Who is our backup wicket-keeper and next in line to be captain?

[QuickCrick]

I’m quite happy with Sarfraz, a very good captain and successful. However his batting/keeping has been hit and miss recently. I do like him a lot and feel he brings great value to the team however our batting looks weak with him coming in at 6.

I would consider replacing him in tests if it benefits the team. By taking him out we lose a captain so I would like to know what your lots thoughts are on who should be test captain?

I don’t know which keeper in the domestic game is a good enough batsman to add enough value to the team to allow the exclusion of Sarfraz. I accept I don’t know much about the domestic game so is there WK batsman good enough to break through and do a better job them Sarfraz? (Keeping and batting only)

I do however have an alternative solution, can we convert a batsman like Fakhar into a wicketkeeper? Atm hes not technically good enough to come in as a specialist batsman alone but if he could keep them he’d definately get in.

Would like to know your thoughts...

 

[omairsiddiqui]

Let me make sure I'm understanding you here. You are not happy with Sarfraz's keeping at Test level and your alternative solution to fix that problem is to make Fakhar Zaman the wicketkeeper?

Also, have you played cricket at any level?

 

[babajee]

Umair Masood is the guy who should be groomed as next wicket keeper.

Don’t know about captain....

 

[QuickCrick]

Let me make sure I'm understanding you here. You are not happy with Sarfraz's keeping at Test level and your alternative solution to fix that problem is to make Fakhar Zaman the wicketkeeper?

Also, have you played cricket at any level?

I’m asking for thoughts and suggestions.

The obvious choice is Rizwan but that would not improve our batting which is the main reason for wanting a change. It doesn’t specifically have to be Fakhar, used him as an example because if he could add wicket them he’d get in. Is there batsman out there who could be converted into a keeper batsman or is there already a keeper out there who’d cut it as a batsman?

 

[Arham_PakFan]

Umair Masood as WK.

Fakhar as Captain.Rumman Raees or Imad as T20 captain

 

[ManFan]

The WK should not be Rizwan as he cannot hold a bat. Bring in a fresh young player who can bat or ask Saad Ali to keep wickets.

The captain should be a mature, performing, commanding individual and the one name that comes to mind is FZ (not playing).

The vice-captain should be Hasan.

 

[Justcrazy]

Playing all three formats as Keeper and captain is too much with the amount of cricket played these days.

Sarfaraz should give up one format .

 

[QuickCrick]

Umair Masood is the guy who should be groomed as next wicket keeper.

Don’t know about captain....

What’s his batting style like? And why is he not in the set up already?

It’d be great if Sarfraz regained his form with the bat as he is still the best captain around. Sarfraz looked very good a few years ago, would be far more confident if he was playing like that again.

As an example if Sarfraz did get banned then who would captain and who would keep? First time I’ve heard of Umair Masood so I don’t it’d be him.

 

[babajee]

What’s his batting style like? And why is he not in the set up already?

It’d be great if Sarfraz regained his form with the bat as he is still the best captain around. Sarfraz looked very good a few years ago, would be far more confident if he was playing like that again.

As an example if Sarfraz did get banned then who would captain and who would keep? First time I’ve heard of Umair Masood so I don’t it’d be him.

He’s only 20 years old so needs a few more seasons in domestic cricket I guess but he’s a good keeper and one of the best batting talents in Pakistan.

 

[Hasan123]

Umair Masood seems to be the next in line for the wicket keeping position.

For captaincy, their is no obvious choice.

 

[coy0607]

Let me make sure I'm understanding you here. You are not happy with Sarfraz's keeping at Test level and your alternative solution to fix that problem is to make Fakhar Zaman the wicketkeeper?

Also, have you played cricket at any level?

Forget playing cricket, I'd like to know if he's ever watched actual cricket outside YouTube highlights

 

[ManFan]

Playing all three formats as Keeper and captain is too much with the amount of cricket played these days.

Sarfaraz should give up one format .

And Test cricket is just that format.

T20 cricket he is absolutely needed because the game changes every ball. ODI’s. Let’s not even go there as the guy has been God-send.
Test cricket is where I believe he should make a silent withdrawal from after the difficult SA tour.

Most likely, if everything goes correctly, we might lose 1-2. He will be hounded at by the imbecile media and he can use that as the perfect excuse to give up the overwhelming workload he has.

I would, like I said in an earlier post, make FZ as captain and Hasan Ali as my vice-captain.

We host AUS in the UAE for 3 Test matches and that is it until the WC. It should be an easy debut for a new captain as the Aussies can’t play a straight ball.

 

[Ami]

He needs to stop playing like Afridi...
When was the last time someone actually got Sufi out?
Exactly...he just gives it away.
He needs to change his game for test cricket...calm the hell down.
If we need quick runs, we have Shadab, Faheem and Hasan who are more than capable..
He needs to understand he is no longer no 7 in the batting line up...ask Asad Shafiq for some advice on how to play at no 6?

 

[srh]

I’m quite happy with Sarfraz, a very good captain and successful. However his batting/keeping has been hit and miss recently. I do like him a lot and feel he brings great value to the team however our batting looks weak with him coming in at 6.

I would consider replacing him in tests if it benefits the team. By taking him out we lose a captain so I would like to know what your lots thoughts are on who should be test captain?

I don’t know which keeper in the domestic game is a good enough batsman to add enough value to the team to allow the exclusion of Sarfraz. I accept I don’t know much about the domestic game so is there WK batsman good enough to break through and do a better job them Sarfraz? (Keeping and batting only)

I do however have an alternative solution, can we convert a batsman like Fakhar into a wicketkeeper? Atm hes not technically good enough to come in as a specialist batsman alone but if he could keep them he’d definately get in.

Would like to know your thoughts...

If we are going to replace Sarfraz as WK then his replacement should be a better WK than him. You seriously cannot expect to replace him with a makeshift WK especially when we are talking about test cricket.

 

[QuickCrick]

A lot of posters see FZ as a captain and I can see why. He’d need to first secure his spot first thou, we don’t want to be in a similar position were a player is in the team because of captaincy only. Not sure about Hassan Ali, I don’t think he’s captaincy material.. I’d like someone with experience, the benefits of experience are evident with Sarfraz.

I’ve heard Saad Ali a good batsman, has he kept before?

 

[QuickCrick]

[MENTION=143937]ManFan[/MENTION] ^

 

[QuickCrick]

If we are going to replace Sarfraz as WK then his replacement should be a better WK than him. You seriously cannot expect to replace him with a makeshift WK especially when we are talking about test cricket.

I do get that so need for the face palm.

It is only a suggestion. To allow for 5 specialist batsman, you need a keeper that can bat and learning how to keep is probably easier then the other way around.

 

[Justcrazy]

And Test cricket is just that format.

T20 cricket he is absolutely needed because the game changes every ball. ODI’s. Let’s not even go there as the guy has been God-send.
Test cricket is where I believe he should make a silent withdrawal from after the difficult SA tour.

Most likely, if everything goes correctly, we might lose 1-2. He will be hounded at by the imbecile media and he can use that as the perfect excuse to give up the overwhelming workload he has.

I would, like I said in an earlier post, make FZ as captain and Hasan Ali as my vice-captain.

We host AUS in the UAE for 3 Test matches and that is it until the WC. It should be an easy debut for a new captain as the Aussies can’t play a straight ball.

Test is likely , because with WC very close.

 

[ManFan]

A lot of posters see FZ as a captain and I can see why. He’d need to first secure his spot first thou, we don’t want to be in a similar position were a player is in the team because of captaincy only. Not sure about Hassan Ali, I don’t think he’s captaincy material.. I’d like someone with experience, the benefits of experience are evident with Sarfraz.

I’ve heard Saad Ali a good batsman, has he kept before?

Not sure but if he is to be in the squad he needs to keep because I don’t see him batting in the top 5.

 

[Asch Ali]

Correct me if I’m wrong but I think Babar Azam knows how to keep. But I wouldn’t recommend it since it’s probably an Akmal inheritive trait.

 

[Pete Rose]

Captain will probably be Shadab, I suspect, provided he keeps his form and Sarfaraz gets his form back. Things might get complicated if sarfaraz’s batting form does not return and pcb need to make a premature change.

 

[pakistanigoneaussie]

Umair Masood has a long long long way to go.

In the mid terms its Rizwan as keeper and Fahkar as captain imo


Down the track Babar is the obvious candidate for captaincy, has the past experience with the under 19s and Pak A as well. The other is Shadab who already is mentaly one of our strongest players, and seems destined for all 3 formats

 

[ameemlutfi]

Given the recent infraction of slow over rate, there is a real possibility of Sarafaraz being banned for at least one test match if there is another such incident in the next 12 months. If it so happens, Asad Shafiq should be made the captain and I think Rizwan will have to be the keeper.

 

[The_Odd_One]

Need to persist with Rizwan. He will eventually come good.

Next captain in my opinion will be Babar Zaman.

 

[hadi123]

People are under estimating how difficult keeping is? Especially in Tests, can't just give someone pair of keeping pads and gloves, keeping is very difficult to master. No point grooming the likes of Zaman, Shafiq etc to keep, waste of time.

 

[Watsupdoc]

You need a specialist keeper in test matched. Asking a batsman to become a make-shift keeper just because he brings a little extra to batting is like shooting in your own foot...

Honestly at the moment I don't feel there is anyone who can replace Sarfraz (though I think Rizwan should be there in the squad to keep him on his toes).

 

[Angrez Pakistani]

The last thing we need is a captain who is insecure about his own place in the starting 11.

 

[QuickCrick]

All in all the consensus is that Sarfraz is the best option we have and I do agree. I suggest everyone making negative noise to get behind him.

The point around grooming a batsman into a WK is not popular and I understand why. I get it’s a little out of the box but if we haven’t got a replacement, I think it might be worth the investing. I’d love an explosive WK/Batsman!

Short/Mid term SA is the way but we need to start thinking about planning for test team without SA. Really don’t want interrupt the development of this team or have another Misbah/Younis situation. I’d like the youngster being mentioned by you guys to developed and at some point introduced to international cricket, either with A’s or against the lesser teams.

Captaincy, who knows!? The only way of truely finding out is if the ones with potential to become captains go away and prove themselves by being successful captains of there PSL/Club teams. Has to be someone who’s not fighting for the place.

Appreciate the responses

 

[Bilal7]

We do not need a backup keeper for a two-test series. Sarfaraz is pretty much undroppable at the moment, which is good because he's going to get back into form soon.

 

[Square Drive]

Umair Masood has a long long long way to go.

In the mid terms its Rizwan as keeper and Fahkar as captain imo


Down the track Babar is the obvious candidate for captaincy, has the past experience with the under 19s and Pak A as well. The other is Shadab who already is mentaly one of our strongest players, and seems destined for all 3 formats

Exactly my sentiments, though Babar didn't exactly have the best captaincy experience in his U19 days.

And no, you can't just make any batsman keep wickets in Tests LOL.

 

[Rayyman]

Rizwan is the backup keeper in all formats.

Next in line to be captain:
Tests- Babar Azam
ODIs- Fakhar Zaman
T20Is- Imad Wasim

 

[nam]

it seems like OP thinks we have ATG captains lying arouns in every gulli mauhalla who can lead the side to greatness

 

[silent ischemia]

Rizwan is best keeper in the country at the moment. Seeing his performances in the domestic circuit over the last couple of years his batting has improved. He should be given a chance in the Zim tour if not the Scotland T20s. The next captain; Fakhar probably in white ball cricket. Let's see how he leads the Qalandars as there is a good chance him being the captaincy. In Tests Asad Shafiq and Aamir

 

[coy0607]

it seems like OP thinks we have ATG captains lying arouns in every gulli mauhalla who can lead the side to greatness

people have forgotten the years of suffering before Sarfraz .. other than a few crucial test wins, none of the 3 teams did anything of note in the 6-7 years leading up to CT17

Misbah, Azhar, Afridi, all disappointed as captains, with their results and the teams selection, strategies

 

[AssassinatedDevil]

Imam Ul Haq will be our captain across formats. He's a level-headed guy, educated and knows the intricacies of cricket.

 

[Sunny_majoka]

The WK should not be Rizwan as he cannot hold a bat. Bring in a fresh young player who can bat or ask Saad Ali to keep wickets.

The captain should be a mature, performing, commanding individual and the one name that comes to mind is FZ (not playing).

The vice-captain should be Hasan.

We didn't gave enough chances to rizwan. He has all the tools to become good wicket keeper batsman at N0 4 or 5

 

[ManFan]

We didn't gave enough chances to rizwan. He has all the tools to become good wicket keeper batsman at N0 4 or 5

He was excellent in Australia behind the stumps.

I don’t know what happened but he was performing well in SL and in ZIM.

When he returned, he was poor with the bat.

 

[Asch Ali]

“In future Imad Wasim probably can be Pakistan’s captain, but Saffy (Sarfraz) is entrenched in of all forms of the game and as long as I am coaching Pakistan I am going to have Sarfraz Ahmed with me,” said Arthur, at the post match conference.

 

[Mirpur express]

M Aamir should be the new captain in tests keep Sarfi in as VC & back to being Cap in ODIs & T20s I think it’s open to a few Imad ,Aamir or even Babar ( not aggressive enough)

 

[GoUgandaCranes]

Need to persist with Rizwan. He will eventually come good.

Next captain in my opinion will be Babar Zaman.

Oh hello Waseem Bhai.

 

[srh]

Umair Masood has a long long long way to go.

In the mid terms its Rizwan as keeper and Fahkar as captain imo


Down the track Babar is the obvious candidate for captaincy, has the past experience with the under 19s and Pak A as well. The other is Shadab who already is mentaly one of our strongest players, and seems destined for all 3 formats

Rizwan should stop playing cricket. One of the most easiest out ever.