phoenixdesi

I am still not sure of Yousaf’s batting strategy (if he has one)…yes he played a great against india but his fundamental approach to modern one day cricket is not in alignment with master players’ approach. We do need someone to play the anchor role but that player needs to score around a strike rate of 80 or above. That is exactly how ponting, tendulkar, sagakara, jaywardna, kallis build their innings.

Yousaf is so slow that it starts taking toll on other players and they start losing wickets to accelerate the run-rate at important phases. The only reason yousaf flourished against india was because malik accelerated dramatically between 34th and 42th overs and it took pressure off Yousaf to take any risk. Had Malik lost his wicket after 30th over, Yousaf would have sunk further deep into his hole. He is simply not that kind of player who can switch gears and hit big such as razzaq, malik etc. That is why it is critical for him to keep momentum and keep scoring around 90% strike rate throughout the innings.

His strategy and approach to ODI game needs some fine-tuning and adjustment but we do need him in the team now that we will be playing most of our cricket in Aus, NZ and England on bouncy and seamy pitches.

samb

against India, it was Yousuf who took the initiative first... even though Malik became the aggressor... and even today, Yousuf played slower than usual because we were down to our last batting pair around the 21st over... there was nothing behind him. so he had to make sure that he didn't lose his wicket and had to guide Umar akmal to at least the 35th over... both of which he did.

imo, there's nothing wrong with Yousuf's strategy. Yousuf has a real strategy that has been really successful over the years. the problem is others around him. he used to bat with Inzi and both would go around 70ish S/R and end up with at least 90 S/R...he would pick up lots of singles and then accelerate after the 50... now he has to bat with Younis who wastes balls, doesn't pick up singles and then gets out... he has no support.

the real question should be - what exactly is Younis' batting strategy in ODIs... you can't just play 30 balls in the name of keeping wickets, score 7 runs and then get out over and over again like Younis does. yes, I know he has a broken finger. but if his finger is hampering his batting, isn't the professional thing to sit the match out?

ehsan

very well said.

we are going after Yousef who is trying to say at the wicket and retrieve the position after younis puts up a miserable show and gets out. No one is saying anything about Younis's consistent failures.

Lafanter

i dont know why he is even in the team, younis khan

phoenixdesi

It is not about this match …..it is his overall approach to odi in last few years…yousaf shares the same class as of inzi, ponting, kalis, sangakara, jay etc and these players always play long innings but they usually maintain a very good strike rate…..inzi used to be the same way….he used to score at a very healthy strike rate right from beginning……

Other problem with yousaf is his inability to switch gears……..what is point of scoring 50 odd runs by consuming 80 or 90 balls when you cannot score next 50 in 30 balls…I don’t recall any innings by him lately where he switched his run-rate dramatically…malik, razaqq, misbah (inzi as well) all are capable of doing it but yousaf plays balls on merit till the end….that is why it is even more important for him to maintain a healthy strike rate throughout…and that requires a different approach to building your innings from the very beginning…..look for gaps more diligently, run hard, don’t let a loose ball pass you unpunished….that is how all great players build their innings…

i have no idea what exactly yousaf was thinking in the match against Australia….if I remember correctly, between 25th and 45th over, Pakistan scored 80 odd runs with plenty of wickets in hand! Yousaf was there for the whole time…and it is because yousaf is not capable of accelerating like many other players, so his role as an anchorman needs a little different approach…let me give you few examples to illustrate my point…bevan, ranatunga, dravid, kallis are players who were also not big hitters and were never able to accelerate dramatically ..therefore they always used to ensure that they keep ticking the scoreboard and score around 80% strike rate…

And younis is simply in a bad form, that is all. Yousaf is in good form, so his approach is up for discussion. Plus yousaf is a superior player to younis khan..so more is expected of him.

No one is asking for his departure. Yousaf, in my opinion, will be the nucleus of Pakistani ODI team in the coming year but he needs to bring some urgency and swiftness in his batting approach…

ManiaX

Yousef did the best he could...he held things together. Younis Khan never contributes in the ODI with the bat....he's been the worst batsman of the series. Malik too, seems to be in a habit of one big innings every 10 games and then 9 ordinary ones.

Anyway, our batting isent good enough..period. The only shining star is Umar Akmal, but Im sure Younis, grandpa Intikhab and the selectors will find ways to destroy his batting ability as well...

a1kashur

When you're 4 down for under 100 runs, don't blame Yousuf for whatever. His role then becomes to not lose a wicket. Other players like Younis, Afridi need to take responsibility either.

zobia

where was zardari...he knows better how to deal with such umpires

aminas

^^ AAj mazaaq na karo

phoenixdesi

osman samiuddin in cricinfo..the only batsman that he mentioned in a polite tone and that sort of represented pakistan's strategic batting deilemma throughout the tournament was yousaf...that is what I was trying to point out...while there are others to take the blame as well, yousaf is the senior most player in the team. Given pakistan's poor start to its innings consistently, yousaf's batting postion becomes the most strategic one....and hence his approach to build his innings becomes of utmost imprtance.



Pakistan powerless in Powerplays | Cricket Features | ICC Champions Trophy, 2009 | Cricinfo.com

Decent 6Chora

I am not sure why people want blood of only batsman who is holding innings together and avoiding bollywood style collapse for Pakistan? Elloiot exactly played yousuf only that he has Vetorri to play around him. Yousuf need someone to play around him ...couple of batsman perhaps.

Decent 6Chora

You never know it may be a team strategy. Yousuf is capable of scoring runs at good pace also (ok he might not be a swinger like Razzq, Nazir etc). All the other examples that you gave always have other players around them so they are sort of free to play with Ponting has hayden, hussey etc, Kallis have smith, devilliers etc and Inzi always had yousuf to cover. Name ONE batsman who pakistan can depend in case of yousuf's departure.

I can BET that had yousuf got OUT trying to play YAHOO inning agasint Aus and NZ, Pakistan would have not even reached to respectable totals.

Lafanter

he is such a poor analyst dont worry abt him

phoenixdesi

where did i say that yousaf needed to play a YAHOO innings! there is no need for him to play a yahoo innings because a) he can't and b)there is no need for him to do so..we have enough blasters in team to do this....he needs to bring a little change to his approach of taking too much time to settle down, missing on loose balls earlier in innings, lettin power plays go unnoticed, missing sharp singles etc.

HomiD

I dont think anything was wrong with Yousuf's approach either. I do think that he should bat at #4, your best batsman has to bat higher up. Having Malik bat below him does not make sense. Malik should bat at 5 and Yousuf at 4. Yousuf is one of the great batsmen and he showed his ODI skills and temprament against India. He was the agressor while Malik was struggling to get adjusted to the pitch.

The only flaw in his game is the running between the wickets.

hanibal

Now that is great, the batsman who is one of the top scorers of the trophy is being criticized but the batsman like Nazir, Younis are left alone.