Is it because of their communication skills (or the lack of it) or the fact that they probably have their brains mostly in their butt like one player I know - yes the World’s fastest chucker !!
Ok Wasim Akram and Imran Khan were passable in the commentary box.
Compare this to the scene across the border. Every Tom , Dick and u-know-who thinks he can make a career on TV after being booted out of the team. Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri, Navjot Sidhu, Arun Lal and to a certain extent Kris Srikkanth have proved their mettle in the commentary box.. But for guys like Maninder Singh , Yashpal Sharma, Kapil Dev , the less said the better… I remember Yashpal Sharma’s profound analysis in one India-Australia encounter after India had been put into bat - “India will try to score as many runs as possible while Australia will try to get India out for as little as they can” .
And Kapil Dev’s gem - “Ballebaj (batsman) ne stroke ke liye jagah banayaa aur wicket-keeper ke pass ball ko jaane diyaa”. Some people are just better off with their mouth shut.
Reminds me of an anecdote I read somewhere - India was playing some country and Ajit Wadekar was at the crease. Wadekar flicked a ball to the square leg boundary and the commentator exclaimed- " Wadekar ne khoobsurti se ball ko flick kiyaa - aur chaar run" and then asked for comments from Lala Amarnath who was there as an expert commentator. Lala said - “Yeh ek wristy stroke thaa” (meaning the stroke was executed through good use of the wrists - and guess what the commentator said next - " Bilkool sahi farmaaya aapne Lala, yeh bahut “risky” stroke thaa… Wadekar ko aishi strokes nahi khelnaa chahiye…
Coming back to the original topic - Why do you think Paki cricketers dont pursue a career in Cricket Commentary unlike their compatriots elsewhere.
[This message has been edited by Hizbul (edited July 08, 2002).]
Very true, Pakistanis aren't good commentators.
Specially someone like Asif Iqbal, the most boring commentator ever and someone like Amir Sohail, who is no doubt the biggest idiot in the world when it comes to talking, he never knows what goes on in a match.
Yes Imran Khan is my favirote part time commentator, specially in the 99 world cup, he made every single match very interesting.
Ramiz Raja is good as well but he gets a little carried away sometimes.
I think we should leave the talking to whities and Pakistanis should play cricket.
Rameez Raja and Asif Iqbal are actually pretty decent in my opinion. Asif is a bit on the boring side but Raja is decent.
Imran, however, disappoints me for someone who's been educated in the UK. Technically, he's always spot on though. Most of his predictions normally come through which is very impressive.
Among the Bharati folks, Gavaskar is very good. He's probably the best desi commentator. Bhogle sucks for a professional commentator.
He is such a looser once he also tried commentary he was like “baaaaler is leyee gaind baher kerwa raha hay keyun k wo baatsmen say cut murwana chah raha hay”
Geoff Boycott is really nice and funny with a cool accent, not to mention his love for Inzi and the Paki team.
Amongst Pakistanis Chishti Mujahid is the best, his comments were often funny and were well delivered, though I don't know if he still does commentary on Pak TV.
*** "A wild lion can catch its victim when it leaves its nest. A sharp arrow will not hit its target until it leaves its bow."** (Imam Shafi)*
[quote]
Originally posted by Hizbul:
**...the fact that they probably have their brains mostly in their butt like one player I know - yes the World's fastest chucker !!
[This message has been edited by Hizbul (edited July 08, 2002).]**
[/quote]
Half the reason.. people don't tune into cricket matches is because of the boring commentary.
If they had intense commentary.. without taking breaks and being quiet.. then it would be FUN.
Man, sometimes commentators bore you so much! ABC radio from Australia has AMAZING commentators (remember them from the Pak/Ind series to Australia).
Otherwise, Bill Lawry, Richie, Tony are superb commentators.
Commentators bring you INTO the game. You need someone that is awake for the whole match, watching every ball, getting excited, and making a big celebration for whatever team.
Take for example, Spanish commentators for Football.
Holding is another horrible commentator, when mixed with Desi's.
Why can't Cricket hire real cricket commentators, that weren't previous players?
Who actually have a degree in communication, and are specialized in the radio/television industry.
Not quite Asif, Boycott has always been a fan of the Pakistani team, well before he was hired by the PCB. In 1996 at Headingley he was commentating in the test match between Pakistan and England, when suddenly he disappeared from the commentary box. When he returned his co commentator asked him where he had disappeared to, Boycott replied that he had gone to the Pakistani dressing room to ask them to play calmly as Pakistan was winning the match, and had lost two quick wickets.
Secondly, his wife could not have left him because he has never married.