Good post from Sham as always. The selectors has really screwed this test series badly. In my mind, they didn't field the best possible side to give us a better chance to compete. Here are my few observations that didn't make any sense to me.
First of all, if you are going to pick Rahim, then you better make sure he is in the team as a wktkeeper/batsman. Can a team like us afford the luxury of two wkt keepers? We were either a batsman or a bowler short in each of the two tests. In the first test, we played Pilot as no.6 ( which he is not, he never was, and worse now since his batting has declined ). We picked Kapali as an allrounder, which was fine, but you have to make sure that he bats at no.6. Same as Aftab if he were to play. In the second test, with Rahim's inclusion, Pilot moved down to no.7 ( correctly ) but we were a bowler short as Rahim came in as a pure batsman. Not a right combination.
I may sound like a broken record by repeating this over and over again. But having Javed Omar at the top is the wrong choice. For the upteenth time he has got out trying to glance to the fine leg. Also, anything outside offstump, and he is fishing, ussually late in his shots with the bat pointing toward gully. You add a little bounce to the deliveries and he is ripe for picking. Ravi Shastri is correct when he says that if this team is for the future then why is he opening? He has no future. We are better off losing without him than with him.
Nafis Iqbal has improved in his batting. He shuffles lot less. Looks more compact and he should play in both version of the game. Shariar Nafees has taken a big step backwards. He has obvious difficulties against quickies. Doesn't move his feet at all and scared of short pitch deliveries. He has been figured out by the opponents.
Aftab- must play every game. Period. He must play at no.5/no.6 against Australia. I had a feeling they were trying to protect him against Murali by not playing him altogether ( as he was kinda lost in the last series ). But that is a wrong attitude to have. How does that help him? He has to play out of his weaknesses. sitting out doesn't do him or us any good. If they are playing a team for future ( with Rahim in it ), then Aftab should also play along with Rajin and Javed should never play anymore. We have to let Rajin play and settle him in at no.4.
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