Mohammad Amir - how does he become an automatic selection in all three formats ?

The fact of the matter is if you look at the actual performances from Amir since his comeback into the team, apart from the initial few games where he really pushed himself with bowling with speed and intensity clearly trying to win back the fans and earn his place back, but since then he has lacked the same enthusiasm and the results have hardly been impressive.

The question is , on what basis has Amir become an automatic selection into the team in all formats including test, ODI and T20, has he really bowled that exceptionally since his comeback into the team ?

His body language in recent games, he has looked tired and almost like he's just going through the motions, and looking quite average.

If anything, after getting recalled into the team, this is my personal view but I would set the benchmark even higher for players like Amir who should count themselves lucky that they are being given a 2nd chance .. and for me, such players should definitely not get any preferential treatment at the very least. He should have been made to EARN his place back into the team in all formats, eg. take at least a few 5-wicket hauls in first class cricket before he was back into the test team.

 

He has bowled pretty well in the ODI series. He didn't play the T20's.

 

Shhhhh you are not allowed to criticise him

 

I think he is overly criticised. There is a reason he is persisted.

 

Amir is hailed as the 'premier' fast bowler in Pakistan, despite since coming back he has not picked up many wickets in any of the formats combined. Not even any 5 wicket hauls either where others like Hasan Ali, Sohail Khan, Yasir Shah have.

Amir, I feel is playing on his past reputation which in a way is not good as much as I wanted to see him back in the side, but wanted to actually see him performing in domestic first and taking a good few wickets before being brought back into the side.

In Pakistan, there is nothing such as EARN a place, as they pretty much handed a place on a platter and given to them hence no competition for places, no willingness to improve on skills, fitness etc;

The culture in Pakistan is just as such in any field you see.

 

The point is that Aamir has not taken a single 5-wicket haul or delivered any match-winning performances in any format since coming back. That doesn't necessarily mean he has bowled poorly, but my question is should he have such job security that he currently has and be a regular in all the formats, and if so, based on what ? based on a spell or two he bowled 7 years ago?

As far as bowling 'pretty well', well if that's the only criteria for not dropping someone than England or Australia could select about 20 pace bowlers right now who could come in and bowl 'pretty well'... but what separates the top teams from the rest, is they do not guarantee automatic places in the team for just average to mediocre performances.

 

That's the thing like I said, no selections on merit are in place, if one player does well in one format does that necessarily mean he will do well in the others. But they eventually pick and put the player in the other formats that they are not quite cut out for or are not able to adapt to.

Amir was recently rested for the T20 series which was a good call as he had been pretty much playing for a year or more since coming back and needed that rest too. For me he has to become a lot fitter as his frame is just not of a fast bowler as his pace is yet to get back up to what is was pre ban too.

The other day in commentary Bishop and Waqar picked up some points which they felt was why he was not able to get that swing that he used to have 7 years ago and that pace too.

These little things need to be brought to the limelight with these players and made sure they iron out these flaws and come back stronger.

 

You seem to be a blind supporter. How come he was bowled pretty well? Prove it. Only Hasan Ali has bowled pretty well in the ODI series.

 

Question in the thread title- Its a mystery.

I had also noted this recently he looks tired after a spell of 3-4 overs. I think there is some issue with his fitness recently.

I agree he should earn his place like any other player. At current form he does not deserve to be in the team ahead of couple of bowlers.

 

Omar has nicely summed it up, these are unfortunately the realities in Pakistan cricket which is what I was intending to highlight in this thread. The issue is not just about Amir's selection, but the mindset behind it and this culture we have in Pakistan cricket where players who are mediocre can be persisted with because they did 'just enough' and secondly, how a player does well in one format let's say he then automatically becomes the 'flavour' of the month and will get selected in all formats, regardless of whether he is suited for that format or not.

Take the case of Sami Aslam, he did well batting as opener in tests, was all of a sudden brought into the ODI squad, made to look silly because he could not score quickly and lost his confidence in the process - and then before long, he even gets kicked out of the test team.

I'm guessing the same was about to happen to Sharjeel Khan if was still around, the selectors / team management were just bringing him into the test team and presumably a couple of failures later, he would then randomly get kicked out of the ODI and T20 teams as well where he had done quite well.

And of course, not to forget Azhar Ali - brought into the ODI team as a captain despite not even being in the ODI team for the World Cup - and as soon as they remove him as captain, he gets kicked out of the ODI team too.

This kind of nonsense does no favours to Pakistan cricket at all, other than making it a laughing stock.

 

he may not be the best bowler right now but he deserves a spot in the team compared to some of the others in the squad

 

His action is bio-mechanically perfect that's why.

 

Azhar deserved to get dropped from the ODI squad. He was given ample time but it became abundantly clear that ODI batting in this era is not his cup of tea.

 

The problem Pakistan have is that the alternatives are nothing to write home about. Wahab, yes he has pace and can look world class in the odd match, but that's all it is.

Sohail can swing the ball yes and has that knack of picking up wickets, but his fitness is as poor as it gets. Junaid is on the comeback trail and (his dodgy action not withstanding) he hasn't done anything outstanding either.

Rahat way too inconsistent and dheela, Imran khan, 120k darts...

The only bowler that has impressed me as someone who has something about him is hasan ali

So I agree with Majid that amir has been average. What he does provide is sharp pace, decent fitness, reliability and some semblance of control to his bowling.

This is not enough for an international class spearhead, but it's probably par for the poor attack we have.

If he doesn't get his swing back soon then maybe he can continue his career as a holding bowler, but Pakistan should look elsewhere for their spearhead and out and out attack bowler

 

This is a classic example of human psychology not being example to reconcile with expectations. Amir came back with very high expectations and so his performances do not seem nearly as good as they objectively are due to a psychological bias. This applies to anything in life - if you have high expectations, it's much harder to be fulfilled.

I think if we look at it from an objective lens, Amir has actually bowled pretty well in ODIs.

 

Jab alternatives ko try karoge to tab pata chalega. Sirf Rahat, Irfan alternative to nahe hain.

 

@iZeeshan averaging 31 since his comeback, isn't pretty well.

 

amir is the great talent of the Pak team

 

Who's better dawg?

 

Hasan. In domestic cricket, guys like Raees, Taj Wali, Sadaf, Zia, Fahim Ashraf . etc

 

On what basis?

 

You'd have wahab and Junaid in before amir?

 

Agreed we should try alternatives - but who?

 

Fahim, Sadaf, Taj Wali, Zia, Raees, etc.

 

He makes the team on merit for sure but he's hardly set the world alight. Just average. Still better than most of your options though

 

They are equally bakwaas

 

I agree that Hasan has performed better. I mean outside the team?

Yes some of those guys deserve a chance but Amir is still better than Wahab and Junaid so they should come in for one of them first.

 

Fahim better than Amir, seriously ?

 

Deserves a chance. Amir should be axed. If he performs better than him at International level , wins games for us, then surely he will better.

 

Wahab doesn't deserve a spot in the ODI squad at all. Junaid has been mediocre as well. All should be axed.

 

There are other better options.

 

Check his List A bowling average first.

 

I dont know why people are criticizing Amir of all the people. His performance has been very good in my opinion. I think we should think about making him Captain!!
@SwingNSeam

 

Should not play this test

 

Imran Khan would be a better pick for Tests, Sohail Khan would be a better pick for limited overs.

Amir is economical but he's lost that edge which lifted him above the others. Also his economy is mostly due to other teams respecting his reputation and not overly attacking him. It wont be long before they start going after him again. When they do, either he will start taking wickets again or he will become another Wahab.

 

Amir was amir because of his swing and pace (with control) and most importantly the pressure built up by Asif at the other end.

 

Plus he had pace, used to clock in the 150s. Cos he was new batsmen took their chances against Amir instead of Asif or Akhtar. Even Gul was quite deadly with his yorkers. That was a good attack.

 

Typo.. I meant pace lol.

But imagine our fast bowling line up for the 2011 wc.. akhtar amir Asif.. Man

 

I think when they stop respecting him he will start taking. Nothing special about Imran Khan Jr or Sohail Khan. Usually take wickets off loose balls the batsmen is trying to smash.