Why aren't young talents tried by Pakistan in Test cricket?

[yasir]

During Misbah's era, its almost an unwritten law that no matter how good you are, you have be to baked in the domestic for few years before selected for test cricket...Even if seniors already holding those spots are one of the worst world has ever seen...

We used to be the team, who were introducing players in teen all the time, even western at times were mocking our approach, of introducing players too early...Now they mock our approach for opposite reasons, we are holding on to, very old players for no apparent reasons...How we more from progressive culture to such a pragmatic one?? - We went from one extreme to another, ironically so goes out ranking and quality of team

Why you want young talent early in the test team?

There were quite a few reasons to introduce talented youngsters early on in the test team:

1. Domestic Cricket in Pakistan has always been mediocre, it does not develop talent rather mould into a mediocre one. Other reason is you are not tested strongly at that level, you don't work on weakness at that level.

2. International cricket is a very quick learning environment, your learning is very fast at early age, canvas is blank, you can develop good habits and improve fast...At age 26/27, its too late to develop new technique or change what you have been doing in domestic for years...Look at Misbah or Hafeez, they still does not know how to play fast bowlers,even after 15/25 years of cricket, it becomes progressively hard with age...

3. Mental side of the game is again factor of challenge thrown at you, that itself is a development aspect...Young players develop mentally better likes of SRT, Ponting, Lara, Wasim, Waqar all were introduced at very young age, they were all pretty raw(Wasim was so raw that Imran has to tell him what ball to bowl, pretty much every time, he end up been the best bowler in the history of the game) but developed very well...Imagine if they were introduced at 24/25? - What a loss for the game...

4. Introducing players in ODI only is not a good step for young talent...For example: in ODIs bowlers are not focusing on developing wicket taking deliveries, rather on varieties or not getting hit(that is specially true for T20s), they develop very differently than if introduced to test cricket, where you have to develop wicket taking balls and lengths, you need to work on pace and lengths...Similarly batsmen does not focus on defense and playing difficult shots(pull/cutt, backfoot game) in shorter format, something you need to focus on early on rather than at the age of 24/25

Mature test 11 is not working

One thing is clear from last 8 years, this mature 11 is not working in Cricket...We have very one dimensional team, every batsman has exactly same game plan and hence weakness, weaknesses that were part of FC, there weakness were strengthen by keeping them in domestic for long and then to national team...None of them has any flair and stroke making, Culturally we have become very pragmatic... We are taking too long to introduce new players, almost forcing every young guy to change his game to suite the mantra and strategy of team, which is very one dimensional to begin with...

On the bowling front things are not that different, when you introduce middle age bowlers, you don't expect anything special, whatever they had to learn they have already learn, very hard for them to develop new skills at the age of 26/27...Even if Yasir Shah cannot spin the bowl (despite been no 1 bowler 6 months ago), he will not learn it in next two years, he has bowled thousands of delivery at international level to change something significantly, but Shadah can learn new tricks and develop further, since he is too young to settle in...

Same goes for Hasan Ali, if he has to learn how to take wickets the hard way, bowling wicket taking deliveries rather than variety, he has to do it now, at this age not 2/3 years later, then it will be too late to learn hard skills...

During this PSL, I though three players are worth looking for test team Shadah Khan, Hasan Ali and Talat...Shadab and Hasan are sort of must to rebuild test team...All these 27 years old trundlers are nothing special and Shadab is more than capable second spinner, he has so many skills to be contained to T20 or LOIs only, we need player like him in test 11 to change the outlook of team, Pakistan needs to go back to old roots, Misbahism has failed...

We fundamentally need to revisit this maturity 11 policy, it has failed us...Misbah has not convinced us that it works(because of these policies we are also too far behind in LOIs as well), We are left behind pretty much every other nation other than WI...When we had progressive policies, we were #2/3 for almost 2 decades(80s/90s)!!

 

[Mamoon]

The Test team in the 2010-2016 era was extremely rigid and lacked flexibility. It worked in certain conditions but got exposed outside its comfort zone time and time again, but no actions were taken because all was good as long as we were not losing series in front of the blue seats and crows in the UAE.

Test players were treated like royalty who were untouchable. Changes were made frequently in the pace bowling department, but that was more down to players getting injured. The players really had it easy at that time and had little accountability for their performances.

With Arthur, things have started to change and some players have been forced out of their comfort zone. If Waqar was still the coach, Hafeez would still have been opening and Babar would have been the reserves, while Sharjeel would not have made his Test debut in a million years.

 

[Seamer]

I think Hassan Ali and Fakhar Zaman should make test debut in West indies. This would be my squad:

1. Azhar Ali
2. Fakhar Zaman
3. Babar Azam
4. Usman Salahuddin
5. Younis Khan
6. Asad Shafiq
7. Sarfaraz
8. Yasir Shah
9. Amir
10. Wahab Riaz
11. Hassan Ali

12. Sami Aslam
13. Asghar
14. Rizwan
15. Junaid Khan

 

[Major]

There is a reason why this team reached no.1 in test.

There was no youngster who warranted a place in the test squad.

There is no good batsmen in the system.
Spinners got banned, raza hassan did cocaine.
Fasters werent talented

Sohaib maqsood was one young batsmen, but he proved to be another umar akmal

 

[MRSN]

The Test team in the 2010-2016 era was extremely rigid and lacked flexibility. It worked in certain conditions but got exposed outside its comfort zone time and time again, but no actions were taken because all was good as long as we were not losing series in front of the blue seats and crows in the UAE.

Test players were treated like royalty who were untouchable. Changes were made frequently in the pace bowling department, but that was more down to players getting injured. The players really had it easy at that time and had little accountability for their performances.

With Arthur, things have started to change and some players have been forced out of their comfort zone. If Waqar was still the coach, Hafeez would still have been opening and Babar would have been the reserves, while Sharjeel would not have made his Test debut in a million years.

that's tests...imagine the tortures we have seen in ODIs in the last six years. Lots of heads were changing in PCB which allowed Misbah and other senior players to dictate things despite giving substandard performance and leading team with no vision whatsoever.

 

[MRSN]

Misbah calling a 40 years old Riffatullah as a replacement of Sharjeel khan tells everything about his mentality and the assumptions surround him.

 

[Pakpak]

There is a reason why this team reached no.1 in test.

There was no youngster who warranted a place in the test squad.

There is no good batsmen in the system.
Spinners got banned, raza hassan did cocaine.
Fasters werent talented

Sohaib maqsood was one young batsmen, but he proved to be another umar akmal

Fasters.

Sami had been knocking on doors for ages while our team was trundling with Hafeez and Shan Masood. Yasir's arrival was delayed while Zulfi Baba got series after series. Sarfraz was let in after a long while we tolerated Adnan Akmal for goodness sake.

Misbah was great in UAE as he knew how to grind the opposition out, no matter who it was. That is a fact. However we still carried a lot of passengers.

 

[MRSN]

Not going to lie despite that I'm a die hard passionate Pakistani fan but I have to say Pakistan has played the most dull and boring brand of cricket from 2011 to 2016 in all formats. There was rare excitement when Afridi or Umar Akmal were batting otherwise it was all a turn off. I don't think Pakistan cricket has been this boring ever before.

 

[yasir]

There is a reason why this team reached no.1 in test.

There was no youngster who warranted a place in the test squad.

There is no good batsmen in the system.
Spinners got banned, raza hassan did cocaine.
Fasters werent talented

Sohaib maqsood was one young batsmen, but he proved to be another umar akmal

This is again a delusional thinking and Misbah *******, we were no 1, because played too much cricket in Asia... In the qualifying period only two non-asian tours, one draw with all other team Zim and another with England(this was the only high light of Misbah in last 8 years)...Not a single test series win outside of Asia. Lost 3-0 to SA, 3-0 to AUS, 2-0 to NZ, so much for no 1 team, give me a break

Again why we draw in England, its has lot to do with Sami's batting in last two test, who showed to entire batting line up how to bat in England...We could have won Edgbaston test, if our seniors could survive mild reverse swing for one hour. What this mature seniors have done?? - one century in lords and double in Oval, what about countless failures else where??

 

[srh]

I fully expect Mir Hamza to debut in Pakistan's next test match

 

[moghul]

Misbah syndrome

 

[Pakpak]

The Test team in the 2010-2016 era was extremely rigid and lacked flexibility. It worked in certain conditions but got exposed outside its comfort zone time and time again, but no actions were taken because all was good as long as we were not losing series in front of the blue seats and crows in the UAE.

Test players were treated like royalty who were untouchable. Changes were made frequently in the pace bowling department, but that was more down to players getting injured. The players really had it easy at that time and had little accountability for their performances.

With Arthur, things have started to change and some players have been forced out of their comfort zone. If Waqar was still the coach, Hafeez would still have been opening and Babar would have been the reserves, while Sharjeel would not have made his Test debut in a million years.

I agree with Mamoon. Kya ho raha hai duniya ko.

Though with Sharjeel gone I hope we don't return to Shan Masood or Hafeez.

 

[Zohaib Shah]

Its because its the senior citizen team for old cricketers to play slow cricket.

 

[Syed1]

You didn't need to write that huge OP. We all know the reason for lack of youngsters:

 

[Rayyman]

Pakistan cricket has gone from being like an aggressive teenager to a wise old man. That old man has now died and it's time for a new era to begin.

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

Its a travesty that Pak didnt try a youngster like Haris at test level 3-4 years back..

I remember a domestic match 4-5 years back when Haris scored a century and next top scorer didnt even cross 30 .. the ball was moving miles and Haris left the ball so well knowing his off stump..

Pak has a conservative approach for last few years especially in test cricket.

 

[Arsalan Pro]

Pakistan cricket has gone from being like an aggressive teenager to a wise old man. That old man has now died and it's time for a new era to begin.

A new era in which PCB will appoint a few years younger Younis Khan as Captain.

 

[cricketInsight]

You try new players where there is an open slot. There were open slots in the bowling area where new players were tried like Imran Khan & Ehsan Adil. Similarly Shan Masood and Sami Aslam have gotten opportunities as openers.

Misbah, Younis, Azhar, Shafiq, Sarfraz were not replaced in during that period because they were performing well and were instrumental in our rise to number 1. Yes, you can now make the case of replacing Misbha or Younis but over the last few years that needs wasnt felt as they were performing well.

So think before you create a thread or rant because you want your favorite player in the team - look how the said player would fit into the plans.

 

[The_Odd_One]

Shehzad, Sami, Masood, Babar, Aamir, Nawaz, and Junaid should be considered youngsters.

Hafeez was scoring runs in Asia and until the England tour, was considered the top Pakistani batsman across all formats by many.

Younis and Misbah were pretty consistent until last year.

The only oldie who should have been discarded was Zulfiqar Babar.

 

[The_Odd_One]

Also not sure why do people keep bringing the UAE to downgrade Pakistan's test performance. Both India and Australia have dominated at home. Why is it just easy for Pakistan in the UAE?

What was Pakistan's test records in Pakistan? Remember the 2003 tour by Indian team?

 

[Sarfarazian92]

Our selectors, like our players, are insecure about their jobs which is why they don't take the risk of introducing youngsters in the squad.

This experienced squad has yielded 'decent' results for the most part. The selectors have been satisfied with 'decent' performances and don't have the balls to pick youngsters who have the potential to improve the team, but can also be detrimental to the squad.

Our limited overs performances have been pathetic which is why so many players have been tried in this decade.

 

[cricketInsight]

Our selectors, like our players, are insecure about their jobs which is why they don't take the risk of introducing youngsters in the squad.

This experienced squad has yielded 'decent' results for the most part. The selectors have been satisfied with 'decent' performances and don't have the balls to pick youngsters who have the potential to improve the team, but can also be detrimental to the squad.

Our limited overs performances have been pathetic which is why so many players have been tried in this decade.

Before the New Zealand/AUS tour we have had one of the best runs in our test cricket history leading us to no. 1 test ranking. So no, our performance have not been decent but pretty good. The Australian tour has exposed problems that we need to work on but that should not discredit what was accomplished before that.

 

[Sarfarazian92]

Before the New Zealand/AUS tour we have had one of the best runs in our test cricket history leading us to no. 1 test ranking. So no, our performance have not been decent but pretty good. The Australian tour has exposed problems that we need to work on but that should not discredit what was accomplished before that.

I'm not discrediting what we achieved. I truly believe that the period from the AUS test series in 2014 till the ENG series last summer was a truly great one. I enjoyed Pak's test matches more than anything during that period.

But if we look at the test team post spot-fixing, there were periods where braver selectors could've possibly introduced newer/younger players.

 

[Nil Dhumrojal]

Because,no need for home series and PCB don't bother Aus,NZ,sa results

 

[Brilliance]

We are beginning to go back to those methods gradually.

1 Sharjeel.
2 Azhar.
3 Babar.
4 Haris.
5 Shafiq.
6 Sarfaraz.
7 Shadab.
8 Amir.
9 Yasir.
10 Hassan.
11 Ehsan.

 

[msb314]

The Test team in the 2010-2016 era was extremely rigid and lacked flexibility. It worked in certain conditions but got exposed outside its comfort zone time and time again, but no actions were taken because all was good as long as we were not losing series in front of the blue seats and crows in the UAE.

Test players were treated like royalty who were untouchable. Changes were made frequently in the pace bowling department, but that was more down to players getting injured. The players really had it easy at that time and had little accountability for their performances.

With Arthur, things have started to change and some players have been forced out of their comfort zone. If Waqar was still the coach, Hafeez would still have been opening and Babar would have been the reserves, while Sharjeel would not have made his Test debut in a million years.

And good riddance.

The right think to do is to play Shehzad as an opener with Shan Masood IMMEDIATELY.

Sami Aslam is not ready yet and should be a back up.

I would keep Azhar and Shafiq for now and Babar should play at no. 3.

I would like to also play Haris Sohail at 5.

Misbah and YK should retire immediately after the WI series.

 

[Zohaib Shah]

Misbah and YK should retire immediately after the WI series.

Don't see that happening. Misbah and Younus will play for another ten years, till they can't hold a bat. They plan to use up all there youth on cricket.

 

[Rayyman]

A new era in which PCB will appoint a few years younger Younis Khan as Captain.

Actually YK is the same age as Misbah. It's so sad that these guys aren't retiring.

 

[msb314]

Don't see that happening. Misbah and Younus will play for another ten years, till they can't hold a bat. They plan to use up all there youth on cricket.

If they don't retire - they should play on a series by series basis and be sacked at the first sign of poor form.

 

[Bilal7]

This is a myth. Sami, Azhar, Babar, Shafiq, Sarfaraz and Amir are all youngsters that were made test regulars by Misbah. Azhar may be 32 right now but he was pretty young back in 2010 when he was first backed by the kuptaan. Other than these guys, you have Shehzad, Masood, Junaid and Hassan who are on the fringes and who may be given a (second) chance against the West Indies.

 

[Zohaib Shah]

If they don't retire - they should play on a series by series basis and be sacked at the first sign of poor form.

By that logic Misbah should have been sacked by now. Younus only plays once in a series than changes everyones minds. The bigger he fails the bigger the score he makes. I think these two need to look after the best interest of Pakistan cricket instead of there own.

 

[proud_pakistani]

I think the test side has generally been well settled and has not required too many changes. I do think tho Pakistan needs to plan their future tours and see how their combinations will fit on foreign tours. The Australian tour was an example that we needed a fast bowling all rounder but we were not prepared to debut anyone at that time. Also, it's important we keep giving players a chance especially in dead rubbers. I've often been surprised that we are not even prepared to experiment in dead rubbers. There is always a lack of planning. Things are changing under Arthur but will take time.

 

[Arsalan Pro]

As many of the seniors were performing and some were youngsters who turned into seniors.

 

[shariqnoor]

Absolute nonsense here.

Asad Shafiq debuted under Misbah at 24 years of age
Azhar Ali had only played 6 Test matches when he played under Misbah at a time when his batting average was 26. Misbah backed him.
Sami debuted under Misbah at 19 years
Adnan Akmal debuted under Misbah at 25 years
Ehsan Adil debuted under Misbah at 19 years
Junaid Khan debuted under Misbah at 21 years

So lets just end this myth that Misbah does not want young players in his team. Absolute nonsense from Misbah haters. I'm sure I'm missing other players.

As I like to put it, Misbah could invent a cure for cancer and someone will claim that somebody else would have done it with more panache. Thankless people.

 

[Seamer]

Younis should carry on till he is scoring runs, Misbah should retire now and not be picked for future tours. This would would be my test squad for WI.

1. Azhar Ali
2. Shehzad
3. Babar Azam
4. Younis Khan
5. Asad Shafiq
6. Fakhar Zaman
7. Sarfaraz
8. Yasir Shah
9. Amir
10. Wahab Riaz
11. Hassan Ali

12. Sami Aslam
13. Mir Hamza
14. Asghar
15. Rizwan

 

[A.A.Z]

This is again a delusional thinking and Misbah *******, we were no 1, because played too much cricket in Asia... In the qualifying period only two non-asian tours, one draw with all other team Zim and another with England(this was the only high light of Misbah in last 8 years)...Not a single test series win outside of Asia. Lost 3-0 to SA, 3-0 to AUS, 2-0 to NZ, so much for no 1 team, give me a break

Again why we draw in England, its has lot to do with Sami's batting in last two test, who showed to entire batting line up how to bat in England...We could have won Edgbaston test, if our seniors could survive mild reverse swing for one hour. What this mature seniors have done?? - one century in lords and double in Oval, what about countless failures else where??

Misbah won his first tour to New Zealand in 2011

 

[A.A.Z]

Because,no need for home series and PCB don't bother Aus,NZ,sa results

Apart from the last series Pakistan has an incredible record in NZ, Misbah also won his first series there as captain

 

[Rayyman]

Absolute nonsense here.

Asad Shafiq debuted under Misbah at 24 years of age
Azhar Ali had only played 6 Test matches when he played under Misbah at a time when his batting average was 26. Misbah backed him.
Sami debuted under Misbah at 19 years
Adnan Akmal debuted under Misbah at 25 years
Ehsan Adil debuted under Misbah at 19 years
Junaid Khan debuted under Misbah at 21 years

So lets just end this myth that Misbah does not want young players in his team. Absolute nonsense from Misbah haters. I'm sure I'm missing other players.

As I like to put it, Misbah could invent a cure for cancer and someone will claim that somebody else would have done it with more panache. Thankless people.

You forgot Iftikhar Ahmed who debuted at 24 years young.

 

[Markhor]

Absolute nonsense here.

Asad Shafiq debuted under Misbah at 24 years of age
Azhar Ali had only played 6 Test matches when he played under Misbah at a time when his batting average was 26. Misbah backed him.
Sami debuted under Misbah at 19 years
Adnan Akmal debuted under Misbah at 25 years
Ehsan Adil debuted under Misbah at 19 years
Junaid Khan debuted under Misbah at 21 years

So lets just end this myth that Misbah does not want young players in his team. Absolute nonsense from Misbah haters. I'm sure I'm missing other players.

As I like to put it, Misbah could invent a cure for cancer and someone will claim that somebody else would have done it with more panache. Thankless people.

The fumes of anger produced by the anti-Misbah lot often is a fact-free zone. I wonder if the OP will actually reply to this or ignore it as it doesn't fit his agenda.

Test caps are to be earned and not given out like toffee to any flavour of the month player.

Its also a myth that we used to pluck youngsters out of nowhere in the 80s and 90s. It did occur on occasion but wasn't the norm. Inzamam-ul-Haq had several successful seasons of domestic cricket before being called up. Waqar Younis was already known from his U19 days and played a couple of domestic seasons before his Test debut. Same with Aaqib Javed.

 

[MMHS]

I think, Misbah debuted fair amount of young faces, if we take bringing youngsters is the sole responsibility of Captain only. But, what he didn't is back them much to settle. More than aged players, I felt he is more interested in playing buddies or players loyal to him - Azhar, MoHa, Ajmal, Zulfi, Wahab. Asad ... are his common players regardless of performance or format. For that, not many open spots were left to try younger players.

The real damage I think was done in Inzi's time. He & Bob were most influential & powerful pair in PAK cricket on team affairs since Khan, and they completely shutdown doors for any young player. Bob probably was a pro of highest level - so, he decided to work with any player given to him, therefore left the selection field entirely for Inzi & selectors. In that 4 years, in think Inzi-Bob debuted only players - Riaz Afridi & Asif. Both were dropped after one match & Riaz Afridi never got a 2nd call.

That was the time when in 2004 & 2006 PAK won U19 WC. There are at least 10 players still playing in their early to mid 30s now, whose FC career suggests that they were hard done by during their early 20s - could have been PAK regulars for a decade if given chance.

Anyway, it's a cultural issue - PAK national team, major FC teams in PAK domestics, Faisal Bank domestic T20 teams, Pentangular List A teams & now PSL is easily the oldest tournament in cricket world, even considering official age. Players are denied early or due entry at early/right age for nepotism & they carry that same baggage with them - once you are in, keep buddies & keep God fathers, you can carry on for 5 to 10 extra years & deny/delay the next batch - the cycle continues. Misbah is getting the bash only because he himself is dragging his old self & rightly so. Had he retorted after Oval or even at the stroke of SCG day 5 ........ he actually wasn't that bad.

 

[Hamza_]

[MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION] Pakistan is a heaven for buddhay babbay who are past it. No scope for something new or forward thinking.