Don't Listen to Mahela keep Ash @ 5/6

[cricman]

Mahela was implying that the partnership meant nothing since Ash and Mushi were batting so low and the result was a forgone conclusion. Thats pure []! A 191 partnership is a 191 partnership dead match or not and a Test Century is still a Test Century. I'd love to see Ash bat higher but if he isn't comfortable batting 3 or 4 he should stay at 5 or 6.

All of his Test Centuries have come in at the 5 and 6 positions and his numbers aren't so good at 3 and 4, where as he's average inconsistent Ash at 5 and really really good Ash at 6.

Ash at 6

                     Mat    I  NO  Runs HS1  HS2  HS3     Ave 100  50   0

unfiltered            37   72   4  1756 158* 136  129*  25.82   4   7  11
filtered               7    7   1   396 129* 114   98   66.00   2   1   0

Don't mess with a good thing and keep him at 6, Jayawarde figures if Ash bats @ 3 and they can get him than they wouldn't have too field and chase all them boundary balls and keep looking at dot balls. If you have the perfect #6 batsmen than don;t mess with that and teach them tail enders how to put a bat down yes I'm talking to you Mr. Sharif and Mortaza and stupid runouts.

Ash can't be the Top Order, SN and Bashar have the skill to do better, Javed is Javed and if Rajin can be Mr. 40 I can live with that. Mushifq should come at 5. Tushar can come at 7 and then our tail. The coach and Ash need to work with the Tail so we don't have these embarssing endings.

[Rubu]

If I'm not forgetting things, Ash said that he is more comfortable at #4. that was in terms of ODI i think he should be there for test as well. Usually, when he comes at #6 the match is already over. He should be able to fight more. But at the end, wherever he feels comfortable.

[Sillypoint]

Spot on!
Mahela has the audacity to dictate our game plan because we are down! Hope Ash and our team management are smart enough not to fall for that.

[Ahmed_B]

Well... Ash actually likes the 5th position. He said that on few occassions himself.

[Fazal]

Originally Posted by Ahmed_B
Well... Ash actually likes the 5th position. He said that on few occassions himself.

Yes ... thats what I remeber him saying in several inetrviews.

Its the fans and their extra inovative brain cells that wants him all those #1, #2, #3, #4 slots in different threads.

[Rajowana]

I think position 5 / 6 is enough.

[SS]

It's good that he gave advice, but we should be mature enough to realize which is good for our team. Mahela doesn't know about our team's batsmen, if he did, he never would have captained such a team.

[WarWolf]

If there was an option for no 5 then i would have doted it.

[Pundit]

While Mahela's feedback was logical, I don't agree that its a good idea. For us, it should be like, let our best batsman bat when things are more comfortable than not. No other batsman exploits weaknesses (not the right word really here) better than Ash.

And him batting at 3 reducing the odds of a collapse is not very likely either.

We can try to elevate Mushfiq, but just as a trial, to 4, and let Bashar get 6.

So its opener, opener, Rajin, Mush, Ash, Bashar or other....

I like Ash at 6, but also believe any promotion should be limited to at best 5. Let JOB and Rajin grind it out.

[cricket_pagol]

Ash batting at 6 does not make sense... Our most talented batsmen should come at 4 or 5. Personally I would like to see him bat at #4.

[IanW]

He's the best batsman, so he bats at three.

Ian Whitchurch

[AsifTheManRahman]

The best batsman should bat up the order. I want to see him at 4. I also think we'll be wasting Mushfiq unless we play him at least at 5.

[shovon13]

ashraful should eventually be batting up the order, preferably at no.3 for both the oneday and test version of cricket. for the series at hand though, we should keep him around 5/6 and not mess with the combination.

[Sovik]

4-5, 6 will be a waste.

[One World]

This is a very interesting poll. For current stage of Bangladesh batting either Mushfik or Ashraful needs to be on the 5th position.

[kaisermatin]

Nafees 1
Belim 2
Rajin 3
Ash 4
Mushfiq 5
Bash 6
7
8
9
10

[sadi]

He should bat at number 4. Whatever Mahela said do make sense. If the team is down 40/4, we have already gave the game to the opponent's hand. Our team's best batsman shouldn't hide behind other batsmen but should come out and take control of things himself. I would want Ash to come at number 4 and Tushar can come at number 3. Rajin follows Ash and then Bashar, Mushfiq and Mehrab.

[scoilaheez]

Ash comes in at 4 as he has to take the responsibility. He cannot hide anymore, Hablu is not performing and so we need a solid no 4, with Rajin to be at 3.

[Rabz]

The best batman of the team always bats at No.3

They hold the innings together and everyone else plays around them.
Not only he has the ability to score runs, but also at a good rate.
This way the pressure is off for the batsman on the other end and they can build a partnership.

More often than not, when Ash comes to bat at No.6, he is under intense pressure. The team is like 50/5 or 80/6.
At that point, no matter how great u are, u r bound by ur limitations and the extreme situation. He have to bat with the tail enders which obstracts him from playing his natural game.

He should, and he must come up the order.
Atleast at No 3 or 4.
Enough said.

[Padosan]

Logic is simple, he is in a good form after the century. He needs more time in the middle, if he comes out at 6, most probably than not he will run out of partners. We cannot expect mushfiq to perform every innings.

If he comes in at no3/4 the probability of a big partnership clicking is more. so 3 or 4 rather than getting stranded in one end coming at no.6

cheers !
Padosan

[Beamer]

Originally Posted by sadi
He should bat at number 4. Whatever Mahela said do make sense. If the team is down 40/4, we have already gave the game to the opponent's hand. Our team's best batsman shouldn't hide behind other batsmen but should come out and take control of things himself. I would want Ash to come at number 4 and Tushar can come at number 3. Rajin follows Ash and then Bashar, Mushfiq and Mehrab.

Thanks for saving me some time to write. You get it. This is what the line up should like for the 3rd test.

[BD Tigers]

Mahela is not against us. what he said make sense. the best batsman and then in form batsman shud come as early as possible. Saying that in form Bashar shud come in 1st down but since he's not, Rajin is fine, then Ash, then Bashar/Tusher.

[ialbd]

he should still bat at number 6, ppl batting at the top order should learn to do their part.....

[Ahmed_B]

So many people here are against/in favor of Ash playing at no.6(even the poll mentions him as a no.6).... but Ash isn't playing at no.6 at all! He's played at no.5 even in the previous Test.

#1/2 positions are for openers
#Its ok to put Rajin in 3 or 4. He's a gritty guy and we need him there after the first 2 wickets fall.
# Ash himself has been complaining when he has been put below the no.5 position and has always hinted that no.5 his best for him. Most of his best performances came when he was @5. So we cant argue with him being in his best at that position.
# I have to say... if we cant find 2 good players for no3 & no4.. then we better not expect anything satisfactory from the team. IMO... someone from Mushfiq/Aftab/Tushar/Mehrab has to come in and be at 3+4 with Rajin(if Bashar fails to perform).

Leave Ash @5.

[mali007]

Look at other countries ----- #4 position is for the best batsman. Ash. should be in that position. Bashar should be dropped for the 3rd test and if he get chance by neputism he should bat at # 7.