[VIDEO #135] "Some of our players heads were in the clouds at the start" : Mickey Arthur

[Slog]

One thing i must appreciate about Arthur, after loosing such a hyped important match in a very devastating manner, you have to give it to him that he had the guts to come out and face the media alone rather than send Sarfaraz alone to face the music.

This is similar to what Dean Jones Philosophy is as Islamabad United Coach where he was like we have a rule where it the team wins, we send the captain out for the press conferences and if the team loses, i go out there and face the music.

Under Waqar, it was always the captain in the firing line.

This is just a blatant lie. Actually Waqar used to front the media quite a lot

Waqar came out after the 2016 t20 defeat when we got knocked out. Atleast do your homework before lying.

 

[TNAmarkFromIndia]

"I'll take the blame for selecting Wahab": Mickey Arthur

"Wahab was fully fit. He went through a fitness test. He was declared fully fit. He performed poorly today. But he had a role to play. And I'll take the blame, me, I'll take it. I selected him. I selected him because I wanted him to perform a role. He didn't execute that role, unfortunately.

"So sometimes it works out. Sometimes it doesn't. We picked Shadab Khan ahead of Fahim Ashraf today. That worked really well. I thought Shadab was outstanding. So, sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't."

 

[Usman Chadda]

Not sure where this word 'sometimes' is coming from. Wahab Riaz has been awful since a long time.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[Syed1]

What do you mean "I'll take the blame" as if you are doing someone a favour. The blame is entirely yours. It was your pathetic decision to induct a guy like Wahab when it was clear to everyone that he has been past his sell-by-date by over 2 years. You don't have a choice whether you want to take the blame or not.

Useless coach who needs to fired ASAP.

 

[Syed1]

Now imagine Junaid is played in the next match and he picks up crucial wickets. How dumb will Mickey look?

 

[Abdullah]

The problem is we r dealing with an incompetent corrupt system and people want results straight away.
This is gonna take 5 years of psl to sort out

 

[daytrader]

Get a grip Mickey it's not about Faheem vs Shadab. Both were supposed to play yet you decided to go with a non bowling allrounder and a so called 'aggressive' opener

 

[superman]

Who will hold their hand up for Shehzad and hafeez. I applauded dropping Umat akamal and still do one of your saving graces ma, but even an obese umar is 10 times the batsman shezad or hafeez are.

 

[kingusama92]

Unacceptable selections.

9/10 people were in agreement Wahab is a rubbish bowler well past his prime (still wondering when that was!) so the selection is incredibly shocking.

Both the eye test and stats go against Wahab now. To still select him was a straight up failure and incompetence from everyone in the team management.

Add in the fact he had a lingering injury which reduced his viability even further and this is what you get.

 

[saeedhk]

Good to see him blaming Wahab Reckless in public. I hope Wahab has some shame and retires.

 

[leatherface58]

The problem is with the team and the whole attitude. Sacking Mickey is not gonna change anything. How come any coach introduced is unable to get this team to a high level? When a coach does badly with the team, the issue might be with the coach but if almost every coach is unable to lift the team out of perennial mediocrity, the problem is the team.

 

[imranyounus]

Have seen it a lot in the past coach or captain coming out accepting that players are not good enough and so on I accept it's my fault.
but than nothing next game same story. lets see if he can follow it up and sends those non performing players packing.

 

[New Yorker]

99 % of the pp knew that wahab riaz is finished but you played him. I dont know how... One can be.

"Wahab Riaz gave us pace."

Clearly he's been reading the board

 

[I think therfore I am]

Respect Nicky for calling a spade a spade. He did not shy away by giving vague evasive answers. The players need to take responsibility and step up next match.

He is spot on about dropped catches, Hafeez not bowling (I think he never bowled, as would have been hammered by the Indians) & Wahab failing again.

Still do not understand why Safraz bowled a spinner to Kholi when the seamers, statistically have better odds to get him out.

MICKEY you too kind the Pak players did not have their heads in the clouds. They had where the sun don't shine.

 

[zarar]

I was there. At the game today and not only the Pakistani fans around me but even the Indians said it.

Pakistani players didn't look bothered at all. Player hands are in their pockets whilst fielding and bowlers are running up at the point of delivery the hands come out looking like some any park cricketer. I know it rained but it wasn't cold and it wasn't as windy either so that's not an excuse too.

There was no energy, passion or desire shown from any of the Pakistanis whilst fielding today and that as a fan is the most heartbreaking thing to see.

 

[Junaids]

Bowling isn't an issue. Neither Junaid could have done anything.

IT IS THE FREAKIN BATTING that nobody talks about, not even Mickey himself!!!!

The problem with the batting is that you have three viable ODI batsmen:

Salman Butt
Babar Azam
Umar Akmal

.......plus Sharjeel Khan.

You could make a team which could score 280-300 out of them backed up by Azhar Ali and all-rounders.

But two of them are not selectable, because they need to be ritually punished forever. And another is banned.

So you will keep losing every time you play a decent opponent.

 

[sjahmed23]

who takes the blame for selecting Hafeez? when was the last time hafeez played a role in winning a match that wasn't against Zimbabwe or Afghanistan?

 

[Itachi]

You have absolutely no idea what question was asked.

The question was : Why did Wahab play when he was not fully fit and why was he preferred over JK. Now read the quotes again.

I can't see how does it make any better.

it implied favoritism. Means mickey Arthur prefers even unfit wahab over any other bowler. That's a very wrong message given to the team. If I were in the team as the bowler, surely I would have felt uncomfortable having heard about it.

 

[F16]

Loosing the game is OK but the manner in which Pak lost raises lot of concern whether the team is really serious about CT . Hope they play better in the next game and win back their own self confidence first .

 

[Hawkeye]

The problem with the batting is that you have three viable ODI batsmen:

Salman Butt
Babar Azam
Umar Akmal

.......plus Sharjeel Khan.

You could make a team which could score 280-300 out of them backed up by Azhar Ali and all-rounders.

But two of them are not selectable, because they need to be ritually punished forever. And another is banned.

So you will keep losing every time you play a decent opponent.

Sharjeel/Babar/Umar/Umar Amin are good bats indeed.

However... clever of you to sneak in Salman Butt there. . The guy is the ideal example of the kind of players you don't pick in LOIs.

Even in the domestics he couldn't score about 60 or 70 strike rate.

 

[CricketBuff]

Why is no one talking about bringing back Fawad Alam.

 

[Itachi]

The problem with the batting is that you have three viable ODI batsmen:

Salman Butt
Babar Azam
Umar Akmal

.......plus Sharjeel Khan.

You could make a team which could score 280-300 out of them backed up by Azhar Ali and all-rounders.

But two of them are not selectable, because they need to be ritually punished forever. And another is banned.

So you will keep losing every time you play a decent opponent.

Babar azam and Umar akmal both adds nothing to the table.

Salman butt, yes.
Sharjeel.... Some sort of.

But former two will be a sitting duck against top teams.

If your aim is to beat only minnows, then this is valid though.

 

[superman]

Why is no one talking about bringing back Fawad Alam.

Because even a blind 5 year old could tell you he cant power hit to save his life

 

[Shafi]

LoL.CT is still not over.Not a very clever statement to make.Demoralizing own team.

CT is already over unless we win next 2 matches by huge margin and one of SA and India fail

 

[jib13673]

layers like Afridi, Umer Akmal and Sharjeel khan always post danger to other teams.

Pleayers like Misbahulhaq(ODI), Yunis khan(ODI) , Asad shafeeq and shehzad always give their wicket away when they need to score fast.

Previously pakistan has won many ,matches because of Afrdi And Razzak . but now no one.

Misbah has completely destroyed the ODI mindset of cricketers.they are suited Only for Test cricket .

 

[uberkoen]

layers like Afridi, Umer Akmal and Sharjeel khan always post danger to other teams.

Pleayers like Misbahulhaq(ODI), Yunis khan(ODI) , Asad shafeeq and shehzad always give their wicket away when they need to score fast.

Previously pakistan has won many ,matches because of Afrdi And Razzak . but now no one.

Misbah has completely destroyed the ODI mindset of cricketers.they are suited Only for Test cricket .

Stupid post and absurd analysis.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

layers like Afridi, Umer Akmal and Sharjeel khan always post danger to other teams.

Pleayers like Misbahulhaq(ODI), Yunis khan(ODI) , Asad shafeeq and shehzad always give their wicket away when they need to score fast.

Previously pakistan has won many ,matches because of Afrdi And Razzak . but now no one.

Misbah has completely destroyed the ODI mindset of cricketers.they are suited Only for Test cricket .

Can you list the number of ducks, failures and matches lost by Afridi while batting ? I would say around 150-200.

Umar Akmal isn't even fit enough to play. How do you propose he would magically transform the team into world beaters?

The less said about Sharjeel the better. All that remains to be said is, innocent until proven guilty.

You just named 3 players who were utter failures because of their irresponsibility, lack of attitude towards the game and PCB code of conduct.

Can you name 3-4 others who would have made a genuine difference? (I'll give you leeway on Razzak considering you forgot he has retired).

 

[Hasan123]

He's clearing referring to certain players, would love to know who they are.

 

[faisaltep]

one thing which is not being discussed is the role of batting coach grant flower, who is stuck with this team for centuries without bringing any improvement in technique, rather i feel under his coaching method some of our natural stroke players have gone too defensive and limited.
further the bowling coach azhar is also not being at par as since his introduction the discipline in bowling is questionable.
just watch how he is treating shahad for instance, shahdab was booming with confidence and attacking approach under waseem akrams guidance in PSL and carried the same confidence in the initial T20s played in national colors, but since than his approach is also getting limited and defensive

 

[the Great Khan]

Bowling isn't an issue. Neither Junaid could have done anything.

IT IS THE FREAKIN BATTING that nobody talks about, not even Mickey himself!!!!

finally someone says it like it should be said. We have to face the ultimate reality. We live in the age of India where the pitches are flat, the pace bowlers and their tricks have been neutralised and the batsman is king. I wish we had the inzi side in this era and we would be really competing because our batting was class.

When you have players like malik in the side who has hoodwinked his way into getting people to believe he is some major middle order batsman , well your in trouble. The fact is you need to top load your batting order..All of your best batsmen have to come in at the top. We really need to look at the way india have modelled their team and simply use it as a template. inzi did this and competed against the best when we really were in trouble as a cricket nation.

sarfraz needs to come in at the top with azhar, and then babar, with well I'm lost from here on in..lol

 

[the Great Khan]

one thing which is not being discussed is the role of batting coach grant flower, who is stuck with this team for centuries without bringing any improvement in technique, rather i feel under his coaching method some of our natural stroke players have gone too defensive and limited.
further the bowling coach azhar is also not being at par as since his introduction the discipline in bowling is questionable.
just watch how he is treating shahad for instance, shahdab was booming with confidence and attacking approach under waseem akrams guidance in PSL and carried the same confidence in the initial T20s played in national colors, but since than his approach is also getting limited and defensive

azhars a rubbish bowling coach..I dont think he knows how to coach...we need a proper bowling coach but I despair at the moment

 

[Pete Rose]

Now imagine Junaid is played in the next match and he picks up crucial wickets. How dumb will Mickey look?

And let's say he gets smashed for 80 run in the match after. How will we decide who looks dumb then

 

[the Great Khan]

And let's say he gets smashed for 80 run in the match after. How will we decide who looks dumb then

then we'll have thread s like bring back wahab and sadaf..etc etc...the cycle continues..

 

[Pete Rose]

then we'll have thread s like bring back wahab and sadaf..etc etc...the cycle continues..

Janab, I think the issues that Mickey truly highlights are getting ignored at the expense of this fan club fights on who should play between 2 mediocre players.
This issue of feeling pressure or not being able to execute under pressure is far more worrying.
These players are weak. And they are not helped when they seen on the ground guys like malik and hafeez getting hustled for pace by young Indian fast bowlers. Who do they seek inspiration from. The DNA of team is rotten because the torch of playing aggressively or with flair was extinguished because we let lesser players (afridi, hafeez, malik) stay in the team for so long. A whole generation of cricketers of the last 5 years has grown up knowing that whenever we play big teams we should wilt because that is our pedigree.

You can make excuses for lack of skills, but you can't for lack of heart or spirit. Ijaz Ahmed was also a lesser batsman, but i would give up hafeez and malik in a moment for even someone like that.
Sharjeel (not babar) was the only hope and he is gone now.
If we want to win, this 2003 generation needs to go and we really need a "Lord of the Flies" type situation. Erase their current DNA

 

[Indiafan]

finally someone says it like it should be said. We have to face the ultimate reality. We live in the age of India where the pitches are flat, the pace bowlers and their tricks have been neutralised and the batsman is king. I wish we had the inzi side in this era and we would be really competing because our batting was class.

When you have players like malik in the side who has hoodwinked his way into getting people to believe he is some major middle order batsman , well your in trouble. The fact is you need to top load your batting order..All of your best batsmen have to come in at the top. We really need to look at the way india have modelled their team and simply use it as a template. inzi did this and competed against the best when we really were in trouble as a cricket nation.

sarfraz needs to come in at the top with azhar, and then babar, with well I'm lost from here on in..lol

If the pitch had something in it, the most favored team would be India, as you saw how our bowlers were bundling out teams for below 150 on the warm ups

 

[xbox]

I totally agree with the rational that both teams were under pressure. Even days when Pakistan owned indian teams, players were under pressure. Our legends when they performed against india they were also under pressure because these pak v india games are always big games.

But issue we have in our hands "lack of talented players". Take Yuvi who came out of serious illness, struggled for his spot for a while..still he is better than any player we have in our squad. Pandya, he is a new player probbaly played first game against Pakistan (a big game) but he performed.

There is a huge difference in talent level. We need to realize and understand that a #8 seeded team played against #1 team. We need to take our emotions out. I really believe that our players not playing events like IPL making a huge difference and on top of it a poor domestic structure is not helping either.

Forget poor domestic cricket Sharjeel Khan who was on the edge of becoming something special messed it up. He is not the only one to blame for, our system, board everyone is responssible.

 

[the Great Khan]

Janab, I think the issues that Mickey truly highlights are getting ignored at the expense of this fan club fights on who should play between 2 mediocre players.
This issue of feeling pressure or not being able to execute under pressure is far more worrying.
These players are weak. And they are not helped when they seen on the ground guys like malik and hafeez getting hustled for pace by young Indian fast bowlers. Who do they seek inspiration from. The DNA of team is rotten because the torch of playing aggressively or with flair was extinguished because we let lesser players (afridi, hafeez, malik) stay in the team for so long. A whole generation of cricketers of the last 5 years has grown up knowing that whenever we play big teams we should wilt because that is our pedigree.

You can make excuses for lack of skills, but you can't for lack of heart or spirit. Ijaz Ahmed was also a lesser batsman, but i would give up hafeez and malik in a moment for even someone like that.
Sharjeel (not babar) was the only hope and he is gone now.
If we want to win, this 2003 generation needs to go and we really need a "Lord of the Flies" type situation. Erase their current DNA

I totally agree with you and to come extent with [MENTION=3327]Indiafan[/MENTION]. We need a complete clearout of this wimpy , bow your head and tip your hat mentality.

i would go so far as saying (and I hope i dont offend indian friends on here) when we play India we really need to bring the pakistaniat to the table. Just like Kohli does. It should mean everything beating them..no bhai bhai bakwaas and bollywood loveins..Malik cant be trusted in an India vs Pakistan match. hell he hasnt got the mental strength to play in any big matches. As for Hafeez well I'm torn because he does offer us something. Perhaps a bench player or moving him down the order. it does seem as if his "best" days are behind him.

We need to get these guys and urge the wimpy brother brother mentality from their brains..

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

The problem is with the team and the whole attitude. Sacking Mickey is not gonna change anything. How come any coach introduced is unable to get this team to a high level? When a coach does badly with the team, the issue might be with the coach but if almost every coach is unable to lift the team out of perennial mediocrity, the problem is the team.

Personally I still like Mickey, but someone has to take responsibility for continuing to select players who are either incapable of playing the aggressive style of cricket required in the modern game or refuse to follow instruction. I'm not just talking about Wahab either, part time spinners, test batsmen being asked to open, persistent failures being given prime slots again and again when it's clear they are playing only for themselves. It just doesn't make sense and is disheartening from a fans POV.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

finally someone says it like it should be said. We have to face the ultimate reality. We live in the age of India where the pitches are flat, the pace bowlers and their tricks have been neutralised and the batsman is king. I wish we had the inzi side in this era and we would be really competing because our batting was class.

When you have players like malik in the side who has hoodwinked his way into getting people to believe he is some major middle order batsman , well your in trouble. The fact is you need to top load your batting order..All of your best batsmen have to come in at the top. We really need to look at the way india have modelled their team and simply use it as a template. inzi did this and competed against the best when we really were in trouble as a cricket nation.

sarfraz needs to come in at the top with azhar, and then babar, with well I'm lost from here on in..lol

I know you don't like Malik but at least when he bats he looks like he knows what the required run rate is.

 

[majiz]

shame wahab never worked with lillee like MJ

and i've never been impressed with mickey arthur tbh, guy just states the obvious the whole time and says a lot of platitudes, i dont really think hes having any impact on the team and theyre just going through the motions

 

[Mamoon]

Too much mumbo jumbo by Mickey, and his face says it all. He knows this team is a helpless cause and does not have the capability to implement whatever he is trying to implement.

 

[Sherlock]

It's almost as if users in this thread have reading comprehension and just pick and choose words they can reply to without reading what Arthur actually said.

 

[dhump]

Not today man

But generally he's good behind the mic

Why not ?? he speak the truth you have to listen to presser yourself dont rely on quotes only.

 

[KamranDestiny]

"Hafeez is fit to bowl and I cant answer that question (why he didnt bowl) as I don't know".

This is shockingly worrying. If our coach doesn't know why Hafeez didn't bowl then who does ?? Surely, if it was Hafeez's decision to not bowl he must have informed the coach and the captain before the playing XI was selected.

What a disgrace and lack of professionalism!!!

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

"Hafeez is fit to bowl and I cant answer that question (why he didnt bowl) as I don't know".

This is shockingly worrying. If our coach doesn't know why Hafeez didn't bowl then who does ?? Surely, if it was Hafeez's decision to not bowl he must have informed the coach and the captain before the playing XI was selected.

What a disgrace and lack of professionalism!!!

I would think that on field strategy would be decided over by over by the captain. Arthur can hardly tell him which bowlers to bowl and in what order.

 

[Macho Mann]

Mickey has a point though. A lot of the Pakistani players probably thought that this game would be a walk in the park for them.

Compare that to the Indians who never underestimated the Pakistanis, no matter what their recent record, and planned for them from the start. Virat even said that he picked only one spinner as he thought the Pakistanis were good at playing spin. A true champion always respects his opponents and takes nothing for granted.

I find it unbelievable that even after losing the match, Sarfraz had the cheek to say that he had everything under control for 40 overs, at which time India had lost just two wickets and had 200+ runs on the board. Seriously man? What are you playing at?

Choosing correct talent apart, the one thing I feel the Pakistani management needs to do is to get its head between the shoulders, cut the attitude, and take other sides, particularly India, seriously. The days when Waqar, Wasim, Imran and Miandad were owning everyone are long gone.

what did he say anything wrong?

even indian commentators like ravi shastri were doubting until 43rd over india would make 280 at that time, the match really went another way due to wahab spell, lack of experienced death bowlers, amir injury and drop catches

 

[Mamoon]

I would think that on field strategy would be decided over by over by the captain. Arthur can hardly tell him which bowlers to bowl and in what order.

There were plenty of interruptions because of the rain where the team would regroup. Arthur could have asked Sarfraz why he has given every spinner a bowl but not Hafeez.

The Hafeez bit was comfortably the worst part of the presser. When your coach says 'I don't know why', it is quite clear that the wheels have come off. It doesn't seem like he is on the same page as Sarfraz.

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

Too much mumbo jumbo by Mickey, and his face says it all. He knows this team is a helpless cause and does not have the capability to implement whatever he is trying to implement.

This.

I don't know how many people noticed but he did say in soft words that some players are indeed not so smart and just do not understand the game plan. They say 'yes, boss', but in the field don't have a clue what to do or what to do when the bats start to attack.

He was really ****** off yesterday and the journalists didn't make it easy either. I am curious to know if he grilled the team yesterday evening.

 

[Sherlock]

The problem is with the team and the whole attitude. Sacking Mickey is not gonna change anything. How come any coach introduced is unable to get this team to a high level? When a coach does badly with the team, the issue might be with the coach but if almost every coach is unable to lift the team out of perennial mediocrity, the problem is the team.

Good point, well made.

 

[Mamoon]

This.

I don't know how many people noticed but he did say in soft words that some players are indeed not so smart and just do not understand the game plan. They say 'yes, boss', but in the field don't have a clue what to do or what to do when the bats start to attack.

He was really ****** off yesterday and the journalists didn't make it easy either. I am curious to know if he grilled the team yesterday evening.

I know where he is coming from, the likes of Hafeez, Shehzad etc. play "modern cricket" in the nets by smashing rubbish like Wahab and Junaid, but then it's a different story when you put them in a match situation against quality bowlers. Now Mickey cannot recreate match situation and match pressure in the nets, and neither can he bring quality bowlers to bowl to them in the nets.

No coach can do anything if the players do not have the ability to make the jump from the nets to the match.

 

[KamranDestiny]

I would think that on field strategy would be decided over by over by the captain. Arthur can hardly tell him which bowlers to bowl and in what order.

Yes but in that case shouldn't Mickey be saying something like 'the captain decided to not make him bowl and i don't know why', the way he said it it kind of heat up the rumors about Hafeez saying he isn't interested in bowling anymore.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

I know where he is coming from, the likes of Hafeez, Shehzad etc. play "modern cricket" in the nets by smashing rubbish like Wahab and Junaid, but then it's a different story when you put them in a match situation against quality bowlers. Now Mickey cannot recreate match situation and match pressure in the nets, and neither can he bring quality bowlers to bowl to them in the nets.

No coach can do anything if the players do not have the ability to make the jump from the nets to the match.

All very true, but what a coach can do is work out that opening the bowling with a spinner against the best players of spin in the world might not be a great idea. Especially when said spinner isn't a genuine spinner in the first place. Might also be an idea to have another pace bowler who can use the new ball on hand when your professed tactic is to attack the Indian batsmen rather than pick a fast bowler who has only ever been any use at the death when the ball is old, that too one who is so erratic it's hard to predict which side of the wicket he'll bowl on.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

I would think that on field strategy would be decided over by over by the captain. Arthur can hardly tell him which bowlers to bowl and in what order.

Exactly.

If the coach has to spoon feed Sarfraz what bowlers to bowl and what not to bowl, then clearly Sarfraz is a lost cause.

On the other hand, if a coach has no clue why a bowler didn't bowl at all, then it looks like both coach and captain are on another planet.

Both situations don't augur well for Pakistan.

 

[the Great Khan]

I know you don't like Malik but at least when he bats he looks like he knows what the required run rate is.

tthats not exactly hard is it. He's a player who has lead this generation to mediocrity..and is now an example for youngsters to follow into mediocrity

 

[Abdul]

 

[nitrous]

Poor guy looks genuinely sad and kept on rubbing his head, shows what they discuss before game doesn't seem to get executed on the field.

Really feel for him!