Bombshell: Pilot dropped

fwullah · #1 April 16, 2003, 09:21 PM

Prothom Alo said that Pilot is dropped for today's match against South Africa and wicket keeper Selim will play.

Orpheus · #2 April 16, 2003, 09:28 PM

Actually this is a good move. Pilot has been doing really awful as a wK. He missed at least 6 easy catches in last 2 games and allowed the opposition loads of runs in misfielding. If we remove him from behind the stumps and since he can't be considered as a middle order batsman. We might as well drop him! I am actually glad. ACtually there are many other reasons why I believe that Mashud should be dropped (after watching wc and tvs - especially tvs) but I didn't post it as I thought I was gonna get some nasty comments from many of you. Anyhow - just waiting to see how Selim turns out!

If prothom alo is right that is!

This may outrage many of you who haven't been watching the game - but if you have watched it! - well what is your reaction?

[Edited on 17-4-2003 by Orpheus]

nasifkhan · #3 April 16, 2003, 09:46 PM

i dont think its a good move...

india and saf are fielding their 2nd team for experimenting........but we cant experiment since we are having a very bad time.....

and also pilot is the best WK for bangladesh........Selim is also good but this is not the time to change pilot.......

Orpheus · #4 April 16, 2003, 09:50 PM

Nasif Khan - Have you seen any other wicket keeper besides pilot playing for Bangladesh? What makes you think he is the best wicket keeper? But if Mashud is the best wk - then BD has some problems!! This guy is un - donning all the good works of Kapali and Javed on the field. Numerous Missed=simple catches are just unacceptable! AGain I will use an infamous line "catches win matches"

another thing: This is actually the perfect time to change a team - not in the middle of test series or prior to world cup or whatever!!!

[Edited on 17-4-2003 by Orpheus]

Sham · #5 April 16, 2003, 10:02 PM

To tell you guys the truth, this was in the cards from before the tournament started. Pilot as a wicket-keeper is nothing out of this world. He was decently good, but what made him indispensable was his batting at number 7. However, his indispensability apparently made him extremely arrogant. He started behaving badly with other players during the world cup and basically became a pretty unpopular figure.

So, when they added Selim to the squad two days after the squad was initially announced, I knew something was up. They did it to send Pilot a message, and I knew that unless Pilot did something spectacular in the first couple of games, he would be dropped before the tournament was up, to let him know that there is competition for his place and also to try out Selim. Not only did Pilot not do anything steller with the bat, his keeping was pretty poor as well, so this is not surprising at all.

Anyway, we are out of this tournament, so if they want to try someone else out, let them. Also, no matter how good someone is, they should never feel indispensable. Thats the thing with Australia, they have amazing cricketers but they never let anybody feel indispensable, not even Steve Waugh.

Personally, I have made no secret that I am a Pilot fan, but I think he is becoming problematic for the team, especially off-field.

fwullah · #6 April 16, 2003, 10:20 PM

I am also disappointed to see Pilot like this - not as a batsman, but as a wicket keeper.

He has not been concentrating while keeping hundred percent. May be the pressure put up on him by the selectors has got to him?

I am still a Pilot fan and after watching today's game against South Africa, I would recommend to keep Pilot on as a specialist batsman in place of Akram Khan (i.e., if Akram Khan does not score a fifty or does not look comfortable against SA). However, I am ignoring whatever happens off the field.

James90 · #7 April 16, 2003, 10:24 PM

That's my opinion i've witnessed many poor chances on cricinfo but he's the glue.

I've never seen a Bangladeshi Wicketkeeper keep so i can't say

James90 · #8 April 16, 2003, 10:32 PM

Would they forever stick with Selim?

Orpheus · #9 April 16, 2003, 10:40 PM

Quote:

However, I am ignoring whatever happens off the field.

uhhh! I am sorry but I don't think this is a matter to be ignored. Good off the field communication is vital if you want to have good on-field communication.

I don't think you needed an "investigation" to tell that Mashud had problems with other players or rather I should say - communicating. Latest evidence: Fwullah if you have INDIA v BD first match recorded - just concentrate on Mashud's body language. When he comes out to bat and Kapali goes to talk to him - All Mashud does is sticks his thumb up and ignors Kapali's word. or when the communication between two partners are important in the middle of every bowler change - just look at Mashud - that guy doesn't even look into his partner's eyes when "talking" and shaking his head up and down as if he is like "yeah whatever". Also you see his eyes are wandering all over the stadium but on his partner in an uncomforting manner. Kind of like when you talk to someone that you really don't want to but you have to. for ex: your ex-bf.

I also think Sham makes a very very good point that Mashud needs to know that he has to COMPETE for his place - it's not automatic. Just look at Javed, you can tell that he is trying really hard to be in the team with his brilliant fielding - the thing is he just sucks at batting - that's all!

fwullah - Disregard what I replied. I may have understood you wrong as you had "however" in front of that statement! English language Sucks Yo!!

[Edited on 17-4-2003 by Orpheus]

fwullah · #10 April 16, 2003, 11:04 PM

I admit Orpheus, that I haven't noticed Pilot's behavior as closely as you have.

Sham · #11 April 17, 2003, 12:15 AM

I think Pilot's off-field behaviour (and on-field as Orpheus has pointed out) has come to state where it can no longer be ignored. He is still the most consistent batsman we have, but does that justify keeping him if he is having a negative impact on the other players. There are senior players in the squad who stopped talking to him altogether by the end of the world cup. I don't know if normal relationships have resumed, but there is a lot of bad blood in the team and a lot of it is aimed at Pilot.

Also, since the Kenya game where he dropped two easy catches, he has had a nightmare out on the field! Something is not right with Pilot, and some time off might be useful for him and for Bangladesh.

rafiq · #12 April 17, 2003, 10:00 AM

i did not see selim's keeping - how was it?

i hope mashud's off field behavior, if it is a problem, improves. yes, he has not played well recently, but who has? at a time when the team should be a mix of veterans and youth, we need pilot on the team. his dropped catches are no worse than sumon's 0s and 1s, sanwar's lack of technique, sujon's bowling, just to name a few items for comparison.

there may be some bad blood between and sujon and pilot, especially since the kenya game when pilot dropped so many catches off sujon. is there some retribution going on here?

sujon as a captain worries a lot of people. although a good leader, he is useful as a bowler only in certain conditions. so is he in the team as a bowler, a batsman or an all rounder? promoting himself up the order is nice and he did get runs, but it leaves the other batsman unsure of where they come in. eg sanwar. I don't think 4-40 qualifies as an allrounder. watch for more problems here.

rafiq · #13 April 17, 2003, 10:15 AM

with the dilemma involving sujon. he is neither a top 6 batsman nor a front line bowler. although athar ali thinks he should be given more time. both valid points, obviously they didn't think too deeply before giving him the captaincy.

Orpheus · #14 April 17, 2003, 10:41 AM

Well pat symcox also thinks that we should make either Kapali or Ashraful the captain which is the stupidest thing I have heard - maybe vice captain, not captain.... Till now, not a single commentator liked Mahmud beside Athar. (for some reason I feel Athar doesn't know what the hell he is talking about, Sunil and Pat are da man - let's shave Shidhu and burn his pagri).

How about Manju for captain? Well it's too late guess.

About Mashud v. Selim, I definitely go with Mashud but he has to be more friendly with the players. (Mahmud is losing it too - he should think about anger management). Selim is not a good batsman like Mashud. The keeping of Selim looked normal but the thing is he didn't get many "tough" catches like Mashud did. Most of the balls just came to his gloves. So i definitely vote for Mashud as long as it doesn't affect the batting of other players. ex: Bashar, Hannan?.
The best thing about Selim is that he knows how to support the bowlers! ex: "Rafiq Bhai agerta koren, oita bhalo chilo", "Well bowled Rafiq" "Rafiq Bhai, zulaiya marben na - sha julano ball bhalo khele" "Matro duisho korche, Oshubidha nai" etc He talks a lot just like me

**Tehsin** · #15 April 17, 2003, 11:05 AM

First of all, I am a Pilot fan for his fighting spirit. Unlike Akram Bhai, Pilot uses his years of experience to overcome his ther flaws.

However - he needs to drop his superiority complex - YEAH he has grown into it - and go back to the old Pilot who used t be a chatter box behind the stamps. He needs to actively sort out whatever bad blood he has created with the rest of the team. Recent reports, his on/off field behaviors points to this problem. This could also be worked out through the coach and manager.

Salim is good and Pilot is probably not that much better then either Salim or Anwar - however, his experience and his proven record (yep, his 20/30 s are all we have) gives him the edge. Not to say that he is not irreplacable.

So, it's upto Pilot to decide how he wants to redeem himself. Also, it was good to see Salim given a chance. Pilot needs a little break. However, he should be back for the test matches.

bd_cricket · #16 April 17, 2003, 11:27 AM

Selectors dropped our the most consistent and inform batsman. I don't think that will bring any good to our team and obviously will affect Pilot's form.

They are doing too much experiments.

bd_cricket · #17 April 17, 2003, 11:35 AM

They indicated that Selim was chosen over Anwar because he is from Khulna (Loby's place).
Article

bd_cricket · #18 April 17, 2003, 11:40 AM

Bangladesher Khela

**Tehsin** · #19 April 17, 2003, 11:47 AM

Don't know much about those reports - however, Anwar has not been around for that long. In fact, he is the one who has been getting a lot of action despite being a virtual unknown. Remember his inclusion in the national team after the practice matches ? What was that all about ?

bd_cricket · #20 April 17, 2003, 11:54 AM

I hope they will not do the mistake of dropping Mashud from the test side.

Zobair · #21 April 17, 2003, 12:00 PM

The world cup was a pretty traumatic experience for us...i can only imagine what it must have been in the team tent. Nothing went right for us. I don't know if we should make sweeping judgements about Mashud being arrogant here. He was the most consistent batsman and I guess as the captain he must have been really frustrated with his pathetic top order. My personal take is that it is possible that he may have been "arrogant" but it could also be that our "talented and senior" top-order could not bear the harsh criticism coming from a batsman of such humble qualities. Every person has a limit. Pilot's patience with his batting men probably got tested to the limit. Its possible that some of them felt humiliated by his actions. The bad blood could be because of that. What Orpheus saw on the field could a residual. I dunno! I guess I am speculating here. But I find it hard to believe that he just became arrogant!!! His weak performance on the field may be because of his off the field distractions. As far as I can remember Pilot is quite a decent wk-keeper. I am a big fan of this guy. He saved us from so many utter humiliations that I have lost count. I will stick with him thank you!

Sham · #22 April 17, 2003, 12:25 PM

Yes, Pilot is the best keeper/batsman in Bangladesh and our team has much to owe to him. Selim did very well behind the stumps I thought. The thing is, Selim might turn out to be a better cricketer, but this was just his first match, so we can't compare him to Pilot. I mean when Steve Waugh retires, we aren't going to compare his replacement with him right away will we? So comparing Selim to Pilot is very unfair on him.

From a purely cricketing point of view, there is no doubt in my mind that Pilot should be in the team ahead of Selim. I would never have thought of dropping Pilot. However, problems regarding Pilot are worse than they seem or what we are being told. I hope it is sorted out soon.

[Edited on 17-4-2003 by Sham]

samia · #23 April 17, 2003, 01:25 PM

cant agree with you better pompous, thats exactly what i was thinking.

bd_cricket · #24 April 17, 2003, 04:05 PM

And Pilot is out from the test side for the 1st test against SA (Janakantha report)

Zobair · #25 April 17, 2003, 06:19 PM

You guys should read the article about Masud's non-selection in Dailystar. They certainly are blaming Aliul for the decision. No talk of any arrogance at all. It seems Aliul just told Salim to check into the Hotel Wednesday night and tell the team management that he is going to be playing instead of Masud!!! The poor captain was allegedly clueless and obviously powerless even though he opposed the decision!!! The Daily Star reporter seemed pretty pissed off at Aliul.
And you know what?! I agree! ALIUL SUX