and needs to persisted with because if not right now, he eventually WILL come good. Along with Harris Sohail, Babar Azam will form the core of our middle-order; both being equally comfortable against pace and spin and being able to maneuver the ball into gaps.

And the same goes for Sami Aslam. For everything being said about a so-called "aggressive" batsman with under 10 LA games under his belt, Sahibzada Farhan, Sami Aslam outperformed him in the same Pakistan Cup with more hundreds, a better HS, a better SR, more sixes and more runs. Sami Aslam is the future of our opening slot and hopefully, the team as well. You can clearly see the talent.

Sami Aslam, Babar Azam and Harris Sohail can all provide the aggression we need. At least as far as Tests are concerned, especially considering they have the ability to bat on most pitches in the world. I would throw Asad Shafiq out of the team because he is a real cancer to the XI with his once in a blue moon knocks which usually end up in a losing cause anyway.

FZ needs to be given a go.

 

[ExpressPacer]

And aggression is not limited to batting, we need to get rid off tailender bullies with no passion for the sport like Abbas. Bring in Usman Khan and Raees, bowlers who actually work hard on their game and struggle to put their best bet forward.

A bowler like Abbas who shows zero interest for quality bowling boils my blood.