Vb Series, Does Pakistan stand a chance ? Options

[Akhtar]

Man we need to sort our team out if we are gonna do well here. We need to really sort out the bowling (Razzaq, Afridi, Azhar, Malik) bowling 40 ovrs is going to be pricy.

[catch22]

Man, this team is in pretty bad shape. It is deep in the pits. In your poll for the test series, I gave it a 3-0 dribbing, it hit the mark. Law of averages, it may not fare that badly in the one day series. There is no discipline in the team, they don't gel as a team. Inzamam is not captaincy material.

[pranavjh]

I don't understand one thing - how come Imran is asking for a head of a player or a coach every month? Now he is asking Inzy to be out of the team and Younis to take the helm. No doubt Imran was a great player in his days, but now, he has the worst case of "arm-chair-quarter-back" syndrome I have ever seen!!!

Pranav

[Akhtar]

Pranav:

All ex-pros get this syndrome - Miandad, Bedi, Imran, Sarfraz.
Best just to ignore them.

Catch-

They are not as bad as you say. They have gelled well under Bob Woolmer and have played well in ODIS over the last 6 months. The problem is the lack of Tests we play. Even Bangladesh played more Tests than us last year. We have quality ODI All rounders in Razzaq, Mahmood, Malik and Afridi - although I am worried about thier bowling.

[princeali]

Pranav:

All ex-pros get this syndrome - Miandad, Bedi, Imran, Sarfraz.
Best just to ignore them.

Catch-

They are not as bad as you say. They have gelled well under Bob Woolmer and have played well in ODIS over the last 6 months. The problem is the lack of Tests we play. Even Bangladesh played more Tests than us last year. We have quality ODI All rounders in Razzaq, Mahmood, Malik and Afridi - although I am worried about thier bowling.

It will be up to the all-rounders to support Shoaib in this series because with Sami gone, and Shabbir not yet recovered fully from his injury the bowling looks weak.

As Akhtar pointed out, Pakistan has not played alot of tests over the last year which is why they did not adapt well in Australia. They have been used to playing one-dayers most of the time and even in the test series you could see they were playing in the one-day mode. With the exception of a few like Salman, Youhana and Younis, the rest of them always wanted to score and not preserve their wicket and stay at the crease for their team's cause. Bob Woolmer has done pretty well with the team over the last few months but they still need to improve in many ways, which will take time.

[Akhtar]

Younis got starts in this series but didn't carry them on, as per usual, he always found a way to get out.

Salman was the pick of the bunch for me, and played really well for a youngster playing his first serious test series.

Youhana did ok, got out at a vital time in Melbourne and I still think he is a flat track bully - and his stats agree.

Razzaq should be nowhere near the test side. His batting against spin bowling leaves alot to be desired and his bowling is declining rapidly.

[jayant]

Pranav bhai may i knw which paper u saw carrying these comments of Imran?Or which news channel did he speak regarding this?Or mayb he was speaking something else & it was perceived in the way u expressed.Just check up his records in the helm of affairs when he was,just go thru the comments he keep making now & i dn't think u will b abl 2 pick up a single instance where his comments were inconsistent,baseless speaking like a normal "chaiwala".Man u r talking abt "IMRAN KHAN".

Coming 2 this pak team give them some time & see how they shape up.Woolmer is a very very good tactician but he is nt a wizard tht he will change all the complicacies in the team in a go.Mark my words I am sure these bunch of cktrs will only fight tooth 2 nail aganst the aussies in this vb series.u just need 2 give them some time.Also the reasons why pak had a drubbing in the tests r:
1)injuries 2 key players whereas aussie played their full strength.
2)most of the guys were out of match practice(test mtchs)
3)u can't ignore the strength of the aussies.

I am sure they will make a turnaround soon.
js

I don't understand one thing - how come Imran is asking for a head of a player or a coach every month? Now he is asking Inzy to be out of the team and Younis to take the helm. No doubt Imran was a great player in his days, but now, he has the worst case of "arm-chair-quarter-back" syndrome I have ever seen!!!

Pranav

[pranavjh]

Read the comment on either cricinfo or Midday

Pranav

[jayant]

Never did i read any such comments in the national newspapers.Nor was this carried by any news channel.Now coming 2 portals I am unable 2 find the news in the 2 u mentioned.Can u provide the link?
js

Read the comment on either cricinfo or Midday

Pranav

[Akhtar]

http://usa.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/A..._07JAN2005.html

[pranavjh]

Thanks Akhtar, yes that's the one!!

Jayant, I agree with your comments on Pak team but my point is that Imran seems to think that any time there is a problem with the team, changing some players is the only solution! If one were to look at the reasons that you gave for their drubbing in Tests, how do you think any of them would be addressed by removing Inzi? I absolutely agree that the team needs to settle down and have a consistent look and feel and asking for people's head is not constructive at all.

Pranav

[jayant]

thanks.I went thru the link.Now we all knw Imran's favourite is Inzy.But the points he made abt his removal hv some logic though i agree a cptn shld b given a longer stint.He clearly said a batsman with a small injury & tht also cptn shld hv plyd the last test leading frm the front.This fighting quality,killer instinct Inzy lacks which imran pointed out tht many a times he himself played as cptn with injections.Tht sadenned him which is justified.
But I dn't think he is inconsistent in his statements or always ask for the player/cptn's head when the team fails.
js

[Akhtar]

Inzamam is not a good captain, but there is no one else to fill his shoes.

Younis is too raw and is making a comeback; and Youhana's captaincy has left a lot to be desired recently.

[Anil4]

Akhtar

Your question "VB series - Does Pakistan stand a chance? "


My Answer - on current performance No!

Actually they did play well in parts in all the 3 test matches, but lack the killer instinct of Australia.


Anil

[catch22]

Imran Khan is absolutely right when he says that Inzi should be out of the captaincy role. Inzi is an excellent batsman, but surely captaincy is not his cup of tea. It is obvious to anyone watching the game that he comes poorly as a captain. The present Pakistan team is down in the dumps, it will take some time. They are not a cohesive unit, individually they may be good players but they lack discipline.
One of the comic scenes we could see on TV during the Indo-Pak series was the clownish behaviour of Javed Miandad from the players enclosure, demonstrating to his team-mates on the field, how to bat.