[Rabz]

I thought Riyad was a breathe of fresh air in the team, one of the best find of late.

As Miraz bhai said earlier, he brings more assurance in the lower order and someone you can definitely count on to carry on in the later stages of the innings. He is someone who holds it together for his partner to go on rampage.

Had he tried to do a Kapali himself yesterday and gone out to some silly shot, there was no guarantee that Farhad or Mash could have stayed to partner Kapali till the end.

Judging by Farhad luck last night, i bet he would have been gone quickly and Mash, well, its a gamble. A gamble too risky to sacrifice his own wicket. Had he gone out cheaply, we would be all questining his abilities to play sensibly and building on partnership.

His bowling, even though nothing special at the moment, gives us a much needed variety. If he works hard, i believe his bowling would be much more supporting and helpful in the long run.

He is also a good fielder, despite that one dropped catch, which itself would have been a very good attempt if he could hold on to it.

Last but most importantly, his presence in the team brings an added pressure on the other allrounders to perform. Kapalis's knock yesterday was nothing but a desperation. With Aftab recovering soon from his injuries and Sakib finishing his exams, along with a decent enough performance of Riyad,Alok knew he needed to do something out of the ordinary to make any mark and to have any chance to stay in the team.

And the result was that superb knock and turn on the heat to Riyad.
When the players starts to fight for their own right to stay in the team, and by fight i mean in a good constructive way thru performing, its only going to help the team as a whole.

So, what does Riyad brings in the team?
He brings variety, stability and urgency in the team.