Who will take the vacant batting slot in the Pakistan Test team after the West Indies series?

[JibranAnsari]

As Usman Salahuddin is already in the squad so i assume that he will take one of the two vacant places in the batting line up. Given that our next test series is in october and there is no first class cricket to be played in pakistan before that we can discuss that who can possibly take that one place.

 

[Red Devil]

Haris, most likely.

 

[shaz619]

Haris, most likely.

What about Awais Zia? he should sort out our run rate problem [MENTION=865]Big Mac[/MENTION]

 

[sadida97]

What about Awais Zia? he should sort out our run rate problem [MENTION=865]Big Mac[/MENTION]

sharjeel...

 

[sadida97]

Haris Sohail Inshallah

 

[marlonbrowndo]

Should be Haris

 

[JibranAnsari]

Haris hasnt played any fc cricket, dont see him geting into test squad against srilanka.

 

[Big Mac]

What about Awais Zia? he should sort out our run rate problem [MENTION=865]Big Mac[/MENTION]

Ifthikar Ahmed, no doubt about it.

The only Pakistani in history with a test strike rate of 100.00.

 

[Syed1]

Haris Sohail or Fawad Alam most likely.. But knowing Inzi Salman Butt could be on his way in..

 

[SaadAliG]

Has to be Fawad or move shafiq to 5th and sarfraz to 6th. No one else is capable enough. Harris sucks as a batsman.

 

[Brilliance]

This line up is one bowler short. Shadab will play as an all-rounder. A pure bowler whether spinner or fast depending on the conditions will take up this vacant spot.

1 Azhar.
2 Sami.
3 Babar.
4 Shafiq.
5 Usman.
6 Sarfaraz.
7 Shadab.
8 Amir.
9 Yasir.
10 Hassan Ali/ Asghar.
11 Abbas.

 

[Arsalan Pro]

Haris Sohail.

 

[JibranAnsari]

Top contenders i think are

Fawad alam and Umar Amin.

Thats for the next test series.

A lot will depend upon how shadab bats in the series , if he bats well then there is an outside chance that he could be our number 7.

Three quick bowlers , yasir shah and all rounder shadab.
Sarfraz and 5 batsmen.

 

[Red Devil]

What about Awais Zia? he should sort out our run rate problem [MENTION=865]Big Mac[/MENTION]

Ideally, we should have Awais and Sohail opening instead of these snails like Azhar and Aslam. We need to keep up with the rest of the world and evolve as a batting unit.

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Nobody mentioned Sami Aslam? He should open with Shehzad and Azhar Ali should bat at 4, Haris at 5.

 

[aloo paratha]

Nobody mentioned Sami Aslam? He should open with Shehzad and Azhar Ali should bat at 4, Haris at 5.

Moving Azhar down after his amazing year ESPECIALLY to make room for Shehzad is just dumb...

 

[JibranAnsari]

Nobody mentioned Sami Aslam? He should open with Shehzad and Azhar Ali should bat at 4, Haris at 5.

Azhar is probably going to pakistans highest scoring opener , the 2nd opener is still an issue.

We are talking about the one spot though in the middle order

 

[JibranAnsari]

Knowing inzi there is a high probability that mohammad hafeez makes it back in the test team.

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

Haris and Usman

 

[shah_1]

Haris and Usman

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Moving Azhar down after his amazing year ESPECIALLY to make room for Shehzad is just dumb...

I am not saying that is a smart move but once misbah and younis retire he is the closest to replace them in the middle order. Time and performances of other will tell. It's easy to build your inning when you know misbah and younis are yet to bat but it will be a totally different scenario after they retire.

 

[Hasan123]

Harris Sohail hopefully

 

[hammd.ahmed]

Fawad Alam, Haris Sohail or Usman Salahuddin. The line-up should be:

1. Sami Aslam
2. Azhar Ali
3. Babar Azam
4. Haris Sohail
5. Fawad Alam
6. Asad Shafiq
7. Sarfraz Ahmed
8. Mohammad Amir
9. Yasir Shah
10. Abbas
11. Wahab / Shadab / Imad

Imad has around 40+ FC average. I am not sure why they don't consider him in the test matches. He gives you better batting options as well.

 

[pakistanigoneaussie]

I have a bad feeling it will be professor

 

[zulfiqar]

The top contender has to be Fawad Alam in my opinion. I really think he will do well in test cricket. I know our team has an attritional batting style, but test cricket is the one place where this can bring success, and it has brought us success in the recent past. Fawad is the perfect replacement for Misbah.

Younis Khan on the other hand has no replacement. He's a once-in-a-generation talent from Pakistan. As far as world-class batsmen who average 50+, we had Miandad way back when, and then the Inzi/Yusuf era, and the lone YK era. No one in the Pakistani setup seems to have the mettle to average 50+ yet, though Azhar is getting there slowly. Babar Azam is someone who we are placing our trust in, but it is way too early to say. YK's loss will be huge for Pakistan!

 

[last_knight]

I have maintained this since his LOI debut that strongest suit of M Rizwan is Test Cricket.

Also I have repeatedly said that Babar Azam shouldn't bat at #3 in tests. He should be our #5 for at least 15 matches.

Sami/Shehzad
Azhar
Rizwan
Haris
Babar
Usman/Shadab
Sarfaraz
Amir
Yasir
Hasan
Abbas

 

[Arham_PakFan]

I have a bad feeling it will be professor

Same.I fear Inzi will go for 'experience'.

Ideally would want it to be Sami as opener replacing Shehzad(who should be backup)

Usman and Fawad Alam in the middle order.

 

[last_knight]

I have maintained this since his LOI debut that strongest suit of M Rizwan is Test Cricket.

Also I have repeatedly said that Babar Azam shouldn't bat at #3 in tests. He should be our #5 for at least 15 matches.

Sami/Shehzad
Azhar
Rizwan
Haris
Babar
Usman/Shadab
Sarfaraz
Amir
Yasir
Hasan
Abbas

I forgot Asad Shafiq at #6.

 

[The_Odd_One]

Nobody mentioned Sami Aslam? He should open with Shehzad and Azhar Ali should bat at 4, Haris at 5.

Your thought process is right but unfortunately, the second opener won't be Sami. It will be Shan.

I think Shan and Shehzad will open and Azhar will go back to #3.

 

[boomboom6]

Fawad without a shadow of doubt. Deserves it more then anyone.

 

[boomboom6]

The top contender has to be Fawad Alam in my opinion. I really think he will do well in test cricket. I know our team has an attritional batting style, but test cricket is the one place where this can bring success, and it has brought us success in the recent past. Fawad is the perfect replacement for Misbah.

Younis Khan on the other hand has no replacement. He's a once-in-a-generation talent from Pakistan. As far as world-class batsmen who average 50+, we had Miandad way back when, and then the Inzi/Yusuf era, and the lone YK era. No one in the Pakistani setup seems to have the mettle to average 50+ yet, though Azhar is getting there slowly. Babar Azam is someone who we are placing our trust in, but it is way too early to say. YK's loss will be huge for Pakistan!

Fawad is nothing like Misbah. He is a superior batsman with the habit of rotating strike.

 

[zulfiqar]

Fawad is nothing like Misbah. He is a superior batsman with the habit of rotating strike.

I never said Fawad is like Misbah. I just think he will make a really good replacement for that batting position, where you need someone solid who can put a price on their wicket. Fawad will bat at a similar strike rate to Misbah, and also much like Misbah, he can turn up the Strike Rate when the team needs it.

The opinion that Fawad is a superior batsman to Misbah though is interesting considering one has had a successful 5k+ run career in Int'l cricket at an old age and the other is still untested. I hope that Fawad is selected in the very next test series and is given an extended run at that batting position.

 

[kingusama92]

Fawad Alam.

It's time to give him the run he deserves.

 

[Jabo]

No idea, I just don't want Shafiq still at 6.

Either way, we are screwed, Shan & Hafeez will be back, a very very very poor and defensive captain in Azhar.

Likely XI we are going to get is

1- A Shahzad
2- S Masood/Hafeez/Azhar
3- Azhar/Hafeez
4- ?
5- Shafiq
6- Sarfraz (WK)
7-

I'd rather Sami/Azhar remain as openers

 

[Boi]

YK, Misbah, Shafiq out. Usman, Haris and Talat in.

 

[Chief Destroyer]

YK, Misbah, Shafiq out. Usman, Haris and Talat in.

I like this.