[Fazal]

I think we over simplify when we just consider age as the only factor to say if the player will grow further or not. If age is the only criteria, then yes we can say Ash should continue to grow up to 28/29 years old.

But the reality is different. Why? Because there are factors to consider also that may nullify the age factor. Let’s see what are the other factors”

1. Sometimes when a player start playing too early, their peak point comes earlier than other players who start their career late. There are plenty of examples about that in other sports in the world. There is couple of reasons for that. And one of them is:
Physical and metal exhaustion and wear and tear comes earlier to players who start early. Human body is like a car, it has some mileage that can be used, When you use them , trouble starts

2. the experience part can play both way. Proper training along with experience can make a good foundation to a young player which can go long way building their career. On the other hand, without proper training along with too much unplanned exposure at early can create and solidify bad traits which can be hard to change at later stage of a young player even he is still young.

3. If a player is young he can fix and enhance his physical skills. But if a player's problem is not physical but only mental then only experience can help him. But if he is already experienced (at early age) and have shown little sign to learn from his mistakes, then young age factor may not work for his favor. To explain further:

Player A: Age 23. Excellent (top class) physical talent. Have questionable mental maturity. Started at age 15, already played 100+ international games for 8 years. Showed little sign so far to learn and grow. However shown glimpses of high class performance when everything worked for him. But shown repeated mental lapse again and again. Player A have an average of early 20s.

Player B: Age 26. Have good physical talent. Good maturity for his age. Started at age 24 and played only 12+ international games for 1.5+ years. Showed sign that he is learning but fails mainly due to lack of experience and lack of exposure to the highest competition. Player B have an average of mid 20s.


To me, even player A is still very young, we may already seen his peak. I would say even player B is 3 years older, we haven't seen his peak yet.


Therefore people who thinks and hopes and prays and argues that Ash is still young and therefore his peak performance is yet to come, and then get disappointed and then again hope and pay and argue again he will grow just because he is still relatively young, I would ask them to rethink... because age is not the only factor working here... there are other factors also that dictate if a player can still develop and grow.


Of course there is exception, and if that what you guys (Ash fans) are all expecting, that’s fine... but don't tell us just because he is still young, therefore he will grow further as a player.