'Rameez ready to represent Pakistan'

[Ahson Afzal]

'Rameez ready to represent Pakistan'
ESPNcricinfo staff
July 4, 2011
Be the first to comment | Post yours as Ahson Afzal | Text size: A | A


Karachi Dolphins batsman Rameez Raja jnr, who was the top scorer in the recently-concluded Faysal Bank Super Eight T-20 Cup, has earned praise from a former national selector and his Karachi coach for his performance, with calls for his inclusion in the national side.

"Rameez is ready to represent Pakistan and this is the best time that he is put in the team, as he is going through a purple patch," Shoaib Mohammad, a former national selector, told the News on Sunday.

"His consistent performances show that his batting displays are no fluke and he has the potential to excel," Mohammad said. "Now the selectors should induct him to test his mettle."

Rameez made 238 runs from five games at strike-rate of 159.73 with two half-centuries, outscoring his team-mates Asad Shafiq, Shahzaib Hasan and Fawad Alam, who have already made their international debuts. Earlier this year, he was also the top-scorer in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Division One, with 801 runs from 11 games, including two centuries and five half-centuries.

Karachi coach Azam Khan said Rameez's performances were a reflection of his ability. "His performances speak for his talent and potential and he doesn't need anyone's support to break into the national side," Khan said. "He was superb throughout and never showed any signs of nerves. He is suitable for all three formats."

© ESPN EMEA Ltd.

[Rana]

Good! This boy has to continue his gutsy performances at the highest level. His confidence is his key! something our batsmen have lacked.

[Eagle_Eye]

Yes lets draft him in with an average of 28 at 1st class level!!....

Some fans need to wake up!!

[Fireworks11]

Cool. Everyone wants to live the dream. :amir :afridi

[Hando]

I'm just waiting for what Rameez Raja Sr. says in the Commentry box when Rameez Raja Jr is playing

[Rana]

Yes lets draft him in with an average of 28 at 1st class level!!....

Some fans need to wake up!!

Who wants to Draft him into Test cricket? give him a shot at T20 first, feel the electricity of top level before sending him into the real deal.

T20 is crap overall, but its an ideal platform to launch youngsters.

[shahidafridi123]

I'm just waiting for what Rameez Raja Sr. says in the Commentry box when Rameez Raja Jr is playing

Same here, was about to post that when I saw u posted it as well.

[pakistanigoneaussie]

I'm just waiting for what Rameez Raja Sr. says in the Commentry box when Rameez Raja Jr is playing

"I have better hair"

[akheR]

I'm just waiting for what Rameez Raja Sr. says in the Commentry box when Rameez Raja Jr is playing

"Smooth operator with a majestic name flattering his immense talent" :raja
And his averages are certainly not impressive, that's sure, but if he's in form, we should give him a chance, in T20 at least.

[ash 68]

speaking of father and son combo, what will happen when Tendu Jr and Tendu Snr are batting together in 2018?

Do People really think RR Junior is that good?

[Sultan Yusuf]

Is he really his son? If so, please do not include him. I'm not doubting his talent, but I will lose the will to live if he follows dad's footsteps in the commentary box.

[pakistanigoneaussie]

He is NOT rameez raja the commentator/ 1992 winners's son or relative

[iZaman]

Why do people call him Jr?
He is Rameez Raja (2)

[Legend Killer]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/134600/134601.2.jpg

Rameez Raja jnr has impressed with his strong performance in the Faysal Bank Super Eight T-20 Cup © Dr Naeem Ashraf


Karachi Dolphins batsman Rameez Raja jnr, who was the top scorer in the recently-concluded Faysal Bank Super Eight T-20 Cup, has earned praise from a former national selector and his Karachi coach for his performance, with calls for his inclusion in the national side.

"Rameez is ready to represent Pakistan and this is the best time that he is put in the team, as he is going through a purple patch," Shoaib Mohammad, a former national selector, told the News on Sunday.

"His consistent performances show that his batting displays are no fluke and he has the potential to excel," Mohammad said. "Now the selectors should induct him to test his mettle."

Rameez made 238 runs from five games at a strike-rate of 159.73 with two half-centuries, outscoring his team-mates Asad Shafiq, Shahzaib Hasan and Fawad Alam, who have already made their international debuts. Earlier this year, he was also the top-scorer in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Division One, with 801 runs from 11 games, including two centuries and five half-centuries.

Karachi coach Azam Khan said Rameez's performances were a reflection of his ability. "His performances speak for his talent and potential and he doesn't need anyone's support to break into the national side," Khan said. "He was superb throughout and never showed any signs of nerves. He is suitable for all three formats."

http://www.espncricinfo.com/faysal-2020cup-2011/content/story/521939.html

[Gollum]

Karachi guys may be forgiven for being biased towards their own :P

He may deserve some consideration for T20 format (in the squad not in the playing XI at the start), but it will be a stretch to consider him for other formats since his numbers are poor.

[Saqs]

Suitable for all three formats? I haven't seen much of him in whites, but if it's true, then that's brilliant. But judging by his T20 performances alone, he seems to quite enjoy the odd slog-sweep.

[Fireworks11]

Thread already exists.

http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/showthread.php?t=132098

[Desi_Joker]

Can we really judge him based on a tournament where the high profile players from other teams weren't playing? He had it easy this time around...

No Rana, Gul, Ajmal.

I think it's too early to give him a call to the national side based on this tournament. Let him prove himself in some other domestic competitions as well.

[Legend Killer]

Can we really judge him based on a tournament where the high profile players from other teams weren't playing? He had it easy this time around...

No Rana, Gul, Ajmal.

I think it's too early to give him a call to the national side based on this tournament. Let him prove himself in some other domestic competitions as well.

I guess you missed this part:
he was also the top-scorer in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Division One, with 801 runs from 11 games, including two centuries and five half-centuri


His stats might not be impressive but he has been the top run scorer in the pervious two domestic, which is an impressive feat

[Gollum]

His stats might not be impressive but he has been the top run scorer in the pervious two domestic, which is an impressive feat

Then I suggest we wait a little bit more and see how he does in the next season or two to see if this wasn't a one-off great year in his career. He is still quite young, and has a long time to cement his place in the team. He has a very good T20 record though and we can start him from there.

[Desi_Joker]

I guess you missed this part:
he was also the top-scorer in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Division One, with 801 runs from 11 games, including two centuries and five half-centuri


His stats might not be impressive but he has been the top run scorer in the pervious two domestic, which is an impressive feat

No I read that, but I admit I didn't explain my point very clearly... or at all to be honest.

I reckon first thing selectors will do is throw him in an ODI/T20 squad based on these results and not directly into test match cricket. If he does end up getting selected for the test squad (unlikely) then fair enough, he has scored the most amounts of runs in the 1st league of our domestic 4 day competition.

However, he does not warrant a place in the ODI side based on his first-class (4 day games) stats. We all know tests and ODI's require different sets of skills in order to be succesful in the format.

For T20, I'm not entirely convinced because of the quality of bowling on display for most of the tournament. He did play very well in the final against the Rams but even they only really had one class bowler in :raza

Would've loved to see how he would go against the likes of Rana, Gul, Ajmal and Wahab in order to get a clearer picture but they obviously had other commitments at the time.

[shahidafridi123]

Hope he plays against Zimbabwe as a warm-up and then against SL, his first challenging team. We need a smiley for him.

[pakcricketfan]

Get him into the national T20 team - that's about it.

Also, keep him in the Pakistan A team for four-day and one day matches.

[sunnysheikh420]

Just found out that Rameez is also a part-time model

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ng7nSr13Pdw

[AZ]

And a nice guy as well, had the chance to chat with him at the NCA camp and he was in good spirits.

Was bandaged all over the place though, had certainly been in the wars :)

Should be drafted into the T20 and perhaps ODI team immediatey.

[ElRaja]

rameez "zoolander" raja

could he be the first cricketer to be in a mobile ad before making international debut?

[Blitz]

This isn't football or tennis.

Statistics, for the most part, do tell the whole story.

Especially when you've played as many matches as him.

Averaging less then 30 on the flat tracks of Pakistan where he's grown up? What chance does he have on green, bouncy tracks, with over cast conditions?

Should not be given a chance until everyone who averages 50, almost twice as much as him, has been given a go.

[Poison]

Disagree ... really needs to work on his off side game. Is basically Imran Nazir in terms of his leg side game but with a bit more consistency ... needs to work on off side game.

[srh]

I would draft him into the Pakistan T20 team right away. He is head and shoulders above couple of batsmen in the current Pakistan T20 team.

[pakistanigoneaussie]

He reminds me of Ross Taylor

[AZ]

This isn't football or tennis.

Statistics, for the most part, do tell the whole story.

Especially when you've played as many matches as him.

Averaging less then 30 on the flat tracks of Pakistan where he's grown up? What chance does he have on green, bouncy tracks, with over cast conditions?

Should not be given a chance until everyone who averages 50, almost twice as much as him, has been given a go.

Then why are you not reading the stat of him topping the QeA and FBT20 charts?

Thankfully he is not technically retarded, bats in an attacking fashion at the top of the order and is a very good fielder as well.

Perfect for our T20 and maybe ODI team which is crying out for a number 3.

[srh]

^T20 yes, ODI no. He needs 2-3 visits with Pakistan A team first before getting into ODI team.

[Shayan]

Who wants to Draft him into Test cricket? give him a shot at T20 first, feel the electricity of top level before sending him into the real deal.

T20 is crap overall, but its an ideal platform to launch youngsters.

Karachi guys may be forgiven for being biased towards their own :P

He may deserve some consideration for T20 format (in the squad not in the playing XI at the start), but it will be a stretch to consider him for other formats since his numbers are poor.

Then I suggest we wait a little bit more and see how he does in the next season or two to see if this wasn't a one-off great year in his career. He is still quite young, and has a long time to cement his place in the team. He has a very good T20 record though and we can start him from there.

Get him into the national T20 team - that's about it.

Also, keep him in the Pakistan A team for four-day and one day matches.

I would draft him into the Pakistan T20 team right away. He is head and shoulders above couple of batsmen in the current Pakistan T20 team.



Am I the only one that thinks drafting youngsters into the T20 team is a terrible idea? Why are we encouraging players to essentially become sloggers? By doing this, a batsman with a proper technique has a tougher chance of playing for Pakistan.

I know it's not going to happen, but I would never select players solely for T20s. They should be selected for ODIs and Test cricket only, and then the T20 team should essentially be the same as the ODI team.

The more we encourage players to play T20s, the sooner the standard of cricket will deteriorate.

[AZ]

SRH he played for the A team vs the Afghans.

Plus we are playing Zimbabwe next up, great opportunity to give young blokes like Sharjeel, Rameez, Jamal Anwar and Raza Hasan a chance.

[IM NOT YOU]

Am I the only one that thinks drafting youngsters into the T20 team is a terrible idea? Why are we encouraging players to essentially become sloggers? By doing this, a batsman with a proper technique has a tougher chance of playing for Pakistan.

I know it's not going to happen, but I would never select players solely for T20s. They should be selected for ODIs and Test cricket only, and then the T20 team should essentially be the same as the ODI team.

The more we encourage players to play T20s, the sooner the standard of cricket will deteriorate.

we draft them into a format where making quickfire 20s is an average score and then when they make quickfire 20s we say they dont have "technique" or "temperament" and when they score a slow 30 or 40 we say they are responsible for losing and drop them

ex) fawad alam, khalid latif, shahzaib hassan, asad shafiq(was dropped twice based on t20 play), etc etc etc etc


then we wonder why our best domestic batsman dont make an impression, after we drop them over t20s and then give them one last "second chance" for 2 out of 5 ODI's and if they fail in even one theyre gone forever

[Blitz]

Then why are you not reading the stat of him topping the QeA and FBT20 charts?

Thankfully he is not technically retarded, bats in an attacking fashion at the top of the order and is a very good fielder as well.

Perfect for our T20 and maybe ODI team which is crying out for a number 3.
Yes, top scorer in the QeA trophy. But 11 of the top 13 average more then him. A lot of them by massive margins. By massive, I mean theres guys averaging 60s, 80s and even into the 100s.

A lot of them have played less matches. Don't they deserve a chance more?


T20 would probably be the opportunity to give him a chance. Can't hurt. Our whole T20 team is made up of no technique or brainless idiots.

Also, the FBT20 cup. The one with 4 matches or 5 was it?

[srh]

Am I the only one that thinks drafting youngsters into the T20 team is a terrible idea? Why are we encouraging players to essentially become sloggers? By doing this, a batsman with a proper technique has a tougher chance of playing for Pakistan.

I know it's not going to happen, but I would never select players solely for T20s. They should be selected for ODIs and Test cricket only, and then the T20 team should essentially be the same as the ODI team.

The more we encourage players to play T20s, the sooner the standard of cricket will deteriorate.
you are right. But the problem is current Pakistan T20 team is a lot more weaker than the current Pakistan ODI and Test teams. And this guy's game is tailor-made for limited over cricket and in the current Pakistan T20 team there are players whose T20 game is not as good as his T20 game. Hence the logical step is to draft him in T20 team right away to improve Pakistan T20 team.

In Tests I feel there are better players than him waiting for their turns and therefore they should get preference before him.

For his selection in ODI team, I would first include him in 1-2 away tours of Pakistan A and judge him. If he excels on Pakistan A away tours (like Umar Akmal or Asad Shafiq) then I would include him in ODI team 15 memeber squad. If he bombs on Pakistan A away tours (like Navid Yasin or Amir Sajjad) then he needs to improve his game before thinking about entry in ODI team.

[sunnykhan]

we draft them into a format where making quickfire 20s is an average score and then when they make quickfire 20s we say they dont have "technique" or "temperament" and when they score a slow 30 or 40 we say they are responsible for losing and drop them

ex) fawad alam, khalid latif, shahzaib hassan, asad shafiq(was dropped twice based on t20 play), etc etc etc etc


then we wonder why our best domestic batsman dont make an impression, after we drop them over t20s and then give them one last "second chance" for 2 out of 5 ODI's and if they fail in even one theyre gone forever

+1. I fully agree with your post. Fans judge every player on one performance.

[kingusama92]

I don't know why, but I feel he isn't ready.

Even during the T20 tournament, he wasn't THAT amazing. He scored runs, but they were more slog shots that came off.

Zain Abbas looked miles better.

[kkmix]

I don't know why, but I feel he isn't ready.

Even during the T20 tournament, he wasn't THAT amazing. He scored runs, but they were more slog shots that came off.

Zain Abbas looked miles better.

lol very short term memory you have. Time for you to check the highlights again. :ajmal

[Justcrazy]

He should be a part of ODI team. That way he would be tested better. 20 20 is not the right platform to judge a youngster, it can be fatal for someone who is talented.

[Usman]

I have no problem with bringing him in for t20s only. Every other team has t20 specialists so why can't we? Even if he does turn out to be a bit of a slogger, I think itls better than just replicating our odi team in t20s. For example, the likes of Asad Shafiq or Fawad Alam shouldn't be anywhere near the t20 side. Even Younus Khan, though he may be our T20 World Cup winning captain, still should not be in the team. We need aggressive batsmen, especially if we're not going to pick Kamran Akmal to open anymore. Hafeez, Misbah and Umer take up three batting spots, but there are another four remaining if you include the keeper's spot. For me, Afridi and Razzaq take another two, so now you have two left. One goes to an aggressive keeper, who I think should be Adnan Akmal, leaving one spot open for another batsman. So there's a spot open for Rameez I would say.

[kingusama92]

lol very short term memory you have. Time for you to check the highlights again. :ajmal

He reminded me a lot of Khalid Latif.

He's fine for T20 cricket, I suppose.

[zubair007]

If he is in such great form, I think there's nothing wrong in exposing him to international cricket and see how he fares there. There are two things that MUST be adhered to:
1) Give him a fair chance - 6-8 matches atleast to display his talent
2) If he does not perform, send him back to domestic cricket for a couple of years to hone his skills ... but DO GIVE HIM ANOTHER CHANCE in international cricket to see if he has become any better. Don't give up on him forever.

Often, potentially great cricketers may be dumped because of sudden bad form or extreme pressure causing them to freeze up during crunch time. It is important to give them a second chance to shine through. If they do, then Pakistan cricket will stand to gain.