Pakistan's Opening problems

[Shaka]

Is there anybody who we see as being a solution in the near future? Against South Africa it looked like Taufeeq and Imran Farhat had secured their places but disappointing form has since seen them fall from favour. I'm especially disappointed for Taufeeq as he has a real gritty toughness about him and that all important hunger and application which so many of our guys lack. I'd love to see him back and doing well, but he has to iron out a few technical flaws which started creeping into his game, (shuffling too far across his stumps) but I'd back him to return.

Imran Farhat and Salman Butt are both talented enough but they give their wickets too cheaply at this level. Would there be any mileage in moving Asim Kamal up the order? His shot selection is flawless, he's got plenty of courage and desire to work for his runs. To me it's a case of playing your best batsmen and at test level he's looked that when he's been given the chance.

Any thoughts or other suggestions?

[Maranello]

The top order batting issue is the biggest concern facing Pakistani cricket - I would include the openers and the number three batsman in this. We cannot hope to be a decent Test side till we sort this out.

Pakistan has an excellent middle-order in Inzi and Youhana, and in my opinion Malik could develop into an accomplished no.6 in Tests. However, if the top three keep getting out v. cheaply, this puts undue pressure on the middle-order & the team will struggle to consistently make big scores. Whenever the openers have done their job and seen off the new ball effectively, the middle-order has invariably flourished.

In the next few posts I will write my thoughts on the candidates for the top three batting slots - starting with Taufeeq Umar.

Taufeeq Umar (L/H)
Great temperament, gutsy fighter and accomplished record in home & away series against SA and NZL. Went into the India series as the best Test opener in the country, but had a poor three tests, with some technical flaws highlighted in his batting - namely the habit to shuffle across and expose his leg stump. Also not the best taker of singles, so gets bogged down when he is unable to drive off the front foot or cut off the back foot.
Has not played any international cricket since the last Test of that series (April 04).
However should be persisted with - is probably the most natural Test opener in Pakistan. He also bowls decent off-breaks and is a very good slip catcher.

Test record to date (Batting & Fielding):

M I NO Runs HS Ave SR 100 50 Ct St
22 40 2 1610 135 42.36 45.53 4 9 32 0
Age: 23

My verdict: Should be retained as Test opener v Sri Lanka (home) and v Australia (away)

[Maranello]

Naturally gifted stroke player - can play some beautiful drives and cuts through square, as well being very strong off his legs and in pulling the short stuff. Spots the ball early and has excellent timing when playing well. Problem is not so much lack of strokes, as knowing what stroke to play - has been castled a couple of times driving in full-flow off an inswinger.

Poor shot selection is a serious flaw in Tests, so he really needs to work on his temperament and concentration. All too frequently, Yasir gets out to a poor shot after getting a decent start and when he is on top of the bowling.

Is an excellent fielder at point or in the slips and bowls ocassional off-breaks.

Test record to date (Batting & Fielding):

M I NO Runs HS Ave SR 100 50 Ct St
10 19 3 784 170 49.00 59.34 2 3 4 0
Age: 26

My verdict: Should be retained in the Test and ODI teams for the next two series. However, would probably have to make way if his concentration does not improve. I am not sure if he should open in Tests or come in no.3. Is not a natural opener, but then not many others around!

[Shaka]

I don't think Yasir will be dispensed with in a hurry. His footwork is very positive and technically he is very sound. I agree that he tends to give his wicket away but for me he's done enough so far in his career to perservere with. I think the opening spots are more problematic, at the moment I still tend to favour Taufeeq and Farhat who did put on a few hundred run partnerships together. Taufeeq especially has made decent scores against Australia and South Africa.

[Maranello]

I would definitely keep Taufeeq as opener. Yasir can partner him if we want to experiment with Asim Kamal at no.3.

Otherwise, Kamal can come lower down the order, Yasir stays at 3 and we need a second opener. My thoughts on Farhat follow . ..

[Maranello]

A left-hander who plays good shots on either side of the wicket. Needs to work on being more patient. Sometimes, gets frustrated if unable to score freely and then plays the wrong shot to 'break the shackles' - has got out going doing the track to medium pacers and spinners on the wrong ball! Also sometimes goes fishing outside the off stump, playing away from his body without proper foot movement. So, technically not a Hanif Muhammad! (but heck, he is only 22).

I am not sure if he can be a long-term Test opener, but agree that he should be given a further try. Have no idea why he was dropped from the Paktel Cup - seems bizarre, unless I am missing something!

In my opinion, he should be retained ahead of Salman Butt for the time being - Butt, at 19, is too green, and should do some more A-tours etc before being a Test candidate.

Test record to date (Batting & Fielding)
M I NO Runs HS Ave SR 100 50 Ct St
11 20 0 642 128 32.10 47.91 2 2 13 0

[Maranello]

Originally Posted by Shaka

Would there be any mileage in moving Asim Kamal up the order? His shot selection is flawless, he's got plenty of courage and desire to work for his runs. To me it's a case of playing your best batsmen and at test level he's looked that when he's been given the chance.

I am not sure about Asim opening, coming at no.3, maybe yes, but has he ever opened for any team?

He is definitely the most gutsy of the new crop, and has the best temperament. Does not have all the natural shots that Yasir or Imran F might have, but more than makes up with courage, patience and mental toughness. He has only played his International & First-Class cricket in Pakistan, so an unknown on fast or bouncy pitches. However the resilient attitude and grit should help him succeed where others have failed.

He works hard for his runs, and does not throw the wicket away - an accumulator rather than a stroke player, probably would do well at most positions in the order, and as Youhana & Inzi do not want to bat at no.3, he could be a candidate.

Test record to date (Batting & Fielding):

M I NO Runs HS Ave SR 100 50 Ct St
4 6 1 292 99 58.40 49.15 0 3 2 0
Age: 28

[Shaka]

I don't know whether Asim has opened or not I guess we would only find out if he had what it takes if he was tried as an opener. It might be he can't cope with the fast bowlers with a new ball but I'm not sure that anybody else can either currently!

WRT your views on Imran Farhat they are pretty much spot on. A lot of left-handers have the tendency to play away from their body but then I suppose the other side of the coin is that Farhat does score a lot of runs through the offside and hits some crackind drives and cuts through that region.

Salman Butt can be given chances in games like the dead rubber between Pak/SL. He has wonderful talent but against the new ball he needs to learn to play in the 'V' for the first 15 overs or so. He is getting out trying to turn straight deliveries either side and that's a cheap dismissal.

I still feel that once Woolmer's had a look at all the contenders, we will end up with Farhat and Taufeeq if for no other reason than they have had successful opening stands quite recently. Both are comfortable against fast bowling and able to play their shots and both have shown the necessary application to leave any ball that doesn't need to be played in the opening spell, although Farhat is still working on this. Unless someobody comes forward and makes a claim for this spot as his own, I think these two need to be persevered with.

[Zainub]

I could not concor with that point of view more. Taufeeq Umar is certainly the best possible replacement for Saeed Anwar we can have in the long term, his returns against South Africa and New Zealand were adequate to convince me that he is one man for the future - as far as his weekness in shufling across his stumps is concerned I think that is result of the over criticism that was pounded on him after his relative slow paced run scoring - he wasn't that tentative always. Becuase he tends to be a very, very good judge of which balls to leave (and against South Africa he got quite a few of those balls just on off stump and out side from Pollock so eventually he ended up leaving quite a few balls ) and that unjustified criticism in my view forced him to try and be more extravegent and play balls he normally wouldn't or attempt shots that are ulike him self i.e. the normal Taufeeq Umar - hence the poor returns against India. And lastly, I want to add that he is natural slip fielder - very good especially against the spinners, and safe against the seamers. Very reliable fielder over all , and he has also done wicket keeping for us in a few one-days, not sure if we would want him to do that in tests, but just in case, God forbit Moin breaks down in the middle of the test match then we will always have Umar to fall back on.

One can be optimistic he will learn from this mistake, and not repeat them against Sri Lanka and Australia.

[Zainub]

Asim Kamal is not an opner. He is a middle order batsman who is noticably slow for a person his age, and if he can improve on his over all skills as a fielder he would improve his over all crudentials as a cricketer. Period. His biggest asset though is his determination and strong mental attitude, something not many of our youngsters have. Yasir Hameed for instance is weak in this regard, I'm not saying he tends to give up early but he can lose concentration while fighting battles at a personal level when he should be focussing more on the team goal. I can only assocaite his getting so many starts and throwing them away to a mental tendency of losing concentration and perhaps being complacent once he is set. A few sessions with Stephen R. Covey should do our team a world of good.