Asim Kamal - what the?

[Richard]

Since his debut, 12 Pakistan Test-matches ago, Asim Kamal has played half of those games.
During that time Pakistan have struggled for consistent batsmen - Inzamam-Ul-Haq, the one proven class-act, has averaged 43.71 in that period - perfectly good enough, but still lower than his career average.
Not once has Asim's average (at the end of a match) been under 44.
Yet he has played half the matches.
Sorry, I mean, I know Pakistan's selectors are a weird bunch, but this has to be one of the most nonsensical decisions in Test-cricket history.
Your team are struggling for batsmen, and you repeatedly leave-out someone like this.

 

[Eclipse]

after seeing him bat today i'm inclined to agree..

 

[vic_orthdox]

geez he looked ordinary in the first innings, but he must have batted well today. yes, he probably does deserve a better go. but did he play a few of those tests against bangladesh??

 

[Richard]

Nope - not faced them once.

 

[garage flower]

geez he looked ordinary in the first innings, but he must have batted well today.

He was like a rabbit in the headlights in the 1st inns, but I haven't seen much else of him. I'll try and catch the 2nd inns highlights later.

I'm still a big fan of Yasir Hameed. I think he's great to watch and has bags of talent. Obviously needs to improve his shot selection and play less outside off stump, but I think he's the real deal.

 

[Arjun]

With him in the plans, the top 7 would look like this-

• Salman Butt
• Yasir Hameed
• Yousuf Youhana
• Inzamam-ul-haq
• Asim Kamal
• Shoaib Malik
• Abdul Razzaq

How strong would it look? Obviously, one high-profile player has to be dropped, and Pakistan have to play 5 bowling options to make up for runs not scored- they have played their best when they have five bowlers.

 

[garage flower]

With him in the plans, the top 7 would look like this-

• Salman Butt
• Yasir Hameed
• Yousuf Youhana
• Inzamam-ul-haq
• Asim Kamal
• Shoaib Malik
• Abdul Razzaq

How strong would it look? Obviously, one high-profile player has to be dropped, and Pakistan have to play 5 bowling options to make up for runs not scored- they have played their best when they have five bowlers.

What about Younis Khan? I wasn't very convinced by him before this series, but from what I've seen he's batted pretty well.

 

[Buddhmaster]

With him in the plans, the top 7 would look like this-

• Salman Butt
• Yasir Hameed
• Yousuf Youhana
• Inzamam-ul-haq
• Asim Kamal
• Shoaib Malik
• Abdul Razzaq

How strong would it look? Obviously, one high-profile player has to be dropped, and Pakistan have to play 5 bowling options to make up for runs not scored- they have played their best when they have five bowlers.

Of those 7, i'd pick Malik to be out of the side. He doesn't impress me as he does most people.

 

[Arjun]

What about Younis Khan? I wasn't very convinced by him before this series, but from what I've seen he's batted pretty well.

In the recent past, he has been rather inconsistent, but that middle-order has been owned by Younis Khan, Youhana and Inzamam, with a batting all-rounder, but they may be tempted to play an extra specialist batsman.

 

[Richard]

I'm quite amazed by the runs Younis Khan has scored in this series - he's played better than I ever imagined he could.
At present I'd pick this:
Salman
Yasir
Younis Khan
Inzamam-Ul-Haq
Youhana
Asim
Abdul Razzaq
Moin Khan (Kamran has hardly done much to change my idea that he's nowhere near Test-standard)

 

[Richard]

With him in the plans, the top 7 would look like this-

• Salman Butt
• Yasir Hameed
• Yousuf Youhana
• Inzamam-ul-haq
• Asim Kamal
• Shoaib Malik
• Abdul Razzaq

How strong would it look? Obviously, one high-profile player has to be dropped, and Pakistan have to play 5 bowling options to make up for runs not scored- they have played their best when they have five bowlers.

If you were to drop a high-profile player it'd be Youhana every time - in Tests.
Certainly he's nowhere near good enough to bat three.

 

[Arjun]

Of those 7, i'd pick Malik to be out of the side. He doesn't impress me as he does most people.

If Bob Woolmer worked on Malik, he'd be good enough for the Test side. He has improved a lot as a batsman since Woolmer got the job of coaching the Pakistan side. He isn't far worse than the next best specialist batsman, but he has an advantage with his bowling.

If you were to drop a high-profile player it'd be Youhana every time - in Tests.
Certainly he's nowhere near good enough to bat three.

Tough call, but he too has been very inconsistent. Just as much as some other batsmen who have played at that time.

They have a greater problem with opening the batting- the've tried and dropped openers very frequently, and that doesn't help. The middle-order is relatively more stable, even if they're quite inconsistent for ther number of matches they have played at a stretch, in comparison with the openers.

 

[garage flower]

I'm quite amazed by the runs Younis Khan has scored in this series - he's played better than I ever imagined he could.
At present I'd pick this:
Salman
Yasir
Younis Khan
Inzamam-Ul-Haq
Youhana
Asim
Abdul Razzaq
Moin Khan (Kamran has hardly done much to change my idea that he's nowhere near Test-standard)

I'd go along with that, though Razzaq wouldn't be in if all the bowlers were fit.

 

[Richard]

If Bob Woolmer worked on Malik, he'd be good enough for the Test side. He has improved a lot as a batsman since Woolmer got the job of coaching the Pakistan side.

That's just the thing - has he?
Before the Australia series he'd played 2 Tests since Woolmer took-over.
And he's actually always been a good one-day player as long as he's batted at the top of the order - Woolmer's simply had the sense to bat him there with consistency.
I don't, personally, see any evidence that Malik is anything more (in First-Class-cricket) than a bowler who bats a bit.

 

[Richard]

Tough call, but he too has been very inconsistent. Just as much as some other batsmen who have played at that time.

That's just the thing, though, he hasn't - he's been very consistent.
The most consistent of all, in fact, at hammering Bangladesh - averages 251 against them, and his average as a consequence is inflated - it's really a mere 42.
Of that he averages 29 against Australia, 16 against South Africa and 24 against Sri Lanka - funnily enough, the sides with the strongest attacks in World cricket.
He averages over 70 against the nondescript West Indies, over 60 against the hapless Zimbabweans, over 50 against England (funnily enough, none have come in England, but in Pakistan) and 38 against India (before the recent series it was 23 - in the days when India had a strong attack, rather than the poor one of the most recent series).
So Youhana has been very consistent - consistently a flat-track\weak-team bully who's failed whenever the bowling's actually been a bit stiffer.

 

[Beleg]

yes, he is a good steady batter of the Gary Kirsten mold [but not as talented].

 

[tooextracool]

With him in the plans, the top 7 would look like this-

• Salman Butt
• Yasir Hameed
• Yousuf Youhana
• Inzamam-ul-haq
• Asim Kamal
• Shoaib Malik
• Abdul Razzaq

How strong would it look? Obviously, one high-profile player has to be dropped, and Pakistan have to play 5 bowling options to make up for runs not scored- they have played their best when they have five bowlers.

drop razzaq

 

[tooextracool]

I'm quite amazed by the runs Younis Khan has scored in this series - he's played better than I ever imagined he could.
At present I'd pick this:
Salman
Yasir
Younis Khan
Inzamam-Ul-Haq
Youhana
Asim
Abdul Razzaq
Moin Khan (Kamran has hardly done much to change my idea that he's nowhere near Test-standard)

and abdul razzaq retains his place in the side thanks to the brilliant batting average of 15 and bowling average of 43 this series.

 

[ReallyCrazy]

I think the pakistan team should look like this:

1. Salman Butt
2. Yasir Hameed
3. Yousuf Youhana
4. Inzamam
5. Shoaib Malik
6. Younis Khan
7. Moin Khan

Unfortuantely, though Kamal has played well...there is no place for him. Only person he can replace in this lineup is Shoaib Malik. But I don't know if it should be done because I'm not convinced Kamal is a better batter than Malik. Malik also provides a bowling option. For now, they should persist with this team and later if Malik really plays below par, he can be replaced.

IMO they should also have Taufeeq Umar in mind. I feel he has the potential to become a good test player. And finally on the bowling front, Sami should be dropped.

 

[tooextracool]

I think the pakistan team should look like this:

1. Salman Butt
2. Yasir Hameed
3. Yousuf Youhana
4. Inzamam
5. Shoaib Malik
6. Younis Khan
7. Moin Khan

Unfortuantely, though Kamal has played well...there is no place for him. Only person he can replace in this lineup is Shoaib Malik. But I don't know if it should be done because I'm not convinced Kamal is a better batter than Malik. Malik also provides a bowling option. For now, they should persist with this team and later if Malik really plays below par, he can be replaced.

IMO they should also have Taufeeq Umar in mind. I feel he has the potential to become a good test player. And finally on the bowling front, Sami should be dropped.

this has got to be a joke......