I'm not a Riyad fan but he did exactly what was needed when Shuhash showed his intent to go for the win. Without Riyad's intelligent support, he'd have either run out of partners or worse, gotten out swinging, as simple as that.
Riyad has always been more effective in tandem, be it with bat or ball. I've seen him provide key breakthroughs with the ball when someone's creating sustained pressure from the other end. Bat in hand, he can do the same once someone from the other end can help him play his natural game. His natural game means settling in with overly defensive shots, painfully finding the gap every now and then, and about 30 or so balls later, finding the boundary safely. He values his wicket and should bat further up the order in tests.
On a side note, I don't see how Ashrafool can be considered "talented" without flaunting our ignorance of the concept. Someone who doesn't learn from his all-too-often unforced, careless batting errors after more than 100 moronic dismissals, cannot be called anything other than a moron, no matter how much potential he has. It takes talent to apply that potential in the middle when it counts, no matter how hard you work in the nets.
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"And do not curse those who call on other than GOD, lest they blaspheme and curse GOD, out of ignorance. We have adorned the works of every group in their eyes. Ultimately, they return to their Lord, then He informs them of everything they had done." (Qur'an 6:108)
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