Quote:
Originally Posted by Holden
I still feel Junaid Siddique is under-rated. In terms of average he is the most successful number 3 Test batsman Bangladesh has ever had; he averages more than Bashar when batting at 3. Furthermore he figures four times in the top 13 Test partnerships by Bangladesh; three of those were with Tamim: 146, 161 and 200 ( http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/eng...d=25;type=team).
His problem was that he was awful in ODIs (but surprisingly more than decent in T20s). But the selectors kept picking him for the ODIs and when he failed in those he was dropped from the Test Team. If he was left alone to concentrate on Tests and develop his Test batting he could have been a huge asset to the team given the problems we've had in that troublesome number 3 spot in the last few years.
He wasn't the only one that was hindered by the selectors myopic vision to select the same players in every format.
Imrul Kayes was a steady opening partner for Tamim in ODIs but he was appalling in Tests; he has the worst average for an opener who has batted in at least 30 innings, (Hannan Sarker is second worst and Javed Omar is fourth worst, looks like Bangladeshi openers seem to excel in this criteria  ). Every series he was under immense pressure because of his Test failures, I wonder what he could have achieved if he was left alone to focus only on ODIs.
The same could be said for other players like Jahurul Islam, Rubel, Riyad. I hope the selectors don't make the same mistake in the future and cut short the international careers of others.
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Actually Junaid has the highest average at the 3 spot in ODIs as well for batsmen who batted at that spot in at least 10 matches. In both Tests and ODIs, he averaged in the teens when opening the innings but as you pointed, he's been one of our most successful number 3 in both Tests and ODIs.
If Marshall doesn't work out in Tests, we should consider Junaid again. In ODIs we're also not settled in that position so he could be considered again, especially since he's been the best batsman in the DPL.