Areas of improvement for current test sides

[Xuhaib]

I will start with my team Pakistan

1.An attacking middle order batsman

The current test middle order of Younis,Azhar and Misbah has been solid and consistent however if you can have one criticism it is all three play at a similar tempo which can stall the game for Pakistan. An attacking middle order batsman will complement the style of these 3 very well and add a new dimension to an already improving batting line up.

best candidates:

Umer Akmal : has shown a lot of early potential but has mostly flattered to deceive will benefit immensely from a good batting coach

Fawad Alam: scores tonnes of runs year in year out on the domestic circuit, has stepped up more if this was even possible. Since last season been averaging 90+ @ a SR of 80+

2. A world class Pacer

The bans on Asif/Aamer has left a void in the Pakistan pace attack. Even though the current bowling up works well as a unit but it lacks the typical flair of a Pakistan bowling attack. The great Pakistani sides of the past has been built on the backs of atleast one if not two world class fast bowlers the current test line up sadly cannot even boast one.

best candidates:

Sadaf Hussain: Best FC average ever in Pakistan a big achievement considering the pedigree of fast bowlers that have come from Pakistan. Still have not seen him bowl but early reports what i hear are encouraging.

Junaid khan: Had a breakthrough series vs SL after a lukewarm start skills with the new ball are still questionable but does have the typical Pakistani spark with the old ball.

Add yours

 

[Migara]

Sri Lanka

1. Cricket board has to go. And I hear that it has been dissolved.
2. Some objective criteria of selection has to be introduced. Selecturds and selectsuckers should not be able to disregard stellar performances in FC and international cricket.
3. Good openers. Dilshan is hit and miss, and Piranha is too slow.
4. Good seamers, few steady ones and a real quick one
5. A spinner who could spin it a mile, happy that Senanayake has been cleared, he could be the man.

 

[keeper]

Australia

1. Their current Test side

 

[smash84]

I will start with my team Pakistan

1.An attacking middle order batsman

The current test middle order of Younis,Azhar and Misbah has been solid and consistent however if you can have one criticism it is all three play at a similar tempo which can stall the game for Pakistan. An attacking middle order batsman will complement the style of these 3 very well and add a new dimension to an already improving batting line up.

best candidates:

Umer Akmal : has shown a lot of early potential but has mostly flattered to deceive will benefit immensely from a good batting coach

Fawad Alam: scores tonnes of runs year in year out on the domestic circuit, has stepped up more if this was even possible. Since last season been averaging 90+ @ a SR of 80+

2. A world class Pacer

The bans on Asif/Aamer has left a void in the Pakistan pace attack. Even though the current bowling up works well as a unit but it lacks the typical flair of a Pakistan bowling attack. The great Pakistani sides of the past has been built on the backs of atleast one if not two world class fast bowlers the current test line up sadly cannot even boast one.

best candidates:

Sadaf Hussain: Best FC average ever in Pakistan a big achievement considering the pedigree of fast bowlers that have come from Pakistan. Still have not seen him bowl but early reports what i hear are encouraging.

Junaid khan: Had a breakthrough series vs SL after a lukewarm start skills with the new ball are still questionable but does have the typical Pakistani spark with the old ball.

Add yours

You missed out the one area where we need the most improvement. FIELDING

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Xuhaib, I think Pakistan also needs a solid opener. Taufeeq and Hafeez aren't good enough at the moment. And that pacer should be someone who can touch 150 kph.

 

[Prince EWS]

You missed out the one area where we need the most improvement. FIELDING

I don't think he really meant "areas for players to improve in" though; he meant theoretical players that could be brought in to strengthen the eleven. Unless you're suggesting that Pakistan drop half their side and replace them with specialist catchers..

 

[Prince EWS]

Xuhaib, I think Pakistan also needs a solid opener. Taufeeq and Hafeez aren't good enough at the moment. And that pacer should be someone who can touch 150 kph.

They were both recalled at the same time (against South Africa in 2010) and since then they've performed pretty decently across ten Tests.

Taufeeq - 774 runs @ 40.75
Hafeez - 573 @ runs 33.70; 16 wickets @ 27.18

Neither has been awesome and Hafeez has been sub-par as a specialist bat really but it's been Pakistan's best performing opening pair in years and years. I was a big advocate of opening with Azhar so Fawad could play but there's been so much chopping and changing of Pakistan's openers over the last decade or so that keeping some stability there is really desirable.

 

[Lostman]

5. A spinner who could spin it a mile, happy that Senanayake has been cleared, he could be the man.

His action was cleared recently? Chance for SA selection?

 

[chicane]

India needs to be relieved of Yuvraj for good. Kohli should be given an extended run and a new pace bowling star emerging will be really nice.

 

[theegyptian]

the_topspin Lawrence Booth
This reminds me of a chat I had with David Saker in India. "If England had a Watson or a Kallis," he said, "we'd be an unbelievable team."

twitter from the other day. no doubt bringing in Watson for Morgan at 6 would make england a really strong team.

 

[a spambot]

Some pacemen, a spinner, a few batsmen and a keeper

 

[ganeshran]

India

Pace bowling
Spin bowling
part time bowling
number 6 batsmen

 

[morgieb]

Australia:

Batsman that won't collapse.
Consistent quicks.

That is all.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

It seems everyone apart from England and South Africa are looking for a whole other team.

 

[Spark]

Batting
Bowling
Fielding

More specifically,

An opening pair which puts on 50 minimum on a consistent basis
A #4 who's competent, finally
A new keeper-bat (possibly sorted soon)
General batting against the ball which moves more than an inch off the straight
A bowling attack which bowls to Clarke's plans and has a good mixture of control and attack (thought sorted as of SL, but evidently not)
A competent slip cordon (Watson, still looking at you)

 

[Prince EWS]

Batting
Bowling
Fielding

More specifically,

An opening pair which puts on 50 minimum on a consistent basis
A #4 who's competent, finally
A new keeper-bat (possibly sorted soon)
General batting against the ball which moves more than an inch off the straight
A bowling attack which bowls to Clarke's plans and has a good mixture of control and attack (thought sorted as of SL, but evidently not)
A competent slip cordon (Watson, still looking at you)

Copeland could theoretically solve both those last two problems.

I'm not convinced Haddin's a problem yet though. The fact that he's on the wrong side of 30 does not mean he isn't allowed to have a drop in form for a couple of series without it being terminal. About three Tests ago people were still talking about him in World XI terms.

 

[Uppercut]

They were both recalled at the same time (against South Africa in 2010) and since then they've performed pretty decently across ten Tests.

Taufeeq - 774 runs @ 40.75
Hafeez - 573 @ runs 33.70; 16 wickets @ 27.18

Neither has been awesome and Hafeez has been sub-par as a specialist bat really but it's been Pakistan's best performing opening pair in years and years. I was a big advocate of opening with Azhar so Fawad could play but there's been so much chopping and changing of Pakistan's openers over the last decade or so that keeping some stability there is really desirable.

I'd hope they keep both. Hafeez has looked pretty good, and he's been getting a few runs in ODIs. With his bowling proving so useful and a good opening partnership starting to develop it'd be a bit of a travesty to drop him, even if he isn't really getting enough runs at the moment. Nothing about Pakistan's batting over the past few years suggests that anyone else can do better.

 

[Uppercut]

Copeland could theoretically solve both those last two problems.

I'm not convinced Haddin's a problem yet though. The fact that he's on the wrong side of 30 does not mean he isn't allowed to have a drop in form for a couple of series without it being terminal. About three Tests ago people were still talking about him in World XI terms.

He is so, so hopeless in a crisis though. Scrapping some runs together in the nasty spots is exactly what pundits, coaches and players invariably say they want from a keeper coming in down the order so it's a pretty major flaw. You tear into Dhoni for it and Haddin's even worse.

 

[Prince EWS]

He is so, so hopeless in a crisis though. Scrapping some runs together in the nasty spots is exactly what pundits, coaches and players invariably say they want from a keeper coming in down the order so it's a pretty major flaw. You tear into Dhoni for it and Haddin's even worse.

Liking coming in at 100/5 in the first Test of an Ashes series? Or 150/5 twice in one match in the first Test of a series against South Africa? Or 180/5 in the second Test of the same series? Hell his quick 40 odd in the second innings of that match after he came in at 100/5 was pretty important too.

Haddin's played double the meaningful knocks Dhoni has in the half the games AFAIC. He doesn't really have the technique to grind out an innings, but unlike Dhoni he does have the technique to counter-attack with proper cricket shots (Durban last week aside, lol) against good bowling under pressure. He's out of form and he might even be "passed it" (too early to tell IMO) but to deny what he's achieved with the bat so far in his career would be wrong IMO.

 

[Xuhaib]

Xuhaib, I think Pakistan also needs a solid opener. Taufeeq and Hafeez aren't good enough at the moment. And that pacer should be someone who can touch 150 kph.

Not a big fan of either of the two but as PEWS said you need stability at the top and looking across the domestic scene can't see a ready replacement. Will Khurram Manzoor and Ahmed Shehzad be an upgrade on the two currently?