The team management is to blame for the Asad Shafiq debacle

[Slog]

Well to begin with pretty much every batsman has failed so you cant really just single any one person out and who knows different tactics may have still resulted in failures.


However on the forum the impression being given (I dont know how)is as if Shafiq personally made the decision to bat at #6 again and send Babar Azam to #3. Maybe the management wanted to send Babar at a familiar position rather than have him bat at #6 with tailenders and in midst of a major collapse as happened here

Anyways. Asad Shafiq was promoted up the order in England.

And since his move up the order he scored:
109
67
5
58*
0
0

So he averaded 47.8 despite a pair in a match which is hopefully an anomaly.

Up until that match he had averaged 80 with the bat since his move up the order

So on basis of one terrible match the team management just lost the plot and made wholesale changes?

One bad match (after which he still had a decent record), he is demoted (if what PPers say is true and it wasnt the tactical decision to give Babar a preferred position and play Asad at a position where he is one of the best of all time?) The team management is to blame here. One really shouldnt be choppping and changing orders on whims at short notices

Ofcourse this doesnt excuse Asad's failure to take responsibility

 

[Moiza]

The wisdom behind letting Asad bat with sohails and amirs is truly lost on me.

 

[Rayyman]

I don't think it is a good decision. Shafiq is a better Test batsman than Azam so he should bat at 3 ahead of him. Here's why Shafiq is a better option at 3:
-Experience playing there in domestic
-Better technique
-More experience in Test matches
-He is 8 years older
Why Azam shouldn't bat at 3:
-No Test match experience
-Average technique
-Not much First-Class experience
-Young
Most of the greats started their careers at #6-#7 (Tendulkar, Ponting, Dravid, etc.)
Imo Shafiq should bat at 3 in the next match.

 

[Junaids]

I'd actually pick the following batting order using existing resources:

1 Sharjeel
2 Sami
3 Azhar
4 Babar
5 Shafiq
6 Misbah

 

[Pakprideuk]

I'd actually pick the following batting order using existing resources:

1 Sharjeel
2 Sami
3 Azhar
4 Babar
5 Shafiq
6 Misbah

For once i actually agree with you. Azhar at 3 can actually hold the team together and Shafiq would be suited to no5.

 

[TalentSpotterPk]

They must rectify it as soon as next match.

I won't blame team management if this move was done on request/wish of senior batsman Asad Shafiq.

Otherwise I blame them.

 

[Seen Sheen]

They must rectify it as soon as next match.

I won't blame team management if this move was done on request/wish of senior batsman Asad Shafiq.

Otherwise I blame them.

No way I believe Asad would have called for demotion to #6. He is the sort of person who will be willing to adjust to any position if the management wants him to bat at that position.

His personal wish was to bat in top 3 and when they did promote him to #3, he returned the favor straight away at The Oval. Just because he failed in a grand total of one game doesn't mean that you make a hasty and panicky decision. That was a poor move from the management & probably first major mistake Mickey has committed in his reign.

He's the more accomplished of the two and does know what it takes to survive and thrive against quality bowling. It would be easier introduction in the batting lineup for Babar as well if he bats at #6 against an older ball and with lesser pressure (on most occasions).

There is no shame in realizing that they did a mistake and nobody will hold it against them if they manage to right the wrong in the next game by reinstating Asad at #3.

 

[waleed88]

I fully agree on this, the guy is made to move up and down whenever things go awry one bit..

Just got a 100 as a one down against England, but that was all uncounted for after a couple of pairs against WI.. that is what you call reactionary management, pretty sure Misbah wasn't behind this decision

 

[asfandyar]

You don't men a thing that isn't broken. Asad has been phenomenal at number 6 over the years despite his limitations. The actual problem is the number 3 and 4.

Younis has played at those positions during half of his career each, so he can move to number 3. Time to bring one of domestically proven Fawad, Haris, Usman Salahuddin, Umar Akmal, Umar Siddiq, Saud Shakil et al. for position 4.

Babar Azam is obviously not cut out for test cricket yet, which was predictable given his slightly above average domestic record (was averaging 35 odd before his 200, which boosted his average to 40+, but credit to him for bringing that average into acceptable range; still needs to average 45+ to get into my books).

 

[Syed1]

Asad Shafiq is not good enough for these conditions just like some of his team mates.

Better if he bats in the dust bowls of UAE and scores runs on flat phattas.

 

[Syed1]

People forgetting that Asad shahab had two ducks in his last test at number 3 on a flat phatta. Mashallah nazar na lagay

 

[Rayyman]

People forgetting that Asad shahab had two ducks in his last test at number 3 on a flat phatta. Mashallah nazar na lagay

He also had a poor series against Zimbabwe, but he returned strongly later on.

 

[Syed1]

He also had a poor series against Zimbabwe, but he returned strongly later on.

Not to forget the two ducks he got in the 3rd English test, only to score a century in the 4th test after piggy backing on Yuni bhai.


Good players perform when it matters the most, not when it is nice and sunny.

 

[Rayyman]

Not to forget the two ducks he got in the 3rd English test, only to score a century in the 4th test after piggy backing on Yuni bhai.


Good players perform when it matters the most, not when it is nice and sunny.

Shafiq batted ahead of him soo...

 

[srh]

Well to begin with pretty much every batsman has failed so you cant really just single any one person out and who knows different tactics may have still resulted in failures.


However on the forum the impression being given (I dont know how)is as if Shafiq personally made the decision to bat at #6 again and send Babar Azam to #3. Maybe the management wanted to send Babar at a familiar position rather than have him bat at #6 with tailenders and in midst of a major collapse as happened here

Anyways. Asad Shafiq was promoted up the order in England.

And since his move up the order he scored:
109
67
5
58*
0
0

So he averaded 47.8 despite a pair in a match which is hopefully an anomaly.

Up until that match he had averaged 80 with the bat since his move up the order

So on basis of one terrible match the team management just lost the plot and made wholesale changes?

One bad match (after which he still had a decent record), he is demoted (if what PPers say is true and it wasnt the tactical decision to give Babar a preferred position and play Asad at a position where he is one of the best of all time?) The team management is to blame here. One really shouldnt be choppping and changing orders on whims at short notices

Ofcourse this doesnt excuse Asad's failure to take responsibility

Pakistan lost the last 2 test matches because of Asad Shafiq.

 

[Seen Sheen]

Not to forget the two ducks he got in the 3rd English test, only to score a century in the 4th test after piggy backing on Yuni bhai.
.

4th test was only three months but you seem to have forgotten the actual progression of Pakistan's first innings at The Oval. It was the partnership between Asad and Azhar that actually gave Younis the platform to assert himself. By the time Younis arrived, Asad was well settled and had already been playing freely. So that was pretty false portrayal of Asad's innings.

 

[salih]

I've previously been an advocate of Shafiq batting at 6, but now I realise that at the moment he's best at 3 (after YK and Misbah retire, he should bat at 5 or 4). He has got the technique to bat at 3 in NZ, but more importantly, he takes time to get going. At 6, in testing conditions, he doesn't have partners to bat with, so his skills are not being efficiently used at 6.

I also think that it would be good to get Shafiq and Azhar used to partnering each other seeing that once the big 2 retire they'll do the bulk of the scoring until the others gain experience.

 

[ask_analyse_act]

I think nobody would have expected asad to be dropped no.6 in the first test against NZL... i thought babar would bat at no.6... but asad lately in his last 5 test matches got pairs in 2 test matches which is not good for a test batsman.... MYK always looks like a tailender in tough pitches, or is he just performs only when he is sure he will be dropped next match and is that something to do with age or captaincy...he is the fake team man...

 

[The_Odd_One]

Shafiq did not score a century batting at #3 in England. That's a lie that Shafiq's fans have fabricated.

Yasir Shah batted at #3 in that inning.

Back to topic, he is just not good enough for #3. When Shafiq fans do not accept this excuse for Umar Akmal then why do they use it for Shafiq? Hypocrisy perhaps?

Shafiq is a seasoned #6 and there is no excuse for him failing at that position.

 

[sensible-indian-fan]

Asad Shafiq is not good enough for these conditions just like some of his team mates.

Better if he bats in the dust bowls of UAE and scores runs on flat phattas.

Your anger is making you under-rate Shafiq. He is good enough to play swing.

I understand it though. At times, some players can get on our nerves. Has happened to me with Indian players.

 

[Belawal2014]

He comes across as someone who is very timid and one who is more than happy to fail like the others rather than stand up and be counted.

Also, like the others, consistency is a huge issue; one good score followed by a string of horribly low scores. Won't blame him too much for this debacle is it was a collective effort by the PAK team.

 

[aloo paratha]

So on basis of one terrible match the team management just lost the plot and made wholesale changes?

Said it on day one, huge knee jerk reaction...

 

[aloo paratha]

People forgetting that Asad shahab had two ducks in his last test at number 3 on a flat phatta. Mashallah nazar na lagay

He also had scores of 109. 67,68 and 58* before the pair...

 

[aloo paratha]

Shafiq did not score a century batting at #3 in England. That's a lie that Shafiq's fans have fabricated.

Yasir Shah batted at #3 in that inning.

Back to topic, he is just not good enough for #3. When Shafiq fans do not accept this excuse for Umar Akmal then why do they use it for Shafiq? Hypocrisy perhaps?

Shafiq is a seasoned #6 and there is no excuse for him failing at that position.

This analogy would've worked if Shafiq was contentiously failing at #3 like Akmal, Shafiq played 2 poor innings and got demoted.

 

[msb314]

Shafiq is too inconsistent for my liking - I feel like he has declined in the last few months or so.

 

[The_Odd_One]

This analogy would've worked if Shafiq was contentiously failing at #3 like Akmal, Shafiq played 2 poor innings and got demoted.

It is not about batting at #3 or #6. Don't you get it? 4 ducks in last 5 tests is the problem. Batting position is irrelevant.

 

[Syed1]

One thing to ponder:


It's ALWAYS the team management to blame when YOUR favourite players are flopping like no tomorrow. However, the same criteria goes out of the window when players you don't like are flopping.

 

[Mamoon]

Not interested in excuses. He's old enough and experienced enough to be responsible for his own failings.

He is simply not a top player and never will be. He's just decent.

 

[Slog]

Shafiq is too inconsistent for my liking - I feel like he has declined in the last few months or so.

That is true and that has really exacerbated in past 6 months

Till England 2015 UAE series he had been fairly consistent for 2,3 years

 

[IAJ]

Not interested in excuses. He's old enough and experienced enough to be responsible for his own failings.

He is simply not a top player and never will be. He's just decent.

Totally agree. By pakistani standard he is very good but at international level he is a decent player only. Will score sometimes and flop other times.

 

[Slog]

Shafiq did not score a century batting at #3 in England. That's a lie that Shafiq's fans have fabricated.

Yasir Shah batted at #3 in that inning.

Back to topic, he is just not good enough for #3. When Shafiq fans do not accept this excuse for Umar Akmal then why do they use it for Shafiq? Hypocrisy perhaps?

Shafiq is a seasoned #6 and there is no excuse for him failing at that position.

Yasir came as night watchman but technicalities aside he was promoted to #3. Or is your suggestion that he should bat at #4?

 

[Mamoon]

Totally agree. By pakistani standard he is very good but at international level he is a decent player only. Will score sometimes and flop other times.

He was established as a Test cricketer earlier than players like Kohli, Root and Smith, and now he's not fit to tie their shoelaces.

No one will hold your hand and walk you on the path to greatness, at some point you have to find your own way.

If one looks at excuses, they can find a thousand excuses for every player, but also a thousand reasons to succeed.

I had high hopes from Shafiq but he simply doesn't have the ability and capacity to improve.

I have accepted the fact that he's simply a 40-42 averaging player who will fail 7/10 times in difficult conditions and can't dominate a series to save his life even on the flattest of pitches.

 

[msb314]

That is true and that has really exacerbated in past 6 months

Till England 2015 UAE series he had been fairly consistent for 2,3 years

Truth is he was always a 'one century a series' type of player but recently his lows have really hit rock bottom.

Too many ducks and pairs in recent games...

 

[Hawkeye]

He was established as a Test cricketer earlier than players like Kohli, Root and Smith, and now he's not fit to tie their shoelaces.

No one will hold your hand and walk you on the path to greatness, at some point you have to find your own way.

If one looks at excuses, they can find a thousand excuses for every player, but also a thousand reasons to succeed.

I had high hopes from Shafiq but he simply doesn't have the ability and capacity to improve.

I have accepted the fact that he's simply a 40-42 averaging player who will fail 7/10 times in difficult conditions and can't dominate a series to save his life even on the flattest of pitches.

He's the most pampered golden boy of Pakistan cricket in DECADES.

Yet he continues to show such mediocrity after 6 years of persisting and him becoming a senior even.

We have blind fans like Slog who think it's not Shafiq but management who changed his position once in 6 years. And that suddenly wrecked his confidence.

) )

Fans do take it to another level.

 

[Jan Sher]

Lol. He is not a 50 averaging batsman in the first place.