Would it be wise to move Sarfraz Ahmed up the order once Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan retire?

[idrizzy]

About 99% of the people here have expressed their thoughts of who should replace the duo. And these 99% have said their positions should be replaced by other batsmen rather than moving the batting order up.

However, alike in ODIs, would moving Sarfraz up the batting order be a better move than slotting Usman/Fawad/Haris in the side? Same goes for Shafiq. It's clear to see they can bat and maybe are unlucky they have to play with the tail and force proceedings.

So, move up the battinv order or replace them? Evidence from ODI team suggests Sarfraz can score runs higher up the order, can he do the same in Tests?

 

[srh]

He should bat at #6 after Fawad Alam.

 

[Abdul]

No. He lacks the temperament required to build a solid innings.

 

[Boi]

Should bat at 6 with someone like Talat or Yamin at 7.

 

[Big Mac]

Highest is six and only then if we can strengthen the lower order with an all-rounder or two.

Any higher and the responsibility of playing as a proper batsman will stifle his ability to play his natural game, which is why he (rightly) receives such high praise round here. Sarfraz is able to play with such freedom because he has six specialist batsmen ahead of him and his role in the team is to accelerate at the end of an innings.

If he is batting higher in the order and has the added pressure of being the captain then it's going to affect his game when he is required to score hundreds instead of quick 40s and 50s.

 

[Mamoon]

As I said in the other thread, asking Sarfraz to keep + bat in the middle-order is too much to ask for. It will require very high fitness levels which I don't think he has. Instead, we should look to find proper batsmen who can bat at a SR of 50 consistently, without doing all this 1 (50) rubbish. Sarfraz is fine at number 7, but we need more dynamism at 4,5 and 6.

Before someone puts a dagger to my throat: by dynamism, I don't mean Umar Akmal or Sohaib Maqsood; I'm talking about proper batsmen, who can approach the innings like the quality Test batsmen of today do. I don't expect them to be elite class like Kohli or Smith or Root, but at least some batsmen who can use their batting as a template. None of them molest Test cricket with 1 (50) type knocks.

 

[RickyG]

Bat him at 6 if you play an all-rounder at 7 (Wasim/Shadab etc). No point in putting him at 6 if you're going to play a specialist batsman at 7.

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

Yes he should move at 6 if we get a decent all rounder like Shadab/Yamin etc.
No more above than 6 as that will put too much load on him and we need quality batsmen who can score big 100s from 1-5.

 

[zulfiqar]

Sarfaraz is perfect at #7. He's shown today and numerous times before that he knows how to bat with the tail. Not only that but he's flourished so far at this # and in my opinion is becoming stronger as a batsman. This is not the same as when we all wanted Inzi to bat higher than 5, or Misbah to bat higher than 5. Those guys were proper middle-order batsmen and have batted at those #s all their life.

So no, leave him at 7.

 

[ads101]

Definitely not. He's great at 7 and i dunno who would do a good a job there than him. 1-6 should be proper batsmen, with one part timer (but who ideally is good enough to get in bat alone).

In ODIs and LOIs definitely he should move up so he makes more of an impact.

 

[Deewana Mastana]

No.6 would do but he will need to have a better support around him if he's to go the Gilchrist route.

 

[Logical]

Didn't watch the game today. Who scored 1 off 50?

 

[Big Mac]

Didn't watch the game today. Who scored 1 off 50?

Come on, you know that only one man is capable of such masterful trolling

 

[Sarfarazian92]

No, but it won't be a bad idea to send him at 4/5/6 when the frontline opposition bowlers are tired and the spinners are on.

 

[Logical]

Come on, you know that only one man is capable of such masterful trolling

Lol he did well to get a SR of 40 then.

 

[Hasan123]

He's fine at 7. I hope we can find batsmen who can bat at a quicker strike rate and play both sides of the wicket vs spin and pace.

Scoring 1 run off 50 balls is just unacceptable and I understand people's anger towards Misbah for that start to his innings.

Hopefully under Sarfraz we start to play a more positive brand of cricket. Don't hate Misbah's approach but test cricket is moving towards a different era. Scoring at 3/4 runs an over is becoming the norm rather than a suprise.

 

[Arsalan Pro]

We can try him at 4/5.