I thought the Sports Lounge lads (Syed Haider Azhar and Rehan Ul Haq) analysed Haider’s form quite well.
If we recall early Haider (Haider 1.0, if you will), the lad, for all his drawbacks, was effective in giving you 20s and 30s at a decent s/r. He did have a strong desire to swipe across the line, which is why he frequently got bowled or LB against the moving ball as opener, but didn’t do too shabbily at No.4.
However, as he was going on to big scores, the team management (read Misbah and co.) asked him to take his time and then go big. This was Haider 2.0. This lad would get those 20s and 30s, but at a much slower rate and then inevitably give his wicket away, because he wasn’t doing what he does best, which is play on instinct. Because this was seen as a failure, he was then relegated to the bench.
Misbah then left and Youssuf became batting coach. Youssuf, as per Sports Lounge lads, deconstructed Haider’s batting by asking him to play more straight. This, in a vacuum, is no bad thing. However, when you completely rebuild a batsmen’s style, you need him to get used to it by spending time out in the middle. That can only be done in the domestics, rather than in T20s under the glare of the watching world. This is Haider 3.0.
So right now he plays most of his singles with a straight bat (Haider 3.0), takes time in the middle (Haider 2.0) and then gets out with a cross batted swipe ( Haider 1.0) because he’s still not fully used to playing international attacks with his new batting style.
You can say he’s a confused low IQ player, to satiate your hurt feelings about Pakistan’s middle order issues.
But what you are seeing is a colossal mis management of a very promising prospect. It’s literally a confluence of incredible mixed messages and bad planning that’s made Haider Ali the shadow of what he is today.
Posters on here want to judge him based on his performances, ok. But remember, there’s a lot more going on underneath the surface with this lad’s development and how it’s been handled.
Does he have to take some of the blame? Yes. But the best selectors and coaches, give talent the right platform, advice and coaching to be the best version of themselves.
The PCB, and it’s various coaches and selectors absolutely have not been effective in developing Haider, and they take a large portion of the blame for that.
Can Haider realise his potential. InshAllah 100% he can. However, he needs to be dropped NOW and play the remaining 9 QEA trophy matches. And then we assess from there. Pakistan will sort itself out in the meantime.
Also as a lesson to PCB, please don’t do the same with Saim. Let that lad keep on developing in the domestics.
