Shoaib should put up or shut up

[vvvrulz]

Agreed, a place like Australia was the ideal place for him to kick-start his learning curve too.

[Nikhil]

Originally Posted by Maranello

Another Shoaib Akhtar admirer...

Anything that Justine Langer says should be taken with a grain of salt. Not sure how much is he trying to put the Pakistanis off their stride.

As a matter of fact, it does not really matter what kind of bowler you are, what matters is the match situation and one has to bowl accordingly. Giving Shoaib the leeway to be expensive at any time of the match is over doing it a little. He should be responsible and should bowl according to the match situation. Not trying to criticise him, but it's a fact that he considers himself a bit above the rest.

[Zainub]

Originally Posted by Nikhil

Not trying to criticise him, but it's a fact that he considers himself a bit above the rest.

I can't disagree with that conclusion Nikhil. He does, and I guess we realistically can do little about it, it's in his nature, and he’s just that sort of person who likes talking about him self.

You have to take the good with the bad though, Shoaib can be expensive, both with the ball as well as his on and of the field rants but he offers quite a bit, in our case, we don't have a replacement that is confirmedly better or at par with what he has to offer, so he ends up being the best we've got to offer. Hence I have always disagreed with those who've said he should be dropped because of his attitude. In the current situation Shoaib is an automatic selection. No ifs, no buts.

The way he goes about his buisness is in his nature, that's an inate thing, and I have frequently admitted it can be, and is, a little annoying at times. As a matter of fact he's never been short of getting criticised for that, either from the fans or from the media, he's got plenty of stick for that over the years. And rightly too so, no one should be bigger or more important than the team it self. Thankfully, in the recent past he's realised that to a much greater extent then ever before in his career.

As I said before too Shoaib has changed a lot in the last 6 months, ever since Woolmer has arrived on the scene, our whole team has changed in many ways. He is finally starting to take responsibility in a manner in which it is expected of him. Still a long way to go before he can convince everyone though, some people, I know, will always under rate him no matter what. But I'm positive he's improving, both as a bowler, and as member of the team.

[Nikhil]

Originally Posted by Zainub Razvi

.... Hence I have always disagreed with those who've said he should be dropped because of his attitude. In the current situation Shoaib is an automatic selection. No ifs, no buts.

On the contrary I would say I would drop any player who thinks himself to be decidedly better than others in the team. There is something called 'team spirit'. If you ever play a team game, you will understand if there is a mole in the team, it drags the entire team down with it. On the other hand, if there is a genuinely commited person in the team, he carries the team with him.

I'm not saying Shoaib is a mole. But consider the following situation. You are a young fast bowler with cosiderable talent but not much speed (a la. Umar Gul). You get into the team by working your socks off and you do the same when you get in the team and do your job well. Then now there's this so calle super star who just shoots his mouth off any time and more importantly talks about himself. How would you feel to be below such a person, even after having done a good job. More often than not, it will deject ther other lad. That's a bad example for team spirit.

When you play as a team, you are just a member of the *team*. No more no less.

PS : I have not followed anything about Shoaib in the last few months, so I don't really have any idea as to how much has he improved.

[Zainub]

Creteria for selection is merit Nikhil, and right now, Shoaib being ranked the 4th best bowler in the world, he is an automatic choice, and an argubaly a world class player capable of walking into most test sides if not all.

Shoaib's presence in the team, I want to highlight is not stopping the way for Umar Gul or any other fast bowler for that matter. If they are good enough they'll get into the team. As they always have. Shoaib has been playing for a while, and in that time he's shared the ball with a lot of young bowlers, Umar Gul included. There is no reason for anyone to feel dejected or disapointed. In fact Shoaib's got the axe him self too when he was out of sorts after the world cup. It's not that we are blindly selecting him ahead of every Tom Dick and Harry out there, he is, realistically speaking, the best fast bowler in this country, who simply cannot, because of the relative inexperience of the others or because of injuries, one reason or the other, be left out of the side.

People need to put their own opinion of Shoaib Akthar, the human being aside, and then judge his merits as a fast bowler. I don't say he doesn't talk about him self in the press, he does at times, but frequently, and I'd say more often than not, he backs them up with performances on the field. He does think of him self highly, but who doesn't, tell me one bowler who'll come out and say I'm crap, rubbish. No, no one will say that Nikhil. It is precisely for the reason that you haven't followed Shoaib's actions in the recent past that you say so.

There have been more than one example of how he is now more willing to sacrifice his own preference for the team's sake. For instance, on the insistence of our think tank, i.e. Woolmer and Inzamam, Shoaib bowled first change in ODIs since the Asia Cup, and with good results too. He was quoted as saying he was doing so "for the team". Under no previous coach/captain would you dare bet on that hapening. Secondly, Woolmer following the aftermath of our home seires against Sri Lanka, talked of how he was not satisfied with the levels of fitness Shoaib and a few others had. Responding to that Shoaib has worked considerably harder in our progressive training camps leading to the Aus Tour. Alsmost imediately after that Woolmer was quoted on his website as saying "During the game {against WA 2nd XI} Shoaib Akthar trained very hard, bowling the designated amount and running and doing shuttles every day! Please realise that this was exactly what we wanted him to do and the other players ran and trained each day."

The notion that Shoaib is some one who only talks and does nothing, is harsh, and even my self not being the biggest admirer of his professional attitude, or lack of it, I'd still say he does more than enough to merit a place in our test and one-day eleven.

[Nikhil]

You are probably correct. He's ranked number 4 in the PWC rankings and all. The point I was trying to stress is, if someone is going to break the team spirit, leave him by the side. Never did I try to belittle Shoaib or his achievements, and ofcourse Umar Gul was just an example for the sake of it. I was wondering if you could imagine yourself in that situation.

Anyways, I think Bob Woolmer knows better than me and you and so he can decide.

[Zainub]

Originally Posted by Nikhil

The point I was trying to stress is, if someone is going to break the team spirit, leave him by the side.

Shoaib doesn't break the team spirit, he only affects it, and that too, is not to an extent so as to "leave him by the side". We can't afford to leave him by the side. We just can't in the present circumstances.

Originally Posted by Nikhil

Never did I try to belittle Shoaib or his achievements, and ofcourse Umar Gul was just an example for the sake of it. I was wondering if you could imagine yourself in that situation.

How would I feel if I were Umar Gul? I'd feel unlucky that I got my self a bad injury after having taken a five for that went a long way in proving my crudentials as a bowler - but I'd not be too disapointed, as I would know that the team managament is desperately hoping to see me back in the team. If I were Gul I wouldn't have any hard feelings for Shoaib. And I'd be more the confident of getting my place back in the team once I got fit again.

[Shaka]

Shoaib will get his chance to let his bowling do the talking in Perth. Let's see if he delivers.

[Shaka]

Looks like I spoke to soon. Shoaib is busy letting his mouth go in Perth. Makes you wonder if he'll have any energy left by the time the game starts.

http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,11691003%255E10389,00.html

Shoaib hatches plan for Aussies

Robert Craddock, cricket
15dec04

SHOAIB Akhtar claims he has a surprise in store for Australia tomorrow and will prove himself a smarter bowler than it thinks.



The flamboyant Pakistani speed machine is aware Australia rates him a one-trick pony who uses brute force to intimidate opposition sides but, apart from occasional reverse swing, lacks subtlety with his bowling.

But he says the lessons of his last visit to Australia, when he took just six Test wickets at 67, have left him a wiser man entering tomorrow's first Test at the WACA.

"I don't want to hurt people – I want to get wickets and I will not bowl too short this time," the man known as the Rawalpindi Express said yesterday.

"I have moved on from that thing about being the fastest bowler in the world. That was another time and we loved that.

"Now it's about being a more mature bowler. I plan to take some of the pace off the ball and put it in the right areas.

"That way I can surprise the batsmen with my quicker ball. I think you will see me bowling around the 155km/h mark.

"I am still sharp enough. I was a pretty immature bowler here last time. I have learnt how to bowl on Australian pitches."

Shoaib's attitude has mellowed since the hell-raising month of April, 2002, when he was recorded bowling faster than 158km/h on six occasions.

He said at the time: "God made me a supreme athlete. I have a mission to cross the 100 mile per hour barrier. I want to set records that will never be broken."

Shoaib has been a fascinating case study since arriving in Perth. He has taken delivery of a flashy sports car and a high-powered motorbike which are on loan from sponsors and cuts a dashing figure around town, in stark contrast to his mostly anonymous and considerably more withdrawn teammates.

His unique accent has splashes of Pakistan, England, Ireland and Australia – he has lived in them all – for he is a man of the world.

Shoaib is one of five children of a Rawalpindi oil worker and his extended family has scattered far and wide, from the United States to Switzerland.

In all aspects of his life, he feels the need for speed. One of his famous quotes was that he would rather be burnt out and gone at 30 after a decade of bowling quickly than fight his instincts and plod on as a medium-pacer until his mid-30s.

Medical tests have declared him a physical freak with double joints throughout his body.

"I am not blessed with a normal body – my joints are different from other people's," he said.

"When I was young they said I did not have the right body to play cricket."

In some ways he is a dinosaur among fast bowlers. Despite constant pleas from his coaching staff he refuses to cut down his 30m run-up.

He reverted to a short run to save time in some one-day matches this year but vowed never again to cut down his trademark approach.

Against Western Australia last week, he was taking a staggering seven minutes an over.

Though he radiates confidence, those close to Shoaib say he is an insecure soul who is less assured about himself than it seems when he is bowling.

[Nikhil]

Funny article, with a not-so-funny end.