Hefty middle-order contributions notwithstanding, both Salman Butt and Shoaib Malik will rue not cashing in after both had made a good start. Malik’s dismissal in particular, leaving his bat upright while ducking a bouncer and providing an edge to first slip, was a poor one. But Younis, as Bob Woolmer did last week, defended Malik and the opening combination.
“The opening pair of Butt and Malik provide us solid starts at least. Before we used to get smaller starts of 20-odd but we are now doing much better with these two. With the Kookaburra ball it is essential that the new ball is seen off and Malik is doing that with Butt. He is a good player and he doesn’t need to prove anything. We shouldn’t put pressure on him because he is doing a good job.”
Complete article at CricInfo
Imran Khan’s statements regarding our opening combination in his most-recent article:
"I would also like to see Bob work a bit on a specialist opener to partner Salman Butt at the top of the order. The bits and pieces players who are filling in are part of the negative county cricket mindset. The opening slot is a crucial one and it needs no less than a specialist if Pakistan is to do well on the tour of England later this year.
With both teams having serious problems at the top of the order, I would like to see Inzamam-ul-Haq sending the Indians in if he wins the toss. Even on a placid wicket, the maximum assistance the bowlers will get would be on the morning of the first day. He has the bowling armoury to use even a little moisture and bounce and importantly, batting first could be dangerous for him since one of his openers is a makeshift one.
The hosts must play attacking cricket and look to win this Test. Under no circumstances should they get defensive and wait till the third Test. If they do that, they will be putting too much pressure on themselves and it could prove catastrophic."
Complete article at The Hindu
Let the analysis and discussion begin - Shoaib Malik’s most recent stats, as an opener, **against England & India:
**
**Runs** **Match**
39 (1st innings) - 1st Test v Eng in Pak 2005/06 at Multan *(**80** runs partnership)*
- 18 (3rd innings)* (31 runs partnership)*
27 (1st innings) - 2nd Test v Eng in Pak 2005/06 at Faisalabad* (**53** runs partnership)*
- 26 (3rd innings)* (**54** runs partnership)*
0 (2nd innings) - 3rd Test v Eng in Pak 2005/06 at Lahore * (0 runs partnership)*
59 (1st innings) - 1st Test v Ind in Pak 2005/06 at Lahore * (12 runs partnership)*
19 (1st innings) - 2nd Test v Ind in Pak 2005/06 at Faislabad* (49 runs partnership)*
Keeping in mind Inzamam’s modern-day comments, defending Malik’s place in the team by justifying his stand on fifty-run partnerships, the above (albeit most recent) stats indicate that out of a total of seven (7) innings, only three (3) have (barely) resulted back in his favor (and in Inzamam’s favor, for that matter). My personal thoughts on this subject matter is similar to that of Imran’s; It is about time we find a permanent striker for the opening slot. I am all for the guy coming down the order, possibly at #6, or even #7 (which, in effect, will enhance the batting line-up), but sending him as an opener is a poor choice, and he never seems comfortable to me, on his stance, and when he plays his shots. He has a tendency of exposing his weaknesses quite early by either gifting away his wicket on a silver platter, or playing in a horribly ridiculous manner, time and time again, never seem to be learning from his previous mistakes. He easily lets the opposition get under his skin, which, in turn, results in them taking advantage of him in every fashion and means possible.
I was about to make this thread last night as soon as he got out (not to include the manner in which he did), and I was initially thinking to hold off my thoughts until second innings (if there is one - hopefully) and view how he performs, but the treatment he has been giving to the bowlers by being on a defensive mindset rather than offensive is rather deplorable to watch, especially in such circumstances, when the team/nation have high hopes for you to open in a stylish way. I do have a great liking for the guy, I think he can become a more matured batsman further down the road, but somehow, and for some reason (one of them being the stats and his ‘lose’ temperament), I, for one, don’t see him as a ‘pair’ alongwith Salman Butt. I would like to see someone who is more aggressive in his approach, more combative in his technique, and belligerent to put up a decent-sized fight against the opposition, and speaking of which, I believe it is about time we take Shoaib Malik out of that position, for good, and let him bat down the order, in which he is quite known for.
Thoughts/Concerns/Questions/Opinions?