Test Cricket has not been a priority since Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan's departure

[Sarwar89]

PSL was introduced in 2016, coincidently Misbah and Younus retired a year later after memorable away Test series win in West indies.

Misbah and Younus were last of the great generation of players who grew up watching Mudassar Nazar, Zaheer Abbas, Miandad, Shoaib muhammad & Salim malik on home turfs. As young adults they had aura of Test cricket in them. And no wonder Misbah as captain was quite successful at home ( in UAE). Managed to win the mace as well. But was ridiculed for his lack of flamboyant style and brand of cricket.

However after their departure We have lost home Test series
Sri lanka 2017 in UAE
New zealand 2018 in UAE

And now Australia ( almost) 2022.

However during this period Pakistan won ICC champions trophy and had good T20 world cup in 2021, both events have given current lot significant fame, publicity and authority as super stars.

It appears current lot care less about Test cricket as it is not

1) Demand in Sport in Pakistan
2) Even if you do well in Tests, your performances go unnoticed.
3) Azhar Ali 302* in UAE in 2016 is not remembered but Asif Ali’s 4 sixes to Jannat in World cup are remembered.

Dead pitches, below par pitches by PCB will further deteriorate interest of Test cricket in Pakistan.

We are just like Sri lanka West indies to be honest who care less about Test Cricket in general.

Fans have every right to abandon Test cricket in Pakistan after these shameful pitches and it will impact players more.

But all will be forgotten if
1) on 23rd October 2022 Babar Azam led team beat India in T20 World cup
2) If they beat South Africa in Sydney on 3rd November 2022

I am not blaming PSL but i think T20 is format in demand in Pakistan just as it is the case in West indies.

 

[Justcrazy]

Pakistan needs to play 12 Tests a year at least.

Otherwise, you cannot improve, there is NO way you can.

 

[SM1989]

You are right. I haven't watched these test matches at all. Only checked score and watched highlights. Test cricket is boring and on its way to becoming an elitist niche game.

 

[Sarwar89]

Pakistan needs to play 12 Tests a year at least.

Otherwise, you cannot improve, there is NO way you can.

Absolutely.

Last time Pakistan played 5 Match Test series was in the summer of 1992.

Even this Aus Test series should have been 4 match Test series. They could have taken out ODI’s altogether it was not needed.

 

[Hawkeye]

Look.

Misbah is the best cricketing brain in Pakistan right now. Among all the (specially) retired cricketers, there's just nobody who can match his caliber and class.

Most are just bitter, uneducated, mud-slinging characters with no knowledge of the modern game.

Misbah, at least in Tests, knew how to have full control of a Test match.

Specially in the subcontinent conditions, he'd just play with the opposition. From day 1 to day 5, he knew exactly what to do. How to use the bowlers. Pace the innings. Field settings.

There's just nobody better among contemporary cricketers from PAK.

What should we do?

Make him the PCB chairman.

Or

Head coach of the Test team.

He's Pakistan's most successful Test captain.
We need him.

Take his advantage. He needs to have a commanding position within the PCB.

 

[Saj]

Given what I've seen today from those in the PCB, it seems that Test cricket will just be an afterthought, after the PSL in the coming months and years.

 

[Kianig89]

Yes Test cricket is not PcB priority since Shehryar Khan left all baffoons just spent their tenure in travelling and lobbying also no incentive for Test cricketers

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

Our test batting is in shambles. Babar is a great LOI cricketer but he is useless in tests. Heck, Jadeja and Ashwin can play in this Pak XI's top order.

Our fast bowling is decent and can become world class. Only positive.

Our spin bowling is minnow level.

And finally our captain and fielding is simply pathetic.

 

[Zaz]

When all your focus is on t20s Whos gonna care about tests?

You will never produce top players if you dont play the format

The lack of match time some of these players have had like babar or shaheen shows They are novices at this format They hardly play any 4 day cricket and it shows

 

[Markhor]

When all your focus is on t20s Whos gonna care about tests?

You will never produce top players if you dont play the format

The lack of match time some of these players have had like babar or shaheen shows They are novices at this format They hardly play any 4 day cricket and it shows

PCB's priorities are as follows: T20s, T20s, T20s. I realise the commercial importance of T20s but there must be balance !

Take the example of Shaheen Afridi. In his career he's played 28 FC matches (inc 22 Tests) and 118 T20s ! And we expect him to lead the line in Tests with such little experience ?

Why did we go full strength vs West Indies C for some useless T20s ? How did that benefit Babar, Shaheen and Rizwan when they could've played QEA Trophy instead ? Why didn't we manage the PSL workloads of our Test players and prevent injuries to Hasan, Faheem, Shadab and Nawaz before a massive home Test series vs Australia ?

Yes scheduling is difficult with COVID but no Pakistan should ever go into a major Test series with a gap of 4 days from PSL, without a practice match, with no bowling coach and a head coach confirmed only days prior. That's a pathetic attitude to Test cricket !

PCB also have the dubious honour this year of becoming the first nation to host a 7 match T20 series, against England. Talk about overkill. Where's the preparations for the 50 over World Cup next year ?

Ramiz has milked the T20 World Cup run (which he had little to do with and more down to our decade of UAE experience) but everything else has been a shambles.

 

[Saj]

It's all about money.

PCB hierarchy know that the sponsors are keen on PSL and will pay big amounts to get involved in it, whereas sponsors are not too keen on QeA Trophy and Test cricket.

If the rupees are rolling in, then their mentality is, who cares about first-class cricket and Test cricket.

 

[realitygaf]

It's all about money.

PCB hierarchy know that the sponsors are keen on PSL and will pay big amounts to get involved in it, whereas sponsors are not too keen on QeA Trophy and Test cricket.

If the rupees are rolling in, then their mentality is, who cares about first-class cricket and Test cricket.

Shouldn’t the mentality be , you can invest and reap rewards from psl IF you invest in first class and test cricket too ?

 

[Markhor]

It's all about money.

PCB hierarchy know that the sponsors are keen on PSL and will pay big amounts to get involved in it, whereas sponsors are not too keen on QeA Trophy and Test cricket.

If the rupees are rolling in, then their mentality is, who cares about first-class cricket and Test cricket.

The sponsors won't be keen on Test cricket with these abject surfaces.

That Rawalpindi pitch was a better road than some I see around here.

 

[TheSultan]

Can people please stop mentioning Younis and Misbah together. Younis was a world class batsman while Misbah was a permanent 12th man.

Younis was a run machine while Misbah was a little plodder.

Misbah owes most of his success to Younis’ runs. Younis would have still made runs without Misbah.

 

[ads101]

Test cricket isn't a priority in any nation anymore. Not just Pakistan. Look at what's happening to England's test side.

The best players want to play the shorter formats, there's more money, less injuries. Test cricket is an afterthought.

The whole of test cricket needs to change. Atm it's just limited overs players who just try their hand at test cricket, or people who aren't good enough to play in the shorter formats playing tests instead.

I don't agree with talk about punishing people for shorter formats in order to make tests viable. Instead make tests attractive enough to make them stand out, change the actual rules of the game. Paying people more for tests doesn't work either if they're generating less money.

 

[Saj]

The sponsors won't be keen on Test cricket with these abject surfaces.

That Rawalpindi pitch was a better road than some I see around here.

Because PCB couldn't care less about Test cricket, it's simply an afterthought for them.

 

[gibsyhesperis]

Because PCB couldn't care less about Test cricket, it's simply an afterthought for them.

It will be an afterthought across the world. Look at England who have decimated their first class structure to pursue the riches of short format cricket.
Atherton has written well on this — in ten years (maybe less) T20 will be the prime format in world cricket.
The game will be poorer for that, but it is inevitable.

 

[Savak]

Excuses. The test side has Imam ul Haq, Abdullah Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Nauman Ali, Sajid Ali. Players who have nothing to do with Pakistans T20 team and the PSL. Vast majority of these players were called for a special test camp two weeks before the start of the test series.

These players have still been exposed like school boys against men. You can give this lot a month to prepare against Australia, they will still lack the temperament, skills and technique to compete against the best.

 

[PakLFC]

Now all ex players will come out to attack anything that moves. Had Pak won this series they would all want the credit too. Truth is Aussies are a better side then us at the moment.

 

[moghul]

PSL was introduced in 2016, coincidently Misbah and Younus retired a year later after memorable away Test series win in West indies.

Misbah and Younus were last of the great generation of players who grew up watching Mudassar Nazar, Zaheer Abbas, Miandad, Shoaib muhammad & Salim malik on home turfs. As young adults they had aura of Test cricket in them. And no wonder Misbah as captain was quite successful at home ( in UAE). Managed to win the mace as well. But was ridiculed for his lack of flamboyant style and brand of cricket.

However after their departure We have lost home Test series
Sri lanka 2017 in UAE
New zealand 2018 in UAE

And now Australia ( almost) 2022.

However during this period Pakistan won ICC champions trophy and had good T20 world cup in 2021, both events have given current lot significant fame, publicity and authority as super stars.

It appears current lot care less about Test cricket as it is not

1) Demand in Sport in Pakistan
2) Even if you do well in Tests, your performances go unnoticed.
3) Azhar Ali 302* in UAE in 2016 is not remembered but Asif Ali’s 4 sixes to Jannat in World cup are remembered.

Dead pitches, below par pitches by PCB will further deteriorate interest of Test cricket in Pakistan.

We are just like Sri lanka West indies to be honest who care less about Test Cricket in general.

Fans have every right to abandon Test cricket in Pakistan after these shameful pitches and it will impact players more.

But all will be forgotten if
1) on 23rd October 2022 Babar Azam led team beat India in T20 World cup
2) If they beat South Africa in Sydney on 3rd November 2022

I am not blaming PSL but i think T20 is format in demand in Pakistan just as it is the case in West indies.

Stopped reading beyond the point where I read Misbah "great generation of players", This "great player" was the "Gen Zia" of Pakistan cricket, damaged to Pakistan cricket caused during his era will take years to recover.

 

[daytrader]

Stopped reading beyond the point where I read Misbah "great generation of players", This "great player" was the "Gen Zia" of Pakistan cricket, damaged to Pakistan cricket caused during his era will take years to recover.

Took us to number 1 and made our adopted home a fortress! That sir is the definition of greatness.

 

[greatest]

At the end of the day it's up to the players to take Test Cricket seriously. If we do well in Tests then the people will take notice and follow the longer format. Look at the Indian team and especially Kohli, despite the IPL, they have started to prioritize Test cricket which has resulted in winning two series in Australia and a win in England as well. Plus, at home they prepare absolute turners from day one and totally crush their opponents. Aggressive cricket!

Btw, the current Pakistani players and I guess the future lot also have no knowledge of our cricketing history and our memorable Test wins. I guess no one is aware of the historic 1954 Oval or 1976 Sydney Test wins or even our standing up to the mighty West Indies in the 80s. If you don't know your past then your future is doomed.

 

[moghul]

Took us to number 1 and made our adopted home a fortress! That sir is the definition of greatness.

With the help of the greatest chucker game has ever produced and also UAE king played his part. We all know what happened when this "great batsman" went to New Zealand and Australia , he lost everything all tests and he could not score any runs , that was his "greatness" . Then score some runs and won against the minnows WI.

 

[daytrader]

With the help of the greatest chucker game has ever produced and also UAE king played his part. We all know what happened when this "great batsman" went to New Zealand and Australia , he lost everything all tests and he could not score any runs , that was his "greatness" . Then score some runs and won against the minnows WI.

When have we won tests in New Zealand and Australia? Why do you hold Misbah to a higher standard to his peers?

 

[The_KING]

With the help of the greatest chucker game has ever produced and also UAE king played his part. We all know what happened when this "great batsman" went to New Zealand and Australia , he lost everything all tests and he could not score any runs , that was his "greatness" . Then score some runs and won against the minnows WI.

Misbah won a test series in New Zealand. Misbah drew a series in England and won match of the series. Don’t let your agenda against Misbah get in the way of the facts.

 

[Kianig89]

We need to play more Test cricket unfortunately PCB is busy trying to leech everyone in PSL if you won't produce quality players then even PSl will decline
Should have min. 7,8 home Tests every season

 

[Hawkeye]

Took us to number 1 and made our adopted home a fortress! That sir is the definition of greatness.

Misbah won a test series in New Zealand. Misbah drew a series in England and won match of the series. Don’t let your agenda against Misbah get in the way of the facts.

Excellent posts.

He actually made us win way more than all the previous Test captains. [MENTION=141839]moghul[/MENTION] wants to talk about performances in Aus, where all the captains including Imran Khan badly failed. Even with the greatest players like Wasim, Waqar, inzi etc.

Misbah had average players yet he extracted the most out of them.

Made them the no.1 ranked Test team.

 

[daytrader]

With the help of the greatest chucker game has ever produced and also UAE king played his part. We all know what happened when this "great batsman" went to New Zealand and Australia , he lost everything all tests and he could not score any runs , that was his "greatness" . Then score some runs and won against the minnows WI.

The greatest chucker wasn't there when we tied the series in England and the team did push ups. We became #1 after that

 

[FearlessRoar]

Misbah Ul Haq smashed a 56-ball Test century against Australia in Abu Dhabi to equal the then-world record for the fastest century in the format.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1455448826270081024

 

[Hawkeye]

We’ve become absolute MINNOWS in Tests after Misbah’s departure.

Mickey and then Rameez Raja ensured that we’ll lose Tests even at home.

The result is we’re now a terrible ODI side as well. You need quality and skill to bowl / bat 50 overs. That comes from experience in Tests.

Our premier bowlers Shaheen and specially Naseem are terrible in this format. Both focusing on T20s only.

Rauf is even worse. A T20 league fraud. Does he really belong in ODIs and Tests?

We haven’t groomed any good spinners to take advantage of the home conditions. Instead we keep dishing out batting paradises that don’t break up with time. Result we end up losing more than drawing, let alone winning, as both our batting and bowling is now minnow level in Tests.

About time we start focusing specially on our Test bowling.

 

[Professionalismandflair]

So many things wrong….where do we start?

 

[Kianig89]

Apart from PSL there Is no plan and management from PCB, its all being run adhoc look at our FTP, we have No ODIs schedule till Nov.2024