Attack South Africa with three spinners: Zaheer Abbas
23
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan batting legend and former captain Zaheer Abbas has hailed the cricket board’s decision to retain Misbah-ul-Haq as captain for the Test series against South Africa, terming the 39-year-old’s recent performances as exemplary.
“Misbah has been consistently performing with the bat for the last couple of years and the board had no choice but to retain him as captain,” Abbas told APP on Friday.
“It's all about performance. If you are doing well and producing the results, nobody can expel you from the team whether you are in your 20s or in late 30s or even beyond that,” the maestro added.
He said those who were critical of Misbah’s captaincy should also realise that there were no suitable replacements for the Mianwali-born skipper.
Abbas, however, admitted that Pakistan’s recent loss to the unranked Zimbabweans had put a major dent in the team’s confidence ahead of the challenging South Africa series.
“Had Pakistan won the series against Zimbabwe they would have been in a better position to face South Africa in UAE,” he said.
Pakistan are scheduled to play two Tests against South Africa in Abu Dhabi from October 14-18 and Dubai, the following week.
The former captain was, however, optimistic about Pakistan’s chances provided they attacked the Proteas with spin.
“We have quality spin bowlers in the form of Saeed Ajmal, Abdul Rehman and Zulfiqar Babar. Turning tracks in UAE will be of great advantage and our trio of spinners can destroy the strong South African batting line-up,” he said.
“If the skipper adopts an aggressive approach and all the players feel the responsibility and play a positive game I am sure they will be a formidable side.”
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (23) Closed
Sep 27, 2013 07:37pm
Even if you play 3 spinners and get SA out for under 250 runs, we don't have the batsmen to make the runs. Fix the batting lineup mess that we have.
Recommend
0
Sep 27, 2013 08:14pm
Iwill like Misbah to follow Zaheer Abbas' advice to play three spinners and Razzak instad of Afridior Shueb Malik.
Recommend
0
Sep 27, 2013 08:15pm
Well said Zaheer Abbas saheb. Yes, Misbah is a good performer and it's a right decision to retain him as Captain. It's a common perception, particularly in Pakistan to drop captain after losing a series. The criteria of selection should be consistency of performance rather than just on losing. Keep up the spirit, play positively and competitively and Pakistan cricket team will be a success.
Recommend
0
Sep 27, 2013 09:20pm
With all due respect Mr. Abbas. Last time we played them we attacked with 3 spinners as well but who is going to score from Pakistan side? Remember first Test first innings? They were all out 249 and there was all praise for Pakistan attack but then when we faced them we famously became the 49ers.
Recommend
0
Sep 28, 2013 01:43am
@Masood Hussain:
"Iwill like Misbah to follow Zaheer Abbas' advice to play three spinners and Razzak instad".
You mean to play four spinners instead?
Recommend
0
Sep 28, 2013 02:11am
Zaheer Abass confirmed what I have been writting in my comments for last couple of weeks but I always wonder what strategy Dawn uses in chosing the comments which they filter for the purpose of dislaying here. I strongly feel that only chance Pakistan has in this series is by playing all 3 spinners and then opening the attack with Junaid and Younis.
Recommend
0
Sep 28, 2013 02:40am
@Mr. Haq:
We have the batsmen to score runs. But they are not in the team, unfortunately.
- Fawad Alam is one of them.
Recommend
0
Sep 28, 2013 02:36am
@Jawwad:
I agree Jawwad. There are lot of ex-cricketers who make a lot of stupid comments without thinking. I guess talk is cheap. If it were that easy I am sure the Pakistani coaching staff would deploy those tactics.
Recommend
0
Sep 28, 2013 02:45am
Such a throwback approach - reminds me of Indian teams back in the '60's and '70's - playing Bedi, Prassana and Chandrashekar. They could only win at home, until they learned to play positive cricket and now they play it better than most. It is better to play the right way and lose than to follow outdated ideas just for the sake of winning in the UAE! We beat England there 3-0 with similar ideas, but in the long run, have seen the team lose to Zimbabwe. During this very difficult period for our cricket, we have to be brave and courageous by selecting young, fiery and talented cricketers and wait for the tide to turn. Our dark days cannot last forever - let us not compound the present dire state that Pakistani cricket finds itself in.
Recommend
0
Sep 28, 2013 07:27am
they should play with extra specialist batsman rather than a spinner who could help in atleast avoiding a batting slump
Recommend
0
Sep 28, 2013 08:00am
Yeah right!!!!!!!!!Keep up the negative mentality......Keep on holding fake camps to produce fast bowlers or so called talent hunt because true talent will never get a chance as long as these sickening personalities are around.........Mr.Zaheer Abbas with all due respect I was expecting something better from you not the same old defensive and stale comments.
Recommend
0
Sep 28, 2013 09:08am
Sir,
The Asian Bradman with all due respect is trying to please the cricket board. Remember it was a panel including Zaheer Abbas that selected Dave Whatmore as coach which is no doubt has back fired as Pakistan has not won a single test series whereas his predecessor Mohsin Khan as a coach had white washed a formidable England side 3 nil.
Well as far as fixing the batting woes of Pakistan is concerned, the only way forward is to select players on merit, give them time to settle and bring in quality batting coach.
Please note that Abdul Razzak, Imran Farhat, Imran Nazir, Shoeb Malik, Kamran Akmal and Shahid Afridi are not the solution of brittle batting or poor performance.
Regards,
Hyder Ali
Recommend
0
Sep 28, 2013 10:40am
@Jawwad:
yes, the real problem is who will bell the cat............?
Recommend
0
Sep 28, 2013 10:54am
Zed was always defensive captain? So u play with three spinners and win the series but will always lose when u go and play in SA , Eng or Aus? Overall improvement should be desired not horses for courses.
Recommend
0
Sep 28, 2013 11:27am
Pakistan ex players only think of winning in UAE through spinners, what will they do when they go to Australia, South Africa and England ? They will be white-washed, please think of making Pakistan an international team, not a sub-continent team only. Thanks
Recommend
0
Sep 28, 2013 01:10pm
I like Zaheer Abbas's thinking. Playing defensive against South Arica is s sure shot recipe for disaster. Have specialist opening batsmen, 3 spinners and no bits and pieces players. The batsmen need to play aggresively but not foolishly. Score runs while you have a chance at the crease.
A. Ghulam
Recommend
0
Sep 28, 2013 04:20pm
my Elevens for first test: if you want to win a test against SA
Toufeeq, Nasir, Azhar ali, younus Khan, Misbah, Umer Akmal, Adnan Akmal, Ajmal, Rehman, Junaid, and one proper pacey fast bowler .
sad they dumped Toufeeq and Nasir.
If you want to loose test series against SA:
Hafeez, khurram, asad shafiq, Y.kahn, Misbah, Faisal Iqbal, Adnan Akmal, Rahat, junaid, ajmal, rehman
Recommend
0
Sep 28, 2013 09:58pm
Jamsheed should be in playing test team, he has grate potential and need to be in playing team.
Recommend
0
Sep 29, 2013 07:37am
When I recommended same things few days back that Pakistan should prepare absolute turner when you have best Spinners in world use them to full mesmerize the opposition in UAE Dawn had avoided publishing same.Why would you prepare pacer pitch with Dale Steyn and Philander onboard South Africa.Ajmal,Rehman,Zulfiqar babar,Raza Hassan are Top level spinners use them to destroy opposition on turner pitches.South Africa prepared green top in their home country to utilize Steyn and Philander.This time its turn of Pakistan now to turn the table .Go man in Green shirt,you can do it!
Recommend
0
Sep 29, 2013 12:44pm
gul khitab
Like to give respect to zaheer Abbas comments. But after reading all the comments on page i find out that every body eager to see better pakistan side in south africa, Austrilla and in england. But the opprtunity if we got then why we are not using it,play with two spinner surely with saeed ajmal, and zulfiqar babar is ideal option. and if we are using another spinner then it must be in the shape of leg spinner. Currenty anybody can tell me what is the main problem to pakistan cricket. Surely 95% people says that forner team will not came to pakistan as every body with media quoted it.
I like to ask few question more, why we are not test no side. why we are commeted regular mistake in term of selection and grooming the players. I think that is the suitable answer to this question. please groome younster and make your country no one test and one day ranking , then every body eager to play with us.
Recommend
0
Sep 29, 2013 01:44pm
Excellent suggestion by the former 'Asian Bradman' and one of the few cricketers in the history of the world of cricket to score 100 centuries in first-class cricket. Nevertheless, who is listening and does any 'mover and shaker' of the Pakistani cricket cares?
Recommend
0
Sep 30, 2013 08:32am
Why not! India used to have the best spinners in the world. Bedi, Venkat, Chandershekar, and Prassana and at least 3 used to play in the Indian side. Pakistan have 2 good spinners like saeed ajmal and abdul rehman and they need a good leg spinner to help an off spinner and a left arm spinner.
Recommend
0
Sep 30, 2013 09:46am
Attcak SA with three spinners.................What will your betsmen do!!!!!!!!!!!!!TUK TUK TUK
Recommend
0
