:salam2:
Since the Ashes in 2005 Freddie’s batting hasn’t hit the heights in TEST or ODI cricket but his bowling has really come on and he has become a lethal fast bowler. On the other hand Afridi’s batting for me is totally gone, however his bowling is decent and he regularly has decent figures to back himself.
I think it’s time they were declared bowlers rather then all-rounders.
Re: Andrew Flintoff & Shahid Afridi aren't all-rounders any more!
Okay. done.
Re: Andrew Flintoff & Shahid Afridi aren’t all-rounders any more!
Walikum Assalam.
In the context of today’s game, it has evolved into more batsman-friendly, and most batsman who purely play for their teams under batting criteria, also have given a shot at bowling to achieve that added flexibility. The bowlers who are purely selected on their bowling skills also have managed to get some batting niche under their belt. Since cricket has moved away so much from either batting or bowling and have put pressure on cricketers to offer more, between Flintoff and Afridi, it really is a matter of how they started their International cricket. You are right, they have excelled in one department in more ways than one, and that is positive news for their teams, but to modify the category under which they came in, in this day and age when the competition is tough and the bench strength of most countries are high, it is a detriment to the player itself. Afridi, on most occasions, has decent figures to back himself, as you mentioned, and even Flintoff from bowling standpoint, however from the perspective of their cricket careers and seeing as how switching their role might put their position under fire, it might be favorable to let them keep their titles.