Poor Riyad

Dhurr · #1 January 17, 2009, 08:11 PM

He gets drafted into the team after some brilliant batting in the domestic league (four centuries, IIRC) but gets dropped to #8 in the batting order in his very first game back (which means his batting isn't rated very highly by the coach/captain). OK, so maybe they see him as an all-rounder... or do they? He is only allowed to bowl two overs in the game. Fine, it's a weather-curtailed match, so he didn't get much of a chance to bowl. Maybe in the next game he will get to bowl more?

Not really. He didn't get to bowl even one delivery. In a match where Bangladesh bowled almost its entire quota of overs, Riyad didn't get a chance to bowl. He did get a chance to bat though. He was bumped up the batting order from #8 to... wait for it... #7. By the time he comes in to bat, Bangladesh was teetering on the edge of defeat at 54/5. In a pitch every batsman found difficult to bat in, Riyad played well and formed a partnership with Raqibul. He scored 26 valuable runs, which not only helped stop the collapse but also let us have a(n eventual) fighting total. These runs also came in good time. Riyad scored 26 off just 36 deliveries, by rotating the strike well and striking a couple of loose deliveries for fours and a short delivery for six. OK, so when finally given a chance to show his batting prowess, Riyad played a decent innings. Sure, he could have added some more runs, and sure, we would have liked to see him stay longer at the crease with Raqibul but under the circumstances, he did a decent job.

So the only chance that he got, he actually did a decent job and that's why I feel bad for Riyad: he doesn't get enough opportunities. If you draft a batsman, then let him bat. Don't send him in at #8 or #7. No batsman can succeed batting that low in the order. Who is he supposed to form partnerships with? Rubel and Nazmul? If you draft him as a bowler, then let him bowl. Don't let him bowl just two out of a possible eighty or so overs.

If the team's coach and captain thinks that Riyad is not a good bowling option and so he shouldn't bowl in ODIs, they should either treat him like a batsman or they should drop him for a bowler. If they think he is not a good enough batsman (and they obviously did think that - by slotting him for #8 in his first game and sending him in at #7 in the second), they should either let him bowl to earn his keep or they should select who they think is a proper batsman instead. If they think he is an allrounder, then they should let him play like an all-rounder, not a bowler who bowls two overs in one game and comes in at #8, or a batsman who comes in at #7 and doesn't bowl one ball.

Maybe Riyad will get more opportunities against Zimbabwe, and maybe he will fail when given those opportunities, but please let him have the chance to succeed. If he can't, then you can say it's his fault, but if he isn't even allowed that opportunity, then all I can do is feel bad for poor Riyad.

sbsash · #2 January 17, 2009, 08:39 PM

yeah,he should swap with Ash (meaning Ash take his place and he takes 4)

Rommel · #3 January 17, 2009, 08:51 PM

So who do you suggest he bats in front of? Just because he had a good domestic season doesn't mean he has the right to bat in front of Ash, Tamim, Mushy, Shakib, Junaid or anyone else. let him earn his stripes in the lower middle order first.

Rifat · #4 January 17, 2009, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ro1249
So who do you suggest he bats in front of? Just because he had a good domestic season doesn't mean he has the right to bat in front of Ash, Tamim, Mushy, Shakib, Junaid or anyone else. let him earn his stripes in the lower middle order first.

look, someone who is Gritty, has good grip, puts a high price on his wicket, knows how to rotate strike well, i would take him over people like Siddique, Tamim, Ashraful(all inconsistent batsmen) any day

he should move up the order...

Gowza · #5 January 17, 2009, 09:11 PM

i have a feeling this issue will last a few more years with BD, their strength seems to be with the spinning allrounders, shakib has solidified his spot in the team, naeem and riyad are still trying to cement a spot in the team and nasir hossain, shuvo and marshall ayub are on the way. though if the specialist batsmen continue the way they have been then they may be dropped and the team might be filled up with these allrounders (assuming their batting develops well enough).

Gowza · #6 January 17, 2009, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rifat
look, someone who is Gritty, has good grip, puts a high price on his wicket, knows how to rotate strike well, i would take him over people like Siddique, Tamim, Ashraful(all inconsistent batsmen) any day

he should move up the order...

i could see him batting where ash is and dropping ash down the order, but i don't see tamim being moved out of the top 2, junaid yeah but riyad isn't an opener though i suppose with the way the opening partnership has been going lately that trying riyad as opener wouldn't do too much damage.

mishu · #7 January 17, 2009, 09:20 PM

he should switch with mushy in odi

sadi · #8 January 17, 2009, 10:34 PM

Good point. I guess the best way to handle your concern is by letting him bowl few overs in every game and treat him like a batting allrounder. But I can't see him move much up than the number 7 though. He has to bat there and adjust. Someone has to be the last batman or second last batsman and deal with the tailenders. There is no way around it.

shabbir · #9 January 17, 2009, 11:28 PM

captain can easily make or break of any promising players.Great Imran Khan was made the fortune of player like Wasim Akram,Inzam and so many.He was also guilty of ruin career of Kasim Omar,Moinul Atiq,Anil dolpot etc.Last match I have seen Riad was most fluent batsman under tough condition.He was playing confidently.But our dumb Captain forgotten he had decent off spinner in his line up.He broke into National team as bowling allrounder but hadly getting any bowl.Who will answer this???????????

betaar · #10 January 17, 2009, 11:42 PM

I think Raqibul should comein at #3 with Ash, Shakib, Naeem to follow. Riyad and Mushy should come in afterward depending on the overs left and the situation of the game. I know a lot of BS members think Mushy should come in at #3 but I disagree. Mushy has good technique but a little slow when it comes to facing new ball and quicker bowlers on a fast bouncy pitch. Long story short, Riyad should come #6 or #7.

Nadim · #11 January 18, 2009, 12:37 AM

guys i was reading some newspaper yesterday............the reason rahim came bat at number 3 because he wanted to........bcb said if rahim dont want to bats at number 3(against zim) it will be ash,riyad or nayeem gonna bat number 3.btw ash don't want to bat at number 3..so riyad got a gd chance to come at number 3.

Ajfar · #12 January 18, 2009, 01:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nadim 98
guys i was reading some newspaper yesterday............the reason rahim came bat at number 3 because he wanted to........bcb said if rahim dont want to bats at number 3(against zim) it will be ash,riyad or nayeem gonna bat number 3.btw ash don't want to bat at number 3..so riyad got a gd chance to come at number 3.

aieta abar kon dhoroner niyom or jekhane icha bat korbe mamabarir abdar naki...he may have a preference..but its up to the team management to make the final call

Nadim · #13 January 18, 2009, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bangladesh_sy
aieta abar kon dhoroner niyom or jekhane icha bat korbe mamabarir abdar naki...he may have a preference..but its up to the team management to make the final call

yeah the management ask him and rahim said yessssssssss...and ash says noooooooooo

Farhad · #14 January 18, 2009, 01:55 AM

I'm glad they didn't give him a chance to bowl. I've seen him bowl. I don't think you can technically call someone a bowler if they've got a 48+ List A bowling average in a league as weak as ours. I do think he should be pushed up the batting order though. #7 really is way too low...

Yasin. · #15 January 18, 2009, 02:30 AM

Reminds me of Fawad Alam (Pakistan Cricketer). Both are batsmen who can bowl a bit. Both are spinners. Both have scored heavily in domestic cricket. Both come late down the order inspite of being good batsmen. Riyad not picked in the playing XI versus Zimbabwe. And now Fawad not picked for the first ODI versus Sri Lanka, even though he hasnt put one wrong foot forward.

Baundule · #16 January 18, 2009, 02:55 AM

Agree with you. Riyadh seemed to be one of the best men in form, beside Sakib and Mashrafe. If he is playing, the management must ensure that he is properly used. In cricket form matters more that anything else.

Realistically,with players of medicore abilities, like we have, it is a dillema to choose between specialists and all rounders. A team actually does not need more than one good allrounder. But the average of our specialist batsmen and that of our tailenders are very similar. We depend on the tailenders very often. If the toporder starts scoring runs consistently,part of the problem will be solved. Now we have Sakib, Naeem, Riyadh, in some extent Mashrafe,Ashraful and Nirala as allrounders. With such situation, an underutilization is very much on the card.

Shaan · #17 January 18, 2009, 03:23 AM

I liked Riyad the way he batted in the final, the guy looked very solid while he was in the crease, to me he is quite ok the position he is batting now, let him have some more experience of batting in this level of cricket at the current position of batting order and then later he might come up on top order with sefl confidence.

checkmate · #18 January 18, 2009, 03:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ro1249
So who do you suggest he bats in front of? Just because he had a good domestic season doesn't mean he has the right to bat in front of Ash, Tamim, Mushy, Shakib, Junaid or anyone else. let him earn his stripes in the lower middle order first.

what did ash do, to earn his position? please dont tell that 4 years back he won us a game and if he gets going we have a genuine chance of winning.riad showed much better performance than ash in that match even after coming at no 7.

mijanur · #19 January 18, 2009, 05:20 AM

swap him with mushy

Nadim · #20 January 18, 2009, 05:40 AM

riyad has been improved his tecnique and also batting style since Asia cup...gd to see player are learning...........

mijanur · #21 January 18, 2009, 05:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nadim 98
riyad has been improved his tecnique and also batting style since Asia cup...gd to see player are learning...........

was he playin in the asia cup????

Nadim · #22 January 18, 2009, 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mijanur
was he playin in the asia cup????

yup

mijanur · #23 January 18, 2009, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nadim 98
yup

didnt really notice him lol

bangla-red · #24 January 18, 2009, 07:02 AM

He hit 24 off 36 balls vs India, where Kapali hit 115 off 96 balls.

scoilaheez · #25 January 18, 2009, 07:55 AM

I think he could even open the batting with Tamim but that maybe too high of an elevation. I like his bowling and think it to be as good as Naeem's. He is worth a go as an ODI specialist ESPECIALLY in matches that are in BD coz pacers rarely bowl their full quota in BD (except for Mash).