Night-watchmen as openers?
A sea of mediocrity is what the selectors get to choose from – not that they are all that good at spotting talent anyway.
As Mohammad Hafeez chopped on the first ball of Pakistan’s second innings at SuperSport Park, Pakistan’s opening partnerships in this series came to a fitting end. On this tour Pakistan’s openers have very much been fish out of water, scoring 72 runs for the opening partnerships over the course of the six innings. When the best new-ball pair in the world has failed to get them out, they’ve obliged by throwing their wicket away. While it was pathetic, it was not at all surprising. Whereas the openers are the foundation on which most international teams are based, in Pakistan it seems suitable to send two night-watchmen as openers, whose only role is to see off the new ball – a role that they fail to achieve more often than not.
The quality of Pakistan’s openers has always been the Achilles Heel of the national team. Even the greatest side in the country’s history had to employ the likes of Mudassar Nazar and Shoaib Mohammad – capable batsman, but never world class. In fact, with the exception of Hanif Mohammad and Saeed Anwar, Pakistan has never had openers that could be considered in the highest echelons of the game. For a country with six decades in international cricket, that’s a disgraceful output.
But it’s a predicament that has gotten worse over the past decade. A sea of mediocrity is what the selectors get to choose from – not that they are all that good at spotting talent anyway. Since the turn of the century, Pakistan’s openers average 32.85 – outside Asia that drops to 26.54. For comparison, the numbers for each of South Africa, England and Australia’s openers show them averaging more than 40 in that time period. And it truly is a sea of mediocrity – Pakistan, after all, have tried more openers than any other team in this time period; and the only ones to average over forty during this time period are Saeed Anwar, Fawad Alam and Shoaib Malik! Pakistan’s openers in this Test are indicative of this talent pool: on one end was Mohammad Hafeez, who has one fifty in 11 Tests outside Asia (excluding Zimbabwe); on the other was Imran Farhat who, after more than a decade during which he has played 26 Tests outside Asia, still averages less than 30 in these environs. Sure he may make the odd score every now and then, but good teams aren’t built on flimsy and inconsistent foundations. And it’s not as if there is a horde of young opening batsmen knocking on the selectors’ doors, trying to get into the team. The domestic stats of the previous couple of years don’t paint a pleasant picture.
The records of the group that debuted between 2000 and 2005 are eerily similar. All of them average in the late 30s to early 40s in First Class cricket, but even translating those not-too-extraordinary numbers to the international stage has been a struggle.
In Pakistan, the players are allowed to learn on the job as they get into international cricket – a worrying state of affairs in the first place. Not for us the likes of Mike Hussey and Kevin Pietersen who can immediately call the highest stage their own. But while the middle order batsmen – from Younis to Asad – do occasionally improve as the seasons go by, the openers seem to plateau at a mediocre level. Imran Farhat and Mohammad Hafeez are still playing the innings they were a decade ago. Not for them the incremental changes that the likes of Steve Waugh and Hashim Amla made over the course of their careers. When I asked Hafeez about what changes he was making to his approach in light of his poor form – and poor record outside Asia – he defended his technique, and said that he was working hard in the nets. Make of that what you will.
It’s a problem that can only be solved at the lower levels; by diversifying the nature of Pakistan’s pitches, by making Pakistan A and age-group teams travel far more than they do right now to alien areas. Those are exactly the things that the best teams in the world can call upon. The PCB is judged by the standard of the national team even if it’s purview and responsibility is far larger than a group of 11 individuals trying there very best, more often than not.
The problem lies with PCB. As we do not have academies for kids spread over the country, PCB needed to arrange a lot of A-team (and U19) tours to SA, AUS and ENG. It looks as our board officials lack qualities to convince these foriegn boards to award us more such tours to compensate for the loss of international cricket in Pakistan. In 70s and 80s, we had a number of players playing county cricket which helped our boys to have a taste of faster tracks but now, in contrast, even our established players have a rare chance to visit these places. The problem is not only with the opners as even the middle order is at the recieving end. Youngesters like, Haris Sohail, Osman Sallahuddin and naveed Yasin need to play out side Asia.
Hassan … what i like about you is that you back your allegation with stats. Nice diggings.
I do, however, feel that it would be harsh to single out the openers only. They are to be blamed for their horrid techniques. Yes. But if you look around the world right now, the best openers (Watson, Warner, Ghambir, Sehwag, Smith) are aggressive batsmen. Gone are the days when your job was to see off the new ball. I know you have addressed this issue.
But think about it…thats the perception of the Pakitan Cricket Team. Your role is defined by what the think tank thinks your strategy should be. Our whole batting lineup is reflective of that and hence we fail. You will see superb rear-guard action from Younis and Asad…or Misbah and Azhar (@ 2.45 rpo) and then one falls…either followed by a cluster of wickets or just our brilliant tail that starts at number 7 courtesy Sarfraz (Sh*T) Ahmad.
Problem is not only about Openers , I mean there are 6 Batsmen in the team , some should should inspire , its the quality of batting which is responsible of this whole failure ..
Very true, just look at our first class teams, non of these score 300 in an innings. Young talent does not get exposure to foriegn condition. There should be a lot of A-tours and U19 tours to countries with faster wickets. Incompetent board can’t convince other boards to accomodate our younger teams. We at least need two full tours of A-team a year and those should not include the tours to SL and BD. This board as well the previous one are spending their energies on bringing international cricket in risky conditions in Pakistan where as they should rather work hard to get what is viable; and that is more tests out of Asia, more tours for younger teams and accomodating players in the counties.
Indeed! Very disappointed performance by the debutants of Pakistani Team. PCB should select the prudent debutants from the big pool irrespective of prejudice. I followed AUS/IND match instead of following the SA/PAK one-sided match. The time has came to change the layer of debutants to fresh, sensible and prudent ones. I am sure we have abundant talent to beat any team anywhere in the world but only thing we lack is honesty. So at least, lets be honest while selecting for National team.
The article points out some serious flaws in the team. Getting a whitewash in the Test series with two inning defeats is not good and remains unpalatable after six decades.
What is lacking is the temperament, training and tenacity. The team has lost earlier on ‘hard’ wickets and they just do not seem to get it into their heads. Anyway, Pakistanis under government tutelage consider it their birthright to freeload and go on joyrides. The PCB must be privatized under the Companies Act 1984 and raise funds from the open market. If need be, the GOP can make a minor contribution without any representation on the board of directors. Salams
Pray for something worth dear…..don’t waste your prayer for these puntterz who go out to party & fun…and later gives statements with arm akimbo and gulabi english…..lets put this back and focus on up coming series…..PCB should be put under waste management project for some college
The openers were playing the worlds best (on current ranking) bowlers on their home ground. These cannot get more tougher. Its like playing Lillie and Thomson on Perth wicket. I m glad its over!! Lots of lessons learned!! Now, focus on T20 and ODIs. Pakistan is much better in these version of cricket.
In my view, fall and rise of our team purely depends what lot is there in the dressing room,here I mean the large punch of political/safarshis appointees with team,some of them are through with bookies and other teams staff.Every nation has the right to make record against the team,so our moral fibre is too weak so anyone can make record against, us for money we have been selling our pride and honour,take the example of Americans,they have miss used us for last 60 years against all our neighbours,we can not get even gas pipeline today for our energy requirement from Iran or trade with other until nod is obtained.Our moral fibre is too weak.
@Rashid, Please do not bring in “Allah’s Will” in everything that happens in the world otherwise you are blaming Allah for all the people dying around you right now and for corrupt rulers. Allah provides the platform and it is up to the individual to make the best of what is provided to them. I am not saying that Allah does not have all powers, neither am I trying to stir a religious debate here. I am just saying that blaming Allah for the outcome is an easy way out. The truth is anything but that.
I am unable to understand why we can not make at least some seaming tracks we do have relatively colder climates in the country such as in KPK or Baluchistan even if only for the purpose of practicing. Player technique can not change overnight. We should have seaming tracks or practice on matting at the academy also. As for South Africa I still don’t see them close to mighty Australian their real test will be in subcontinent when their fast bowlers have to break their back to get wickets. Pakistan hopefully will do well in T20 and one days. As for former player turned critics they did not do any different in South Africa in their times either. Remember being bowled out for 43 against West Indies.
Ahmad
I don’t know. Majid Khan was fairly decent.
Fawad Alam was never given a chance to establish himself in the team even though he was better than other openers, the policy makers in Pakistan including the Cricket Board and Selection Committee are not concerned about national prestige, even the President of Pakistan is in office because of immunity and not high moral and professional standards.
I would rank Majid Khan up there as a solid opener in addition to Hanif Mohammed and Saeed Anwer.
How do you spell “LOSERS”? The whole Country is going down the Hill.these Cricketers play like the Govt Employees in Pakistan,they get PAID even if they dont PERFORM.
I’m happy the whole country is plunged into darkness…..hahahaha
PAKISTANIS CAN”T BAT SAALA
Excellent compiled article and thorough analysis, this has been a problem and seems like it will remain a problem, by replacing an Opener (Nasir) who has done so well in the recent past and not allowing him a full run, what are you suppose to do with his confidence level, why not replace Hafeez? The other and the most important thing during this series was lack of game plan, Misbah looked dumped it was a first real test of Misbah captaincy and the results are worst. If your opposition is scoring more than 400 in a day against you certainly they had a game plan, you need to learn and adjust quickly to beat the best sides in the world.
Inshallah, we will win someday.
Its all Allah’s will. He alone knows when we should do well and when we would fail.
Till then we should pray and pray and pray.
Yeah, its the vehement prayings of the South African team that helped them manage the 3-0 win, right??
Is this a sarcastic remark? I hope it is!!!
Khuda ne aaj tak us qaum ki haalat naheen badlee
na ho jisko khyal aap apni haalat ke badalne ka”
If we rely on God, then nothing will happen. We need hard work and fix the domestic infrastructure. Speaking in your language, have you ever thought why God is with South Africa, Australia and India on the cricket field ?
Shahryar
Honestly speaking, I have no answer. I don’t understand, why God should be with South Africans, Australians or Indians. Particularly, when they do so many things that God doesn’t approve.
we should pray for you also.may god give you brain to think.
God never , change the condition of those until they will try by themself , we have those garbage players since 2007 disgrace lost of World cup , look at India they too lost early round but they put new players and win the 2011 Cup and we have still those players, Afridi, Shoab Malik,Younus,Gul,Misbah, Hafeez…….Until and unless we will they chance to new talent result will be same.
Rashid, If tooth fairy’s and Santa Clause are real then I agree with you, Allah does exist and imposes his will in making sure our team loses more often than not.
Jeez. This is not a mosque or a Quranic lesson. We all pray but that’s not the only way. God help those who help themsevles.
Allah helps people who wants to help themselves…it does not sound like Pak team wants any help from Allah taala.
Start Play, play and play
Not just pray , pray and pray. Allah doesn’t expect from us to sit and pray, pray and pray and then carry out all sort of corruption. There shold be accountability of the players and the selection board and all those involved who have been getting salaries in millions and bring such a shame to country
ha ha ha
Only praying can’t save your cricket …Last ten years or more Pakistan couldn’t produce a world class cricketer except Amer .. what you about security situation ? what about SPL ? think and act .. or sooner Pakistan will be Kenya
I thought Inzimam is the new batting coach. If he is there then he must be concentrating more on his tableeghi activities than training them to bat properly.
Southafrican and Australian tail enders have average of 35, which ironically is the average of our opener. Not sure where Fawad Alam is after an average of 52 as opener, he should be given a few chances. Hafeez has become the holy cow in Tests after becoming the captain of T20, which is wrong. He should not be in the test side, he needs to show his form somewhere else. Asad and Azhar are good finds, they need to stay there for some time. Nasir Jamshed should have been tested in Test which was a right decision after Indian tour, but he did not click, after a couple of more chances he should be dropped in search of better talent.
Since Hafeez has become the T20 Capt, his performance has gone down, and his gestures of acting important have gone up. The rest is taken care of by the media by hyping his importance and calling him the “professor”. I think this is another Shahid Afridi in the making. Make a pick, he can either bat or bowl. Not both. And on a bad day he can do neither
Haffez was really adisappointment. He is not worthy of captianing Pakistani team.
ha ha ha
you dont have the right to laugh! may be once you have found a fast bowler perhaps then. And by fast I mean fast, not a fast(ish) spin bowler like kumar and the likes. Till then, I would suggest you reserve the laughter for your own team!
Rohan, Assuming you are an Indian. Wait until you guys visit over seas
Shahryar
Rohan , same is applicable for India , outside India , so ha ha ha ..
Sack the coach, selection committee and Misbah. None of the players were allowed to play their natural game. There are no guarantees of winning when players are allowed to play their natural game but at least some respect would have been left. And please do not bring the Akmal’s brother back as they wish and planned by not going on this tour.
Hassan you seem upset.,,so am I.. not that we lost, but the fashion of the loss…throwing the towel in style…. Lets have tea tomorrow. Available around 4pm?
Sounds like a good idea, I’ll pick Hassan lets meet at same old spot.
When you have a captain who is actually afraid of winning , what chance have the team got? The players could easily have won the semi final against India had Misbah not wasted 8 overs in that pathetic dot ball sequence. And he keeps putting Pakistan in a hole every time. You need aggression and desire to win as well as talent. It is agreed that Pakistan’s tail begins with it’s openers.
Righly pointed out, develop goood pitches and grounds. Another thing is that our fast bowling has also deteriorated alarmingly after 2010 spot fixing scandal. Good pitches will not only let us develop solid batsmen but also good quality and consistent pace bowlers.