What's new

Yasir Shah's form in current domestic season raises a question mark

BunnyRabbit

ODI Debutant
Joined
Mar 27, 2016
Runs
9,294
Post of the Week
1
Well after coming back from the injury that kept him out of the England and Ireland tour, Yasir was given a few ODI's on Pakistan's tour to Zimbabwe which was his first match practice since PSL.
In current domestic season he has played 1 complete FC match and 1 LA match, in which he has gone wicketless. In the current match SNGPL vs FATA, he has also gone wicketless in the first innings with 22 overs without a wicket for 30 runs. In the second innings he hasn't bowled yet and Mohammad Hafeez has taken 4 of the 5 wickets to have fallen as of now.

We have an important series against Australia coming up after Asia Cup, and tours to SA and NZ. Does Yasir's lack of form an alarming sign for us?
Or will he be able to get his touch back in time for Tests against Aus?
 
I think Shadab should play ahead of him . Adds more value with the bat and currently seems to be a better spinner as well.
 
I think Shadab should play ahead of him . Adds more value with the bat and currently seems to be a better spinner as well.

I don't think Pakistan's think tank are going to make the same blunder this year by going in with a lone spinner in UAE Tests like they did last year against SL. Shadab and Yasir are probably going to play both with one of Fahim or Amir/Hasan playing.
 
Yasir is a proven performer and will come good.If he fails in the Australia series,then that would be alarming.
 
He has done a good job for Pakistan but his fitness isn't great and he is getting on in terms of age. We should be looking for his successor.
 
I think pakistan are going to struggle against Australia in tests. Having two leg spinners, out of which one is not a proven wicket taker and the other is not in best form Just doesn't seem right. Absence of Rehman like finger spinners will surely hurt pakistan. Hope Mickey realises this .
 
Well after coming back from the injury that kept him out of the England and Ireland tour, Yasir was given a few ODI's on Pakistan's tour to Zimbabwe which was his first match practice since PSL.
In current domestic season he has played 1 complete FC match and 1 LA match, in which he has gone wicketless. In the current match SNGPL vs FATA, he has also gone wicketless in the first innings with 22 overs without a wicket for 30 runs. In the second innings he hasn't bowled yet and Mohammad Hafeez has taken 4 of the 5 wickets to have fallen as of now.

We have an important series against Australia coming up after Asia Cup, and tours to SA and NZ. Does Yasir's lack of form an alarming sign for us?
Or will he be able to get his touch back in time for Tests against Aus?

So in other words, in one game?
 
Poor fitness, does not add much with the bat, 32 years old now and gets smashed overseas unless there is some turn on offer. He is a workhorse and very reliable in the UAE/Asia, but I think he will need replacing in a year or too.

Not sure who are the candidates at this point - Shadab adds a lot to the team but purely as a leg-spinner, he has a long way to go. I think a spin bowling crisis is upon us - we were lucky that Yasir stepped in immediately as soon as Ajmal finally got caught, but that may not be the case every time.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Shadab needs to bowl more in first class cricket in 4 day games if he wants to further strengthen his claims for selection in test cricket
 
I'm concerned on three fronts with respect to Pakistan's upcoming home assignments:

1) Sarfraz's captaincy. I think he is a very weak Test captain. His character works well in T20s and to an extent in ODIs but his over exuberance and impatience can cost us dearly. Sarfraz did well as a captain in the 3 tests in England/Ireland this summer because those are places where things happen at a rapid pace. UAE on the other hand demands EXTREME patience. the reason why Misbah was such a successful captain in the UAE is because he was literally a python biding his time and strangulating opponents. Things that opposing captains never did. But can Sarfraz show the same amount of patience?

2) Lack of quality spin. Our spinning department isn't as good as it used to be. Yasir is seemingly on the decline. This home summer will tell us which direction Yasir is going. For us to win, yasir HAS to be on his A game and be the top-wicket taker this summer.

3) Mickey Arthur. This guy has a typical South African mindset. He thinks he will win matches through his fast bowlers. The fact that he played 1 spinner against SL and then justified his selection later on was criminal. Sackable offence in my view. If he still hasn't learned the horrors of playing 1 spinner, then God save Pakistan against Australia and NZ. Mickey, if not going with 3 spinners and 1 fast bowler, should atleast go with 2.5 spinners.
 
Last edited:
I think his class makes him a certain selection for the series.

Only a truly disastrous first Test wouldn't see him selected for both, given his record. From the outside, that would be my assumption.
 
Pakistan seriously need a genuine left-arm spinner, and not just any spinner [Nawaz], but a quality bowler that can form a good partnership with Shadab.
 
I think, he is just easing his way back in - has a huge season coming up.
Hafeez taking wickets usually means chucking
As for Hasan Raza - we have enough experience with dope fiends to not let this guy back.
 
Indeed alarming. Yasir isn't a great turner, rather he is a slow burner - his game is built on persistent, long & accurate spells. If there is slight issue with his fitness, he might become a burden - PAK can't back on a leggi, whom they want to bowl 60+ overs and goes at 3.5 rate. If I were to call, I would have taken both Yasir & Irfan (Leggi) in that A Team practice game and ask Captain to bowl 60-70 overs with them - whoever comes stronger, should get the nod. At this point with options available, PAK shouldn't be mentally blocked that Yasir & only Yasir for his past record.

Ideally, PAK attack should be a Leggi, a SLAO (Raja & Gohar both are bowling long spells and bowling beautifully) & an off-spin all-rounder, may be Bilal (no other option, unless the call Haseeb for the pre-tour squad). Only way, this AUS side can avoid 2-0 is a selection blunder on absolute dead UAE tracks. My 2 pacers will be Wahab & Fahim - one to use the old ball and other to take the shine off from new ball. Against 3 men pace attack, this Khawaja guy alone might be enough to save a Test at Abu Dhabi :).
 
Indeed alarming. Yasir isn't a great turner, rather he is a slow burner - his game is built on persistent, long & accurate spells. If there is slight issue with his fitness, he might become a burden - PAK can't back on a leggi, whom they want to bowl 60+ overs and goes at 3.5 rate. If I were to call, I would have taken both Yasir & Irfan (Leggi) in that A Team practice game and ask Captain to bowl 60-70 overs with them - whoever comes stronger, should get the nod. At this point with options available, PAK shouldn't be mentally blocked that Yasir & only Yasir for his past record.

Ideally, PAK attack should be a Leggi, a SLAO (Raja & Gohar both are bowling long spells and bowling beautifully) & an off-spin all-rounder, may be Bilal (no other option, unless the call Haseeb for the pre-tour squad). Only way, this AUS side can avoid 2-0 is a selection blunder on absolute dead UAE tracks. My 2 pacers will be Wahab & Fahim - one to use the old ball and other to take the shine off from new ball. Against 3 men pace attack, this Khawaja guy alone might be enough to save a Test at Abu Dhabi :).


Surely Arthur won't be pick 3 pacers in the UAE again!!!!!!
 
Spinners in test is one area where we should be worried. I really like M.Irfan. Dont know when that guy will get a chance.
 
Nothing to worry about here, he is proven at test level and will do a job for Pakistan.
 
Spinners in test is one area where we should be worried. I really like M.Irfan. Dont know when that guy will get a chance.

M Irfan the legspinner has played 14 matches and taken 17 wickets at an average of 49 in FC.
What happened to Shahzaib Ahmed he doesn't seem to be playing FC cricket recently.
 
Don't consider him to be as good as Yasir in Tests. He is more of an LOI bowler, even there his form hasn't been great since his return.

All 3 formats combined I think Raza is the best spin bowler in Pakistan and in tests has real potential as a bowling all rounder a match winning one.
 
M Irfan the legspinner has played 14 matches and taken 17 wickets at an average of 49 in FC.
What happened to Shahzaib Ahmed he doesn't seem to be playing FC cricket recently.

Legspinners take the most time and coaching to develop. Irfan is very talented.
 
Back
Top