Re: Breaking News....Shoaib Malik Gets Pakistan Captaincy according to "The Nation"
Don’t think that I do not like Shoaib Malik. Actually, amongst players Pakistan have, I like him in the team. Problem is that, should I think on basis of what I like and what I dislike, or on basis player’s performance, and what my conscious says? Hence, I am just putting down what I believe the player performances are and what it should be.
Let seriously look at the performance of Shoaib Malik and compare it with some others comparable all-rounder from Pakistan:
Shoaib Malik:
Test batting performance: Ave: 37.6 … 1 hundred, 5 fifties in 29 innings … 8 catches in 18 matches.
Test bowling performance: Ave 63 runs per wicket …13 wkts in 18 matches.
One day batting performance: Ave: 33.5 … 5 hundreds… 21 fifties … 48 catches in 137 innings … SR 77 per 100 balls.
One day bowling performance: Ave 34.5 runs per wicket … 104 wkts in 137 matches. Eco Rate: 4.48
Shahid Afridi:
Test batting performance: Ave: 37.4 … 5 hundred, 8 fifties in 46 innings …8 catches in 18 matches.
Test bowling performance: Ave 34.89 runs per wicket …47 wkts in 26 matches.
One day batting performance: Ave: 23.12 … 4 hundreds… 27 fifties … 83 catches in 238 innings … SR 108.69 per 100 balls.
One day bowling performance: Ave 35.38 runs per wicket … 201 wkts in 238 matches. Eco rate: 4.61
Abdul Razzak:
Test batting performance: Ave: 28.61 … 3 hundred …. 7 fifties …15 catches in 46 matches.
Test bowling performance: Ave 36.94 runs per wicket …100 wkts in 46 matches.
One day batting performance: Ave: 30.06 … 2 hundreds… 22 fifties … 30 catches in 229 Matches … SR 80.03 per 100 balls.
One day bowling performance: Ave 31.04 runs per wicket … 245 wkts in 229 matches. Eco Rate: 4.68
**Now justify Shoaib Malik over Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzak?** First of all, determine what is their purpose in test or one day international?
Shoaib Malik: does not have mentionable performance as test bowler. Thus his test place should depend entirely on batting performance. Is he good to be a test batsman? 1 century and 5 fifties in 29 innings with an average of 37.6, is that type of batsman we need to represent Pakistan?
Shahid Afridi deserve a place much more then Shoaib Malik. He has similar average of around 37.4 as Shoaib Malik. But have 5 centuries and 8 fifties in 46 innings. When he has 1 century every 9 inning, Shoaib gets 1 century every 29 innings (well, he only made one century till now). Shahid Afradi strike rate is also much better.
On top of that, Shahid Afradi also have reasonable test bowling average. He took 47 wickets in 26 matches at 34.89 runs per wicket, compared to shoaib 13 wickets in 18 matches at 63 runs per wicket.
Thus in test, Shahid has much better performance then Shoaib. Well, Shahid performance is all rounder performance, whereas Shoaib as batsman could not justify his place in test team.
Abdul Razzak: If one sees Abdul Razzak performance as all rounder, that i*s also much better then shoaib. As Razzak performance is of all round nature, whereas Shoaib is not.* Razzak bowling performance is better then even Shahid Afridi.**
**In one day, again with average of 33.5 and strike rate of 77, Shoaib lacks that SR an all rounder should have** (person with an average much below 40) and could not justify his place as bowler, though his bowling performance is slightly better.
Shahid Afridi figures shows all round performance and with strike rate of 108.9 for Shahid Afridi and 80 for Razzak, they could claim to be pitch hitter at lower end of batting line up in one day international.
Shoaib Malik one day average is better then Shahid and Razzak, but SR is too low. All three of them are not specialist batsman, so they have to be pitch hitter. Shoaib is not as SR of below 80 should be for specialist batsmen that have averages near to 40 to justify their place in one day international.
For instance one day average of specialist batsman that deserve to be in team (guaranteed place):
Inzammam average 39.53 … 10 centuries and 83 fifties in 348 innings, have SR 74.19
M Yousuf average 41.81 … 12 centuries and 52 fifties in 220 innings, have SR 74.2
Yasir Hameed average 39.12 … 3 centuries and 11 fifties in 50 innings, have SR 67.52
As for Younus Khan: I do not think that he deserves to be in one day side.
Just look at his performance:
Younus Khan average 31.15 … 2 centuries and 26 fifties in 146 innings, have SR 73.78
I believe that Pakistan should look for proper one day specialist players that can have average of around 40 and SR of around 75.
Well, Pakistan needs 5 specialist players that have averages of around 40 and SR of around 75.
Then Pakistan needs one wicket keeper that has average of around 35 to 40 with SR of around 75 (as specialist batsman).
Further, Pakistan needs another 2 all rounder that have average of around 30 but SR of over 80 and have bowling average of around 30 with Eco Rate around 4.5.
Then Pakistan needs 3 specialist bowlers that have average of around 15 but SR of over 80 and have bowling average of around 25 with Eco rate of less then 4.
I believe that if people in Pakistan stop nepotism, do not select team players on personal likes/dislikes and Safarish is not entertained at all, then Pakistan can have such composition.
Pakistan also needs separate team for Test and One day, with two different Captains. Well, that means people like Shoaib Malik have to improve their performance, else they have to go as soon as suitable replacement is found.
Though in present situation, when Inzamma is out, Younus Khan is out (well, he does not deserve to be in one day team anyhow), Mohammad Yousuf movement in field seems movement of lethargic, Shoaib Akhtar has severe behaviour problems, we do not have many good players deserving permanent place in the team. Probably in this situation, Shoaib Malik could keep his one day position and could even lead one day team (not test team but only in one day team).
But that should be temporary unless Shoaib Malik improves a lot in his batting during next few months. That I am saying because, if Inzamam and Yousuf is out, next player could be Yasir Hameed, but since he has not given chance in team since some time, has less experience, Shoaib Malik remains one choice, not as all rounder but as batsman.
Though Yasir Hameed, if he keeps giving reasonable performance, should have preference over Shoaib Malik. Same is true about Mohammad Asif and Shabbir Ahmed. Good performance but lack of experience.
You mean, perfrom how to disapoint Pakistani cricket fans?
