Now suddenly Azhar is a quality bat.
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Azhar getting really big scores will require about two ODI innings. You critisize Fawad( for his lack of boundary hitting ability) and Shehzad( for his lack of Strike rotation) yet vouch for Azhar as an opener. Really??
Azhar is way worse than both of Shehzad and Fawad. He is extremly weak in both those deparments. Horrible at strike rotation and non-existent striking ability; will a disater of epic proportions if tried in ODI's.
Azhar showed great improvement vs. Australia/New Zealand. He had a slump in 2013, but came back in emphatic fashion which is the sign of a quality player, in spite of people wanting him to be dropped for good, an idea no sane person has ever entertained, because Azhar has always been a good Test batsman with excellent technique against the new ball.
One of the chief delusions these days is that Shehzad is the answer to our opening problems and we have unearthed a quality batsman. This guy is nothing against the moving ball, and is as much of an opener as Hafeez is.
Come the away tours of 2016 and he will be exposed brutally.
Azhar is comfortably the best batsman against the new ball in Pakistan and he will be a consistent run scorer everywhere. Yes his strike rotation is not good, but it can't be worse than Shehzad whose SR for the first 50 runs hovers around 65 and consumes 70% dots in PP overs. It can't get worse than that.
I've watched him the Pentangular Cups and he batted superbly and showed flair as well. I won't be judgemental and pass my verdict without giving him a fair chance, because I do think that he plenty of potential.
Its funny how domestic stats are used to defend certain favourites, yet people are turning a blind eye to the fact that he averages 50 in LA. Apparently he is not good enough after just 14 games where he averages 41.
Yes pathetic SR, but 14 games in 5 years is no sample - you can make a case for Shafiq being a proven failure in ODIs (I disagree personally, its more of a mental block in my view and there is still time for him to come good) even though he too has a LA average of 50, but he has played many matches.
Azhar hasn't had much of an opportunity.
Anyhow, I commend you for showing utmost faith in Shehzad who will always remain a mediocre batsman and has been mediocre at every level he has played, barring junior. He has similar domestic stats to Umar Amin for crying out loud, who is supposed to suck in domestic cricket.
would be best choice.
