Re: Shoaib Malik as opener: Your Verdict.
exactly, its time to improvise. So why cant improvise with a better player. Like younis or faisal iqbal, or asim kamal.
Re: Shoaib Malik as opener: Your Verdict.
Malik is not of the same class that of Sehwag and Saeed Anwar for obvious reasons, Saeed and Sehwag started their careers as regular batsmen, both excelled in the one day format and were considered far too risky for test cricket, which they eventually proved wrong with their strong performances. Malik started his career as a bowler, to his credit he has improved his batting and is a asset for one day cricket. BUT, his test career of 9 1/2 matches does not speak much for his batting prowess at test level. By the ninth test match both Saeed and Sehwag had established themselves as regular openers for their resp countries with some memorable match winning innings. So lets be fair and not compare greats with budding average joes.
When we use Sewag as a analogy then why do we forget that 99% of successful openers have been techinically correct players. Even today, we have examples of Langer, Hayden, Fleming, Strauss, Trescothic who are all exceptional batsmen with a track record which speaks for itself. Why lower our benchmark for opening batsmen? Why do we have to believe everything that comes out of Bob Woolmers mouth, after all he is answerable for his inability to lay the foundations of a regular opening pair?
Re: Shoaib Malik as opener: Your Verdict.
No one said Malik is of the same class as Anwar and Sehwag. The point was they both also have technical flaws in their batting so if they can score heavily despite having those flaws why cant some others. Mohammad Wasim (if anyone remembers him) was a perfectly technical batsman, does that make him better the not so technically correcrt but more prolific runs scorers in international cricekt ? By the way Saeed Anwar with is 4000 runs averaging around 45 is not considered a test great, neither is Sehwag with less then 4000 runs to his credit so let's not get carried away calling people greats.
When we use Sehwag or for that matter anyone as an example we are trying to prove that it is possible to score heavily despite having "technical flaws". Interesting to hear Woolmer taking blame for opening problem. There was 1 specialist opener announced by the selectors for the first two test matches, so anyone we pick for the final XI would be an experiment. While we are at it why dont we blame some other stuff on Woolmer as well. We have had problems with the opening ever since Amir Sohail retired so it's not something very new and cant be fixed right away. We have tried many players and none of them performed consistently.
It's very easy to place the blame on the coah and captain when all they can do is try to help and motivatep layers. In the end it is up to each indivisual to go out and perform in the middle.
Re: Shoaib Malik as opener: Your Verdict.
Woolmer is a professional, he gets paid to do a job which includes all aspects of the game. Therefore, if Pakistan has yet to find a regular opening pair, then pak supporters have a right to ask why is it taking so long? Nobody is blaming anybody, get a grip on things. A valid point is being raised which no one can deny, Pakistan does have a opening problem for test cricket, we hired a professional to do the job, he has yet to deliver, thus the criticism. Name of the captain was’nt even mentioned, so where u got that u only know.
Sehwag and Saeed were not greats, agreed. But compared to Malik’s cricket, they appear great.
Picking names like Mohd Waseem does not give credit to your argument. Let me add one more to your dictionary. Mansoor Akhter was considered to be technically perfect and Imran kept on giving him chances, but the chap failed to deliver. Did that mean selectors should have stopped looking at players technique and focused on players who can just hit the ball? Thank god then we had some saner elements who stuck with the basics and we continued to have excellent batsmen from our doemstic circuit.
Fact is, 99.9% of successfull batsmen will have a sound batting technique, that is just basics. Try playing Golf with a flawed technique and u will find out what a slight difference in body and arm movement can do to your swing. Same goes for batting at test cricket level. Sehwag is an exception not the rule, while Langer, Hayden, Fleming, Javed Miandad, Gavasker are the rule.
Re: Shoaib Malik as opener: Your Verdict.
Agreed! But on the other hand, he seems to perform more than our other regular openers did, so maybe he’s the best choice available at the moment. If not for our lack of quality openers, I’d have doubts about his place in the Test squad.
Re: Shoaib Malik as opener: Your Verdict.
A lot of comments are being made of his footwork but as trescothik showed if your hand eye co-ordnation is good you can have less than fancy footwork and get away with it..Not only on these pitches but other ones too
Re: Shoaib Malik as opener: Your Verdict.
Quite right. Trescothik is amazing at what he does. He looks so easy to get out, but he is quite a prolific scorer and has been for the past few years.
Re: Shoaib Malik as opener: Your Verdict.
So whats the verdict on Malik? Does he stay or does he make room for a regular opener?
If potential is the only argument, then we will always be struggling when we should be sailing smoothly. Pakistan is blessed with many openers playing in domestic cricket with plenty of potential, I say we sud give one of them a chance to open with Butt. Who can that be? Faisel Ather/ Bazid Khan/ Imran Farhat/ Taufeeq Umer/ Yasir Hameed/Misbah ul Haq
If Malik cannot open on a pitch like Multan what about those where the bowlers get some lift and movement?
Re: Shoaib Malik as opener: Your Verdict.
I think we need to let him open in all three tests and than take a decision.
Re: Shoaib Malik as opener: Your Verdict.
Woolmer has already said before the series that the same openers will be given a run in all 3 tests. Besides, with openers like Farhat, Taufeeq as the second best options, who can blame him? :)
Re: Shoaib Malik as opener: Your Verdict.
^ good decision.
Re: Shoaib Malik as opener: Your Verdict.
And your analysis is based on your gut feeling, Iam just guessing cause both Imran and Taufeeq have had a decent track record as openers. They may not be in the best nick right now, fact is even Woolmer favors Taufeeq to open with Butt, but his poor form keeps him out. Having said that, if form is the issue then a opener who is good for 30/18’s on a Multan wicket is a liability on a Lahore wicket which will be green, seamy and bouncy. With a regular opener, you have the advantage of players with proper technique who are much better equipped to handle new balls which are moving and bouncing.
Re: Shoaib Malik as opener: Your Verdict.
yes, he should be given a chance to play the other 2 test matches as well as the opener with salman butt…i think he did relatively well compared to all the other openers we’ve tried in the last 15 games 
the combination of malik and butt certainly has the potential to become a solid opening stand for pak 
InshaAllah! :k: