"The current Pakistan Test squad doesn't have any marketable face apart from Babar Azam": Ramiz Raja

Asad T

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Ramiz Raja seems to argue that Babar Azam should have been retained in the team because he attracts crowds to the stadiums. This is a weak argument on so many levels:

1) People don’t show up for Test cricket in Pakistan anyway.

2) Selection should be based on merit, not on fan following.

3) If our media and marketing agencies can turn someone like Babar—who isn’t particularly charismatic, traditionally handsome, or exciting in terms of strike rate—into a star attraction, why can’t they do the same for Rizwan, Naseem, or even Zulfiqar Babar loll?

I do agree that our current players lack the larger-than-life personalities that past players like Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Akhtar, Wasim Akram, and Inzamam had. But still, you can't select a player simply because you think they'll draw crowds. How was he even PCB chair with thinking like this?


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Are we a cricket team or a marketing agency ?

Not sure how losing match after match attracts fans to the grounds.

Exactly. Stop picking people on reputation, sort out everything on the administrative side and give a well-managed team a consistent run. Once they start winning or competing, marketable faces khud ba khud banjain gay.

Or...... you can wait for PSL 2025.
 
I can imagine ramiz raja speaking

Introducing the challenger, the weak, timid, veggie boy Kamran Ghulam, and in the corner we have

The impeccable, the indestructible, the King of the modern Era

BAAAABBBAAAAAERRRRRR AAAAAAAAAZZZAAAAAMMMMMMM
 
Pakistan's problem isn’t Babar Azam, but rather the pitches they prepare and the playing XI they select for those conditions. They often create pitches that end up favoring the opposition more. For example, they choose four fast bowlers on surfaces that start flat and only begin turning on the final day when they have no spinners, or they prepare absolute batting-friendly tracks for England, despite knowing their aggressive, ODI-style batting lineup.
 
Ramiz's analysis on commercial aspect of Cricket has always been spot on. When he came in as a Chairman. He talked about achieving three goals. Organizational Excellence, Commercial Excellence and Performance Excellence. The rest can be argued but he did achieve commercial excellence for Pakistan
 
Disgusting comments coming from the last chairman of Pakistan cricket.

If that's how he felt about the team no wonder they are performing like this.

He thinks Pakistan team is just a one man unit, but why say it on live television...how are the guys who are in the 11 going to feel after hearing such comments from the ex chairman who was in charge like a year ago...
 
Still remember his 'I haven't cracked the code for the pitches' genius. How does he keep finding these statements that don't make sense.

Anyone watching the match today with a cricket brain will instantly find Ghulam more marketable over Babar.
 
Ramiz as usual is talking nonsense. Not sure if actually cares for the team or for Babar and couple of others only? I do understand that sponsors are very important for money, but they will start coming when the team will start competing and winning again. You cannot keep a non-performer for 3-4 years as he also significantly contributes to the defeat. Babar is someone who has always failed on big occasions. Babar, Shaheen, Rizwan got all hype in last 4-5 years but that doesn't mean they should get free ride forever. It's the responsibility of PCB / Team Management to introduce potential replacements at right time
 
Pakistanis seem to have a grave misunderstanding of what being marketable means. Currently there is no one in the PAK team that is marketable because none of them have any real personality. You wanna learn what marketable means look at Kohli. From Pakistan, Imran, Wasim, Shoaib, Afridi were all marketable people. And yes, even Shoaib who had a personality to him and massive following outside the game.

These guys don't even know the meaning of marketable.

Shaheen Shah Afridi has some potential. But he needs to rediscover himself as a bowler first.
 
Ramiz didn't mess up the PCB while he was in charge; it's really the buffoon/s who hired him in the first place.

If you let a donkey drive your car, it's not fair to blame the donkey after the car gets wrecked! Why would anyone even think of putting a donkey in the driver's seat in the first place?

PS: no offence to donkeys!
 
Pakistanis seem to have a grave misunderstanding of what being marketable means. Currently there is no one in the PAK team that is marketable because none of them have any real personality. You wanna learn what marketable means look at Kohli. From Pakistan, Imran, Wasim, Shoaib, Afridi were all marketable people. And yes, even Shoaib who had a personality to him and massive following outside the game.

These guys don't even know the meaning of marketable.

Shaheen Shah Afridi has some potential. But he needs to rediscover himself as a bowler first.
Absolutely, there is nothing marketable in Babar. He has very poor body language, attitude & oratory skills, never answers interviewer's questions correctly, no real performance in big games or against big teams.

The ideal criteria can be Performance against big teams / big occasions ~ marketing ~ consistency ~ continue marketing

however, in Babar's case it has been:

Marketing ~ performance against minnows ~ huge marketing ~ one victory against India ~ huge marketing even at the cost of team ~ failures in all big events and against big teams ~ marketing continues ~ continuous failure for 3 years ~ marketing continues
 
Absolutely, there is nothing marketable in Babar. He has very poor body language, attitude & oratory skills, never answers interviewer's questions correctly, no real performance in big games or against big teams.

The ideal criteria can be Performance against big teams / big occasions ~ marketing ~ consistency ~ continue marketing

however, in Babar's case it has been:

Marketing ~ performance against minnows ~ huge marketing ~ one victory against India ~ huge marketing even at the cost of team ~ failures in all big events and against big teams ~ marketing continues ~ continuous failure for 3 years ~ marketing continues
I think even if he was performing the same point would stand. He lacks personality and charisma. As you mentioned, he struggles to form cogent sentences or speak confidently. Shoaib didn't speak particularly great English either but he knew how to communicate and had an entertaining/scandalous enough personality that he became a big celebrity
 
Absolutely, there is nothing marketable in Babar. He has very poor body language, attitude & oratory skills, never answers interviewer's questions correctly, no real performance in big games or against big teams.

The ideal criteria can be Performance against big teams / big occasions ~ marketing ~ consistency ~ continue marketing

however, in Babar's case it has been:

Marketing ~ performance against minnows ~ huge marketing ~ one victory against India ~ huge marketing even at the cost of team ~ failures in all big events and against big teams ~ marketing continues ~ continuous failure for 3 years ~ marketing continues
I mean how many times did Afridi perform in the last 10 years of his career? But he was always a hugely marketable star
 
In sports you become marketable through your performance. There is no such thing as having a marketable face.

If another player scores runs then they will instantly become more marketable.
 
Rameez is correct that Pakistan needs a superstar with global appeal and interest but Babar Azam is not that superstar. Due to our lower batting standards, Babar was a breath of fresh air. His consistency, technique and hunger for runs made him unique but he never had the aura of Afridi, Akhtar, Imran, or Wasim.

No matter how much you want to praise Babar, you know damn well he is not the main guy who will win you a match from any situation. This is why comparisons to Kohli fall flat. Babr was a consistent run scorer in his prime but Kohli wasnt just a run machine only, he was a match winner even when he was a young 22 Year old prodigy. The absolute dominance and brilliance he displayed everywhere is nowhere to be seen in Babar.

The 30 year old babar still has no quality innings under pressure to show for. His countless boring, selfish innings have turned fans against him, especially as he is consistently being portrayed as the greatest cricketer ever.
 
Even before Ramiz saying We knew it is true as we have been watching this for decades. But you don't say that out on TV lol.
 
I think with Pakistani cricketers we should be discussing who has the greatest meme potential. Making money is one thing, but becoming famous as a meme...now that's where it's at.

I think right now Umar Akmal is the undisputed king. But nobody stays on top forever.
 
No, you're not old enough to have seen Shahid Afridi's career
Sadly I am and Redwood’s comments are correct.
Considerable ability, occasional performance but goodness me, he was so dim and lacked game awareness as a batsman.
As a white ball bowler of topspinners he was better
 
No, you're not old enough to have seen Shahid Afridi's career
Actually I have followed most of Afridi's career. And after 2006 he was basically a tailender with the bat who had successfully convinced fans who barely ever watched Pakistan's matches that he was a highly aggressive and attacking player. I guess you were one of those people.
 
Sadly I am and Redwood’s comments are correct.
Considerable ability, occasional performance but goodness me, he was so dim and lacked game awareness as a batsman.
As a white ball bowler of topspinners he was better
As a bowler he was great, and ahead of his time. There's a reason that players like Rashid Khan have been inspired by him. Because his pace and accuracy genuinely made him one of the most difficult bowlers to face in ODIs and T20s at that time. But god, what a brainless batter. As a bowler you could line him up/work him out in one over.

Very marketable though. Another guy who spoke poor/barely understandable English but had personality, charisma and an aura about him.
 
It's not about what names are playing, it's about how the team is playing. Ramiz kickstarted Pak Cricket's demise by his stupidity and lack of cricketing sense.
 
Actually I have followed most of Afridi's career. And after 2006 he was basically a tailender with the bat who had successfully convinced fans who barely ever watched Pakistan's matches that he was a highly aggressive and attacking player. I guess you were one of those people.

he was a lower order batsmen who came in late and got the score board ticking without wasting ball, that's what his role was and he was good at it and that's what people liked him for.

if your expecting him to be a technically sound batmen who would averge 50+ then you got it all wrong

back to topic yes its just not his face its was his aggression people liked him for.

if you have watched him then you should know this as soon his wicket is taken half of the stadium is walking out

PS he has more MOM awards than Babar azam in the same amount of games in t20i's that speaks for it self
 
Actually I have followed most of Afridi's career. And after 2006 he was basically a tailender with the bat who had successfully convinced fans who barely ever watched Pakistan's matches that he was a highly aggressive and attacking player. I guess you were one of those people.
for you reference

shahid afridi - 99 games - 11 MOM
babar azam - 123 games - 9 MOM

so it wasn't just the face Afridi actually won games for Pakistan unlike Babar
 
he was a lower order batsmen who came in late and got the score board ticking without wasting ball, that's what his role was and he was good at it and that's what people liked him for.

if your expecting him to be a technically sound batmen who would averge 50+ then you got it all wrong

back to topic yes its just not his face its was his aggression people liked him for.

if you have watched him then you should know this as soon his wicket is taken half of the stadium is walking out

PS he has more MOM awards than Babar azam in the same amount of games in t20i's that speaks for it self

I can't even remember the number of times I saw this dim-wit come in during a run-chase, smash a couple of sixes and then throw his wicket away trying to hit another six rather than rotating the strike. He had ZERO game-awareness. If anything his batting regressed more and more as his career progressed.

What am I supposed to do with random MOTM performances with zero context about the quality of opposition or if he earned the MOTM for his bowling or his batting? The only two performances of note he gave with the bat in the last decade of his career were in the 2009 T20 WC. Also I never compared his batting to Babar so don't know where you brought that out. If you want to compare his batting to someone compare it to Sohail Tanvir or Umar Gul.
 
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Bring back shahid afridi, don't think anyone has been a bigger crowd puller than shahid afridi
indeed , this guys simply stupid ,will definitely get some reply from the media...

With babar Pakistan would be conceding a lead in excess of 150 already today... as simple as that...
 
Now I know you are one of those people.

I can't even remember the number of times I saw this dim-wit come in during a run-chase, smash a couple of sixes and then throw his wicket away trying to hit another six rather than rotating the strike. He had ZERO game-awareness. If anything his batting regressed more and more as his career progressed.

What am I supposed to do with random MOTM performances with zero context about the quality of opposition or if he earned the MOTM for his bowling or his batting? The only two performances of note he gave with the bat in the last decade of his career were in the 2009 T20 WC. Also I never compared his batting to Babar so don't know where you brought that out. If you want to compare his batting to someone compare it to Sohail Tanvir or Umar Gul.
his role was never to come out and see the ball off or see the bowlers off that's the job of the top order and middle batsmen his job was to come and smash the ball out of the park and he was good at that some times it worked and sometimes it didn't if you expect him to be a technically correct batmens then it's dillusion from your part.

Go back up its you the one claiming that afridi wasn't famous for his aggressive play but his face

Then you go on about he's hitting 6 after 6 and getting out

Make your mind up what your debating

Aggressive batsmen are always going to be high risk and afridi was high risk and that's what he was known for giving everyone a roller coaster ride
 
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Rambo Raja continues to hype the genetically engineered generational talent, the lab manufactured KING.

Spoke like the owner of saya group rather than PCT fan. :inti
 
Wow. What a deluded understanding you have of Afridi and cricket. Now I know you are one of those people.

I can't even remember the number of times I saw this dim-wit come in during a run-chase, smash a couple of sixes and then throw his wicket away trying to hit another six rather than rotating the strike. He had ZERO game-awareness. If anything his batting regressed more and more as his career progressed.

What am I supposed to do with random MOTM performances with zero context about the quality of opposition or if he earned the MOTM for his bowling or his batting? The only two performances of note he gave with the bat in the last decade of his career were in the 2009 T20 WC. Also I never compared his batting to Babar so don't know where you brought that out. If you want to compare his batting to someone compare it to Sohail Tanvir or Umar Gul.
Afridi was makeshift batter who's only job was to attack and he himself admitted he was just a bowling allrounder who could slog.

He nor his teammates even claimed he was suppose to win games with batting. He did win games with his batting like 100 of 45 or 37, in the same Corey Anderson managed a 100 of 36 but their job was never to bat or be crises men.

A more valid complaint for afridi is his inconsistency with the ball, it was all over the place per game.
 
he talks as if they play cricket like cinema ... nvm losing match after match and series after series but keep playing their superstars as long as they can pull crowd to fill the stadium... Damn this guy was the chairman of PCB once and that too selected by the famous kaptaan president himself... What a mindset this guy has...
 
Just because someone is a recognisable face he deserves to stink up the side for as long as he wants?
Im glad KG came in and made a hundred straight away to rub it in his face
 
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Afridi was makeshift batter who's only job was to attack and he himself admitted he was just a bowling allrounder who could slog.

He nor his teammates even claimed he was suppose to win games with batting. He did win games with his batting like 100 of 45 or 37, in the same Corey Anderson managed a 100 of 36 but their job was never to bat or be crises men.

A more valid complaint for afridi is his inconsistency with the ball, it was all over the place per game.
Spoken like someone who barely ever watched Afridi bat. If you come in with the team needing 10 an over, bring the rate down to 8 and then throw your wicket away you can't come in say I wasn't supposed to win the game. That's B.S. Think about how ridiculous what you are saying actually is. There are batters all over the world that are known for their power-hitting. They don't go in trying to hit every ball for six.
 
Typical ramiz raja pti supporter when into overdrive for support of babar and today we have reached this pathetic position where we got done over by bengalis.

Babar doesn't have anything marketable about him no looks , persona , physical presence nothing .

He's a good player and his best format is the 50 over format.

Test form has been in decline alongside any performance against the big gun opposition.
 
Spoken like someone who barely ever watched Afridi bat. If you come in with the team needing 10 an over, bring the rate down to 8 and then throw your wicket away you can't come in say I wasn't supposed to win the game. That's B.S. Think about how ridiculous what you are saying actually is. There are batters all over the world that are known for their power-hitting. They don't go in trying to hit every ball for six.
Yes you're right. We should all bat like Misbah, come in and increase the rr from 5 to 10 instead. Genuis.

I now know not to take you seriously. 🤣
 
I’m now 100% convinced Ramiz Raja is in the middle stages of psychosis. From being a test captain, chairman of the board / ceo twice, international commentator and ex player, you can’t be this stupid. The other day he was calling out the pcb on the pitches when he himself was responsible for one of the greatest debacles in our test history. On top of that, he’s essentially bashing his own country on world television. If anything PCB should issue him a show cause notice. This man should be kept away from all things cricket.
 
Rambo was praying for KG to fail
I’ve come to the conclusion that this guy only surrounds himself with people who hold the same views as him. Doesn’t seem to care or listen to those with alternative perspectives.

I would love for him to sit on a talk show with Wasay and Iffi.
 
I’m now 100% convinced Ramiz Raja is in the middle stages of psychosis. From being a test captain, chairman of the board / ceo twice, international commentator and ex player, you can’t be this stupid. The other day he was calling out the pcb on the pitches when he himself was responsible for one of the greatest debacles in our test history. On top of that, he’s essentially bashing his own country on world television. If anything PCB should issue him a show cause notice. This man should be kept away from all things cricket.
The irony is that some people think he's s great commentator
 
Marketability comes with winning and strong performances, both of which have sharply declined in recent years for the entire team, including Babar.
 
Bring back shahid afridi, don't think anyone has been a bigger crowd puller than shahid afridi

Then I’d actually tune into Pakistan’s innings just to see afridi bat haha.

It’s a sorry state seeing so many current and ex players in support of a non performing player. As if Babar is above the game.
 
Then I’d actually tune into Pakistan’s innings just to see afridi bat haha.

It’s a sorry state seeing so many current and ex players in support of a non performing player. As if Babar is above the game.
Babar has certainly not been a non-performing player in the team. He has scored plenty of runs and centuries throughout his career. Yes, he’s currently out of form, and if he's been dropped due to that, it’s understandable. But to label him as a non-performing player is simply not accurate.
 
Someone tell me what star & marketable quality Babar has? He has got poor communication skills, he has got zero charisma, isn't particularly good looking and he isn't an aggressive attacking batsman like Afridi was. Why has he been marketed as some star?
 
Whether people like it or Babar is the biggest brand in PK and by a long way. I would like Babar to reinvent himself as an opener in both Tests and ODIs and retire from T20s.
 
Whether people like it or Babar is the biggest brand in PK and by a long way. I would like Babar to reinvent himself as an opener in both Tests and ODIs and retire from T20s.
It’s not about liking or not liking it though? It’s about whether he’s good enough. And at the moment, he isn’t. This isn’t a knee jerk reaction, this is as a result of continuous failures.
 
Someone tell me what star & marketable quality Babar has? He has got poor communication skills, he has got zero charisma, isn't particularly good looking and he isn't an aggressive attacking batsman like Afridi was. Why has he been marketed as some star?
This is 100% true. There really is very little to like about the guy apart from some cover drives here and there. It’s been clever social media marketing, that’s about it.
 
It’s not about liking or not liking it though? It’s about whether he’s good enough. And at the moment, he isn’t. This isn’t a knee jerk reaction, this is as a result of continuous failures.
But brands are built subjective loyalty and Babar has a huge and loyal fan. That won't change unless he stays out of the team for a long while.
 
Someone tell me what star & marketable quality Babar has? He has got poor communication skills, he has got zero charisma, isn't particularly good looking and he isn't an aggressive attacking batsman like Afridi was. Why has he been marketed as some star?
fixie in centuries and degrading pak with dumb decisions
 
This is 100% true. There really is very little to like about the guy apart from some cover drives here and there. It’s been clever social media marketing, that’s about it.
Nothing to do with social media marketing and more to do what he does for you. Inds felt more pained at Tendulkar losing his wicket than losing the match in the 90s.
 
Cults are built like that.

Babar is a brand of mediocrity.
Babar ain't that bad, he let himself go fitness and talent wise. But he also totally misunderstood the type of batsmen he was.

He should have stayed put and learnt from batting coaches.

Pakistan desperately needed a solid Mohammad yousaf like batter in the squad and Babar at no 3 could have fulfilled that role.

Sad to see it won't ever be.

Brand of mediocrity mostly applies to rizzu imo, aka a total waste of a batter who virtually has no ceiling. Rizwan has taken the phrase on dimensional batter a bit too literally since he can only bat in a single direction
 
But brands are built subjective loyalty and Babar has a huge and loyal fan. That won't change unless he stays out of the team for a long while.
Babar doesn’t have fans, people like you only like him because imran khan had asked ramiz raja to appoint him as captain and give him full authority.

Had babar azam been selected by nawaz sharif as captain you would be the first one shouting on top of your lungs to drop babar azam

Therefore babar don't have market value all his support isn't because of babar himself but due to political reason
 
Actually I have followed most of Afridi's career. And after 2006 he was basically a tailender with the bat who had successfully convinced fans who barely ever watched Pakistan's matches that he was a highly aggressive and attacking player. I guess you were one of those people.
I have followed full career of Shahid Afridi from from his fastest century to his last T20I match, how many times he did his infamous tell all press conferences & openly ridiculed PCB, fellow players, coaches in media, how many times he faked his retirement & came back and how he was literally begging to Inzammam for one farewell game just to showoff his fake legacy. According to me he had the most manipulative career in the history of Pakistan cricket, he was neither a proper bowler nor a batsman but still managed to play international cricket for more than 20 years because of lobbying in media & creating his brand value specially after 2003 WC. His contribution to Pakistan cricket considering the matches he had played & the freedom he was given is nothing but no doubt yes as you said he won 2 games in 2009 WC. Yes he took 395 ODI wickets but 75% of those wickets were random wickets without much impact, he was never a frontline spinner in his career except in 2011 WC. Yes he won 32 MOM in ODI with his own performance but in his rest of the matches his performance was almost negligible. It's not possible to explain these things to his fans
 
Babar doesn’t have fans, people like you only like him because imran khan had asked ramiz raja to appoint him as captain and give him full authority.

Had babar azam been selected by nawaz sharif as captain you would be the first one shouting on top of your lungs to drop babar azam

Therefore babar don't have market value all his support isn't because of babar himself but due to political reason
I understand why you are so bitter. After I brought up the Raza suggested selection, I found the thread just like Rana did. And guess which moron was calling for his selection after 42 in a T20 match. Take a close look in the mirror and you may find a guy that wanted to select a player for PK after scoring 42. Yes 42
Stop being silly. It's your ilk that follow criminals blindly- intelligent people like us, like or dislike players on their aesthetics and performance. For me Babar is the most talented player we produced this century in all formats. And by a long way. He is universally agreed on by most ex players as a very good player and then we have you and Rana wanting to select a Player after he scored 42
Your silliness is magnified by your desperation to find something to credit NS with but all we saw is a duffer that can't string a sentence together, never mind show any leadership.

BTW
Do You want me to bring up the thread. I hope you don't blame IK or me for you wanting to select a guy that scored 42🤣🤣🤣🥰
 
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