Yousuf better batsman than Ponting and Dravid - Inzi

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Mohammad Yousuf hails religion for batting success
by AFP

DateLine: 17th November 2006
Pakistan’s prolific batsman Mohammad Yousuf Friday said he owed his batting success to his conversion to Islam – and support from his captain Inzamam-ul-Haq.

“The maturity and discipline in my batting is because of Almighty Allah’s blessings and I have been more mature and disciplined since I started offering prayers five times a day,” Yousuf told AFP.

The elegant 32-year-old batsman, formerly known as Yousuf Youhana, converted to Islam from Christianity last year and now sports the longest beard in a team that is already full of devout believers.

Yousuf climbed to second place in the International Cricket Council (ICC) player rankings for Test batsmen after his 192 against the West Indies in the first Test at Lahore, which Pakistan won on Tuesday.

The ICC said Yousuf had amassed the most ratings points of any Pakistani batsman in history, breaking the 900 barrier for the first time and surpassing former great Javed Miandad’s highest ranking of 885, achieved in February 1989.

“It is in itself an achievement that now I am number two in the batsmen’s rankings. I am very happy that my runs are made for my team and Inzamam supports me a lot,” said Yousuf.

He is already the world’s leading run-scorer in the calendar year, with 1,315 runs from only nine matches. The total includes six hundreds, one of them the 202 he made against England at Lord’s in July this year.

Yousuf overtook Indian captain Rahul Dravid with his knock in Lahore and is behind only Australian captain Ricky Ponting in the ICC batsmen’s list.

Inzamam hailed Yousuf’s achievements and said he was a team man to the core.

"Yousuf has been playing at his best. I rate him a better batsman than Ponting and Dravid. He is a class act," said Inzamam.

Inzamam last month dismissed concerns about the increased influence of Islam on Pakistan’s cricketers, saying he never forced anyone to pray or grow a beard.

He was reacting to comments by the country’s cricket chief Nasim Ashraf that players should not feel under pressure to be religious, and there should be a balance between their faith and sporting activities.

Yousuf has 5,929 runs in 71 Tests and needs another 71 runs to reach the 6,000-run mark, a feat he could achieve in the second Test between Pakistan and the West Indies, which starts here on Sunday.

(Article: Copyright © 2006 AFP)

Source: pcboard.com.pk

No doubt Yousuf is a class act and a brilliant batsman to watch. According to the dopey Inzi - he is better than Ponting and Dravid. Do people think he is? I don’t think so desite how a good player he is. Also would he also regard regard Yousuf better than himself ???

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Re: Yousuf better batsman than Ponting and Dravid - Inzi

shut the hell up! how dare u call inzi a dopey??? frst see ur own self in mirror(dhiyaan se,kaheen apni shakal dekh kar dar mat jaana)then try to pass remarks on inzi!!! yousaf is better than ponting,n dravid....u r a big liar!!!

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Re: Yousuf better batsman than Ponting and Dravid - Inzi

Rock:
INZI is not as aggressive in his style as Mr. Ponting and some others very vocal members of our own team. He should be more aware of the rules of cricket. Does that make him fit for a title of dopey?

Also, IMHO, Yousaf if not better than Ponting is right there as far as class and skill. Although I would like Yousuf to become more aggressive in his batting as he progresses to the WC. Also, Ponting is a very shrewd player, quite well versed in the ins & outs of the game. He deserves his captaincy. Although he could be a little well mannered. This would make him odd from the rest of his team though.

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Re: Yousuf better batsman than Ponting and Dravid - Inzi

Well you are not going to shut me up as you will not be able to. Simple as that and I don’t need to see myself in the mirror, this is what you probably do and keep on loving yourself…:mad:

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Re: Yousuf better batsman than Ponting and Dravid - Inzi

You admitt he is not aware of the rules,. Like you stated Mr Ponting seems to know in and outs of the game, so why is it that captain of Pakistan doesn't know the ins and outs of the game?

If he is not dopey than shall I start calling him 'clever' or 'Mr Inzman'?

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Re: Yousuf better batsman than Ponting and Dravid - Inzi

Yes I am not forgiving him for not knowing the rules well. He must. But he has proved many times with his nerves and calmness that he can't be dopey to win matches for his team standing alone as a sheet anchor many times.
A "dopey" batsmen won't be able to hold his nerves and see his side thru like INZI does again and again.
So we can call him "simple" at best. But isn't calling people names a little childish? We can have fun with the way he speaks in good humour without calling him a specific name can't we?

Last person to answer this post wins!!!!
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Re: Yousuf better batsman than Ponting and Dravid - Inzi

Never regarded him as 'dopey' when he is batting apart from his running between the wickets. He is a good batsman.

However, he is definetely 'dopey' when it comes to other aspects of his game...... Sine you guys get offended I wil start calling him 'Mr Inzman'.

~~~ Missing someone ~~~
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Re: Yousuf better batsman than Ponting and Dravid - Inzi

its not a matter of offending us really....maybe with some ppl....not with me..
its more below par really....I mean everyone has their shortcomings.... name calling is not good. His name is In-za-mam..I know there are too many syllable there but why not just INZI? I mean you can make your point without calling him anything...
I mean we call Afridi "boom boom" but that is more a word of praise...
this is the same reason we don't like "sqeaky" for akmal.... even Lara has a high pitch voice compared to other men...
but we don't call him Miss Lara or something....
...?

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Re: Yousuf better batsman than Ponting and Dravid - Inzi

hahaha…good one.

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Re: Yousuf better batsman than Ponting and Dravid - Inzi

And?????????????????????????????

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Re: Yousuf better batsman than Ponting and Dravid - Inzi

Technically and mental strength wise, Yousuf has improved in last two years tremondously. He has become Dravid of Pakistan in terms of anchoring the innings. But he still needs to work on his finishing skills in ODI to be at Dravid's level.

In tests, yes he can be compared to Ponting and Dravid, both technically and stemina for long innings. He can also switch gears as per requirements, this is very handy in each session according to the changing conditions.

But better than Ponting or Dravid is something too early to call, let him visit RSA and will talk about it. :)

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Re: Yousuf better batsman than Ponting and Dravid - Inzi

Inzi Rocks :hoonh:

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Re: Yousuf better batsman than Ponting and Dravid - Inzi

i think yousuf is the most stylish batsman in the world, and he has really evelved this year into a match winner! But ponting and dravid have played many match winning lone hands!

Just give me one good reason...
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Re: Yousuf better batsman than Ponting and Dravid - Inzi

Hahaha Yah Nasim Ashraf what you gonna do? Drop Yousuf? Go ahead and see what happens, hahaha Yeeeeeaahh!

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Re: Yousuf better batsman than Ponting and Dravid - Inzi

I still rank Ricky Ponting and Rahul Dravid (a wall) above Muhammad Yusuf. But if Muhammad Yusuf continues playing in this form, he can be a top batsman for sure.

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Re: Yousuf better batsman than Ponting and Dravid - Inzi

If we purely talk of batting, I may not have any reservation in comparing Yousaf with Ponting and Dravid. But as a player, that includes planing, fielding plus batting then I wouldn't compare Yousaf with Ponting.

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Re: Yousuf better batsman than Ponting and Dravid - Inzi

On current form, Dravid yes, Ponting no.

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Re: Yousuf better batsman than Ponting and Dravid - Inzi

the thing is yousuf is an excellent stroke maker, i dont believe he has the defensive teqnique ricky and dravid have who have both played long innings to save matches, which yousuf hasnt really done, this summer yousuf played an excellent match saving innings but that was through counter attack! anyhow he is at his peak, but he hasnt played enough substance innings, like a lone hand in an extreme pressure match!

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Re: Yousuf better batsman than Ponting and Dravid - Inzi

PLEASE ! PLEASE ! PLEASE ,
Don’t start with your name calling left and right.
Pakistan cricket owes a lot to Inzimam-ul-Haq as a prolific Batsman and then as the Captain of the side, All these little and large glitches we see and hear about him and his performance, are’nt enough to justify name calling at any level. Inzimam is justifibly Pakistan’s national hero. Period

So please feed your anxiety another type of platter

:jhanda:

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Re: Yousuf better batsman than Ponting and Dravid - Inzi

I think there is no name calling. Inzi and Yousaf are two different breed of cricketers. As we can't compare Javed Miandad with Zaheer Abbas, or we can't compare Richard with Clive Loyd, or we can't compare Sober with Bradman. I think if we try to compare Inzi and Yousaf then we are comparing oranges with apples.

Inzi is one of those cricketers, as a batsman, who might have played many match winning innings, which take him beyond Lara and Tendulkar, both played many big innings in a loosing cause. Similarly, Inzi is in 37th year of his life, Yousaf will get there in 5 more years, atleast by then Yousaf will have 50-60 more test under his belt, so it is not fair to compare Yousaf or grade Inzi at a scale which we use for Yousaf. I am sure if Yousaf keep his fitness, at the end of his career he will be a bigger hero for Pakistan cricket than any other batsman.

As a batsman, Inzi have many pluses, and one could put him very high in the list of all time great batsmen but as an overall cricketers, then it is a different story and hard task to grade him. Fielding and leadership wise Yousaf is same as Inzi.

As a captain, Inzi is not successful because he is innovative, proactive or creative, rather he successful one because he always perform as a leader and led by example, secondly it is Pakistani cricket culture, which lack professionalism and players don't respect team leader rather they respect performer and big name. As long as they knew that Inzi is very important for team, then they respect him and there is a harmony in the dressing room. That make him a successful captain. He is not successful because he makes good bowling changes, or he put right field settings or he make good batting changes.

Look back at Imran captaincy, look at Ponting captaincy, look at Smith Captaincy, they put fielder in the weirdest positions, and gain wickets. But Inzi, will always have conventional field setting, and very rarely change fielding in between an over unless bowler conceed 3 fours in a row.