Knowing we have 3 ducks at the top, what would you do in 2nd test? [merged]

I feel Pakistan is playing with only 3 bats. we need to stop dreaming about the so called specialist openers with poor technique to do anything in NZ. I would take out Shoib, Kurram, and Imran. we should play Misbah, Butt and Yasir. Not the best choice but better than what we have now. I hope shoib proves me wrong today.

Unfair to drop after one test. Any change should only be considered after the second test

For now and for ever
http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/s...ead.php?t=34871

I agree. Butt, Misbah and Arafat will shore up the batting and bowling as we need a 5th bowler as well which Arafat could very well be. I would bring in Kaneria in place of Ajmal. I feel that Ajmal is a threat in the shorter versions of the game as he keeps the runs down but in this test the NZ batsmen were very comfortable against him.

Butt
Younis ( gun point per force karo to go to NZ)
Yousuf
Umar Akmal
Misbah
Faisal Iqbal
Kamran

Next test is on a flattest track in NZ

MoYo has to bat up the order & as some one suggested my be try Butt in the middle order ..but am not a big fan of making too many changes after every match .

It would be miracle if we win this test. We will loose series if we wait another test. I hope I m wrong.

I like this idea. Not sure what Faisal can do, may be let Fawad come down the order.

Butt
Kami
Misbah
MoYo
Iqbal
Fawad
Aamir
Gul
Ajmal
Asif

Not sure how Fawad managed to average close to 60 in 1st class cricket

For the 2nd test PAK should give a call to Younis and bring back Butt

I have said long time here on this forum, Fawad is over rated player and has no technique to play short balls and he will always be tested against quickies.

Butt
Akmal
Yousuf
Umar Akmal
Misbah
Faisal Iqbal
Sarfaraz ( for his better technique than malik, fawad, Manzoor and farhat) forget wicket keeping

and probably can catch the ball in the slips

1.Salman Butt
2.Ahmed Shahzad
3.Younis Khan (c)
4.Mohammad Yousuf
5.Umar Akmal
6.Misbah Ul Haq
7.Kamran Akmal (wk)
8.Mohammad Aamer
9.Mohammad Asif
10.Mohammad Talha
11.Danish Kaneria

Alam was exposed yet again today....being his fan all this time, I am very disappointed with his shot selection today....prior to being dismissed, he wasn't looking good either.

Looks like his career is headed to a sad ending....

He shouldn't be batting at # 3

In the next test match i would have Kamran at 3 and Fawad down at 6

Hopefully Younis comes back ASAP

i did not have much expectations from the top two but felt that alam might do something today. i wont be expecting much from alam after today.

dont know what the hell is younis waiting for....he can play only 1 first class match before aus tour.....he is waiting for just 1 match to come back...he shud rather get his form back in international cricket because others arent doin anything

i have the feeling that Younus will be brought back for 2nd or 3rd test. this was a good chance for him to get his form back because Aussies will be brutal.

But then its his decision to rest

you hit the bulls eye with that one

True say, I don't think Fawad is YET properly ready for the number 3 spot. He'd be more suited to coming in where Kamran bats, maybe batting alongside Umar if the situation gets bad. But that can't happen until Younis comes back.

2nd Test

Butt
Manzoor
Fawad
Yousuf
Umar
Misbah
Kamran
Gul
Aamer
Asif
Ajmal

He wanted a rest, not a chance to get back in form. Sometimes its better to get away from the game for a bit.

and his test form wasnt bad...it was his odi form....he scored couple of half centuries in Sl test and and not long ago a 300.....tht is the problem....we dont differnetiate between test and odi...and hence end up wid odi players in tests

As usual, PP'ers heroes are those sitting 1,000 miles away from the venue. Let's keep YK out of the discussion until the Aussie series.

This pitch has deteriorated like no tomorrow. However, herding the lefties together at the top is poor captaincy/coaching. MoYo needs to come out earlier; he needs to coach his boys as they play.

Butt
Manzoor (Last Chance?)
MoYo
Misbah
U Akmal
Fawad
K Akmal
Aamer
Gul
Asif
Ajmal

Alternatively, K Akmal to open, and Faisal Iqbal to bat at #7 (no Manzoor). Faisal is in the squad, so worth a try.

The mere fact that the likes of Farhat, Manzoor, Alam are able to score runs like kings in domestic cricket only exposes our domestic cricket for what it is. Absolute crap.

We don't need a miracle. Two words Umar Akmal

Next match I would play 2 keepers and open with Safaraz Ahmed
S. Butt
Safaraz Ahmed
MoYo
Misbah
U Akmal
Faisal Iqbal
K Akmal
Aamer
Gul
Asif
Kaneria

Umar and Fawad should switch spots.

Also, I'd like to see Bhanja play. Yes I'm serious.

Drop Farhat for him.

poor technique of shoaib malik exposed again......got out of a short ball just like fawad alam....

does really look horrible, doesnt he? But again Khurram Manzoor also scores alot of runs in our domestic season and so does Khalid Latif

as much as people wanna take out malik, who are you going to replace him with that is better. NOBODY, so he must stay on for the next match. the three players at the top need to be replaced. If any of those 3 is retained it should be Alam. He can come down the order and have shoaib malik come in at 3.

I think the only change that needs to be made is the dropping of Imran Farhat. He's the single reason we haven't won this match yet, and why we might lose it soon. The rest deserve another game to prove themselves.

we are loosing this game bcoz of the top three. they have contributed nothing. a 30-40 runs from the openers would have been enough.

It's going to be worst at welington. It has more pace and bounce. We can't keep the status quo.

Its hard to beleive that with so many cricketers in Pak, we don't have proper batsman coming up. I think the problem lies in domestic pitches that give score to loose/flashy players. Players with good technique and compact defense may not be the highest scorers. The selection must choose players based on their temperament, technique, and shots than only stats in the domestic cricket. I would think that they can come up 30 top players who qualify for selection but they must pass technical review by key coaches. I m sure we can find better players than top three we played against NZ.

I think the only problem we have is in the opening position. 3, 4 & 5 is now pretty much set with YK, Moyo and Omar. We do have a very good bowling attack. If can find the good opening pair, our future looks promising. Kamran can sure open with Khalid Latif. Khalid Latif showed good technique in ODI. I am really surprised why wasn't he picked for the test match. He in fact looked better test batsman than ODI

You cant expect Kamran to keep all day and open its unfair

Kamran as a batsman and Sarfaraz as wicketkeeper

Playing Salman butt in middle order is plain silly,he can,t play new ball, he can,t play Spin to save his life, he will be a sitting duck for Vettori.And he will never ever be a average batsman in tests even.
An opener has to be a good batsmen of spin as well as fast bowling if he has to keep a decent record as a test player.Butt can,t even play damn Paul harris!

When will they get out of this vicious cycle of Butt/farhat/hameed/Manzoor then again farhat/butt/hameed again and again and again.They all are proven failures already.Period

Get someone new from domestic based on good technic and not just on amount of runs.

Agree no need to make any changes untill the second test when the series is already decided.

First of all Manzoor, Farhat definitely should be out.

I would bring in Sarfaraz Ahmed as one of the replacements, he has a batting average in the mid 40s and will be less likely to give his wkt away. Even if he doesn't score many runs he might at least see of the new ball. Another option would be for him to keep wkt in say the 2nd inns and get Kamran Akmal to open.

Butt
Sarfaraz
Fawad
Yousuf
Akmal U
Misbah
Akmal K
Aamer
Gul
Asif
Ajmal/kaneria

If there is no change in the selection for 2nd test, we are doomed. Imran needs to go as quick as possible.

yes his technique may not be very good but he seems to be very hard working and content on improving. I think if given chance he can improve or improvise over his short comings.

I am afraid I cannot say the same to some others like Farhat or Butt or even Malik who have been around and have not improved the technique much.

I hope you noticed my sarcasm...

No one is going to take you guys seriously for calling Alam to be dropped. He's played 3 test matches, with 1 big century already. Give it a rest. Can't you ever accept that a batsman can be out to a good ball? Jeez-

I noticed I just validated your concern

I would request selectors to keep me as an opener... I can score 1 one even on the deadliest of bowling attacks.

I can promise average of 10 and I won't even ask for pay. I can also take at least 50% of my catches in the slip, better average than Imran.

Well i will try to persuade NZ board to play test match with 9 players in each team. If NZ board agrees to this we have a good chance to win the test series.

I feel like forcing Afridi and Nazir to play in 2nd Test at gun point! Will force them to open. They can't be any worse. We will also get Afridi as a spinner and 2 really good fielders! Wouldn't also mind dragging Yonus all they way from Pakistan to stop whining and play at #3!

Sounds good. Afridi and Nazir. If they click would be great. And they can't do any worse than our current openers

Will ppl make up their minds...not long ago, ppl were moaning Fawad is'nt being given any chances & that he needs to bat up the order...