[al Furqaan]

excellent thread...top class analaysis by fazal tho i disagree with him on a few points.

my soft corner for ash has not subsided, but i 200% understand fazal's frustration with him.

that being said here is my analysis:

S Nafees: his 75 against Australia in debut series shows he can do it big against class opposition. but i am concerned about his sudden infatuation with the 30s after those 3 successive unbeaten tons.
2006 grade: A-
2007 expected: B+ (stronger opponents)

Mehrab Jr: ithink he should replace JO in tests ASAP as well...we have thrown in countless teenagers at the deep end, might as well throw him in as well. only ash and alok have really been ruined (and the jury is out on ash as long). his SR against weak teams is worrying, but countless people (notably DW and SN) have said that his SR is low, but he makes up in the end of innings. plus he has had no reason to score quickly since SN and aftab did at the other end. bottom line is, ODI jury is out, but i would say he is a shoe in for the Test XI.
2006 grade: B-
2007 expected: B

Rajin Saleh: i think he is a shoe in for the Test XI just like mehrab. the number 4 spot is his, and when bashar retires, the #3. technique and mindset is just too good. ODI-wise, he basically is just a spot above JO in the depth chart.
2006 grade: B+ (remember the aussie test series)
2007 expected: B (test team only)

Javed Omar: lets salute a player who helped bring us where we are...but just as Moses never saw the promised land, JO will not see our 1st real Test win. We have just outgrown the shirt, nothing personal against the shirt.
2006 grade: D
2007 expected: D

Bashar:don't expect him to ever amount to anything in the OD game, but integral still in test cricket. our best ever batsman and our best #3. the fact is we can make a much better ODI team w/out him.
2006 grade: C
2007 expected: B-

Ashraful: he could be as great as anyone can imagine, but it looks highly unlikely. i refuse to give up hope untill he is dropped for good (which may be sooner than anyone knows). he is here to stay for at least the next year, however. i feel (and hope) that the emergence of SN, aftab, sakib, mehrab, and farhad will lessen and even remove completely any batting pressure he has (and he had a lot in the past). he should bat #5 or 6 for the forseeable future as this will bring his avg up, and importantly, boost his confidence, and most importantly, help the team post decent totals (all as fazal bhai as already mentioned). i still keep the faith, but he is no longer as important as he used to be.
2006 grade: C
2007 expected: B

aftab: almost as great a talent as ashraful which means he is far ahead of any batsman BD has ever seen including the fellows listed above and below him on this page. i find it easier to have faith in him than ash, as his average dwarfs ashraful's. desperately needs to work on batting against spin and this is his un-talked about weakness. also needs to turn his rapid fire 50s into more controled centuries or at least well played 70s and 80s. i hope he can do realize this and soon.
2006 grade: B
2007 expected: A

sakib: i am quite impressed by this lad. especially his batting...not so sure about his bowling tho it has been sensational against the minnows. has been able to maintain a decent SR as well. i highly dount he is test class tho, at least in the near future...given what seems to be a deficiency in technique.
2006 grade: A
2007 expected: B

forhad: started well enough...good striker, decent avg, but has since lost his way. I join almost everyone else who thinks that his bowling is rubbish, but am one of the few who believes he has no bowling future. he may be a decent para cricket bowler, but for the int'l scene he will get smacked. painfully. but i feel he can dish out just as much pain with his bat, and this is his future.
2006 grade: B
2007 expected: B

Alok: if he gets his act together, i think he can be a great middle overs guy in the ODI game (i don't think he will ever regain a test spot). but its our biggest "if". i realized this whilst debating with Spitfire bhai (i think it was him) and i initially laughed at his assertion that alok was a great middle overs guy. then i checked some scorecards and found out that alok was able to score a great rate with almost nothing but 1s, 2s, and 3s. at present, we have no need for him as both sakib and ash are good MO bats.
2006 grade: no grade
2007 expected: no grade

rafiq: will be a mainstay in lineup tho i favor cutting him from the ODI squad and force him to concentrate on tests to prolong his shelf life as long as possible.
2006 grade: A-
2007 expected: A-

rana: didn't get any chances, sadly...i don't rate him as highly as razzaq tho he is quite close. batting liability unlike razzak who will either score quickly or get out thus enabling someone else to come and hit.
2006 grade: no grade
2007 expected: no grade (doubt he will play)

razzak: amazing stats against minnows and solid againt giants. can hit as well.
2006 grade: A+
2007 expected: B+ (might be a better bowler but most matches will be against giants)

Mash: best all around FB...and along with rafiq our only world class bowler. can be a decent batsman. slog over bowling is his achilles.
2006 grade: A-
2007 expected: A

Shahadat: by the end of the year might be better than mash, but as of now is our 2nd best pacer ever. genuinely quick and ultra-agressive, the world will recognize both him and mash in the next 12 moons.
2006 grade: B
2007 expected: B+

rasel: our ODI 3rd FB will get a fight from tapash and perhaps the new kid Shahzada.
2006 grade: B-
2007 expected: B

tapash: lost his job to shahadat and rasel, and can be at best our 3rd FB but currently is our 4th. may even drop to as low as 5th if Shahzada or Shafaq emerge. cutting back on his NBs and "smack me" deliveries is a must. reminds me of pakistani FB mohammad sami, quick but troubled.
2006 grade: no grade
2007 expected: C

tushar: i believe him to be even more worthless than alok. a player who deserves as much right to be in the playin XI as does athar ali khan. nothing personal against him, in fact i like his attacking style. but he is the biggest practice match player we have, a la rokon. the only reason i mentioned him (i am not enjoying bad mouthin him, tho i don't feel bad either) is because he has inexplicably gotten significant playing time over the last 18 months. in my eyes, he needs a full 2 years of averaging 50+ in both forms of the game in the domestic/A team level before we should consider him for a spot in prelimenary national team squad.
2006 grade: F
2007 expected: F

Enamul Jr: didn't see much of him this year...loads of talent and a bug turner of the ball. but apart from a series against australia wasn't really tested. i have high hopes for the kid, but honestly and i hope i am wrong, i'm afraid he will be a mediocre bowler.
2006 grade: B-
2007 expected: B