***Official*** West Indies Tour of Pakistan- TEST SERIES- Jan 16 to 28, 2025

[Beamer]

fewer FC centuries between them btw than kraigg has test centuries. none of them have a history of opening either.

i get it, the west indies suck and the default is to make changes to the team but dropping kraigg makes you worse imo.

I get the point that we have noone better to select, but for me, this ignores the damage Kraigg and the grindball style of batting has done to our brand.

He has built a batting lineup in his image. They have no threat to the opposition, nothing to hit back with. It is horrendous viewing even for diehard West Indian supporters.

Don't underestimate the hope that including some whiteball talent in the test side has given supporters who just want to see some proper West Indian batsmanship again sometime soon.

I'm done with this batting lineup and no amount of logic will persuade me otherwise. It is what it is.

There is no perfect solution but doing the same thing over and over again yet expecting different results is... madness. This simply isn't working and I fail to see how the changes we're suggesting could be worse than what we've seen this year.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Don't underestimate the hope that including some whiteball talent in the test side has given supporters who just want to see some proper West Indian batsmanship again sometime soon.

This is probably the most important thing to note. Our ODI setup is a well-oiled one-- more cohesive and better at identifying their weaknesses and work on it.

Then we have Kraigg being Kraigg.

 

[ImpatientLime]

I get the point that we have noone better to select, but for me, this ignores the damage Kraigg and the grindball style of batting has done to our brand.

He has built a batting lineup in his image. They have no threat to the opposition, nothing to hit back with. It is horrendous viewing even for diehard West Indian supporters.

Don't underestimate the hope that including some whiteball talent in the test side has given supporters who just want to see some proper West Indian batsmanship again sometime soon.

I'm done with this batting lineup and no amount of logic will persuade me otherwise. It is what it is.

There is no perfect solution but doing the same thing over and over again yet expecting different results is... madness. This simply isn't working and I fail to see how the changes we're suggesting could be worse than what we've seen this year.

even if you buy into the argument that Kraigg has done damage to the brand and built a batting line up in his image, i'm not sure anyone else could have done much different? the selection panel have selected the best of a bad bunch and Kraigg isn't the one rejecting call ups and making himself unavailable to go and play in down horrendous T10 and T20 leagues.

these blokes don't want to play test cricket. you're just shuffling deck chairs on the titanic at this stage.

i guess we'll see when australia tour if Sammy can make a difference to King, Pooran and Hopes view on test cricket. I also expect 2 out of 3 of them to fail pretty badly as well but what have they got to lose if they give Sammy the green light?

 

[Beamer]

even if you buy into the argument that Kraigg has done damage to the brand and built a batting line up in his image, i'm not sure anyone else could have done much different? the selection panel have selected the best of a bad bunch and Kraigg isn't the one rejecting call ups and making himself unavailable to go and play in down horrendous T10 and T20 leagues.

these blokes don't want to play test cricket. you're just shuffling deck chairs on the titanic at this stage.

i guess we'll see when australia tour if Sammy can make a difference to King, Pooran and Hopes view on test cricket. I also expect 2 out of 3 of them to fail pretty badly as well but what have they got to lose if they give Sammy the green light?

The 'what have they got to lose of they give Sammy the green light' point is pretty much where I'm at.

I agree it might not make much difference and I'm not expecting a huge upsurge in run production, I've just got to the stage where it feels it's worth trying.

 

[slowfinger]

If this was a division 2 WTC battle for promotion I'd be more interested to see it Lol

But I think Pakistan will do well on those flat spinning dustbowls

 

[slowfinger]

I get the point that we have noone better to select, but for me, this ignores the damage Kraigg and the grindball style of batting has done to our brand.

He has built a batting lineup in his image. They have no threat to the opposition, nothing to hit back with. It is horrendous viewing even for diehard West Indian supporters.

Don't underestimate the hope that including some whiteball talent in the test side has given supporters who just want to see some proper West Indian batsmanship again sometime soon.

I'm done with this batting lineup and no amount of logic will persuade me otherwise. It is what it is.

There is no perfect solution but doing the same thing over and over again yet expecting different results is... madness. This simply isn't working and I fail to see how the changes we're suggesting could be worse than what we've seen this year.

You would have given Chanderpaul the sack back in the day

 

[Beamer]

This is probably the most important thing to note. Our ODI setup is a well-oiled one-- more cohesive and better at identifying their weaknesses and work on it.

Then we have Kraigg being Kraigg.

I know it seems unfair, but I knew I'd had enough of Kraigg when the sight of him at the crease and then bowling his filthy off spin fills me with rage.

He has at least been successful in the past, that is true. He has always turned up for tests, but that's because he's not got the game for any other format.

Its just a sign of how bad our red ball batting has become that someone of his ability and track record can get close to 100 tests.

 

[Beamer]

You would have given Chanderpaul the sack back in the day

Nope, Shiv had far more attacking ability than any of this lot, he just chose to bat time.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

first day

WI vs Pakistan Shaheens XI

WI are batting first: 273/7

Alick 99
A pair of 34s from the openers (Kraigg and Louis)
Jangoo currently batting on 29*

 

[CricAddict]

Pakistan squad. Assume it will be a spin fest again.

Shan Masood (capt), Saud Shakeel (vice-capt), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Kashif Ali, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Noman Ali, Rohail Nazir (wk), Sajid Khan, Salman Agha

 

[Kenneth Viljoen]

Pakistan squad. Assume it will be a spin fest again.

Shan Masood (capt), Saud Shakeel (vice-capt), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Kashif Ali, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Noman Ali, Rohail Nazir (wk), Sajid Khan, Salman Agha

Mohammad Abbas is the most disrespected seamer ever like wtf

 

[Prince EWS]

Mohammad Abbas is the most disrespected seamer ever like wtf

Mark Waugh getting so angry whenever he takes wickets is so awesome though.

 

[Silver Silva]

Mohammad Abbas is the most disrespected seamer ever like wtf

Doesn't have the pace , plus Pakistan will play on spin friendly decks at home

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Good to see Jangoo amongst the runs again. Good damn signs. Test debut coming up

 

[Kenneth Viljoen]

Doesn't have the pace , plus Pakistan will play on spin friendly decks at home

Abbas doesn't need pace, he has the seam movement, the intelligence and the knowledge to outfox most batsmen, his record speaks for itself ..100 Test wickets @23 and he was Pakistan's best seamer in SA.

Plus if spinners are going to do the bulk of the workload you would want a guy like Abbas who won't waste the new ball, he's played a lot of FC cricket in Pakistan and the conditions haven't stopped him from being successful..

What makes him really a handful is his accuracy and use of angles, on a dead pitch you'll see him use the bowling crease , some deliveries will be bowled a bit wider from the crease , some a bit closer to the umpire , he'll use his off cutter ..and it's always attacking the stumps or just outside off . I'm a big fan of his work I think Pakistan are missing the trick here.

 

[kevinw]

Afridi and Abbas as their two best seamers by a mile and both out for a rookie and a guy who's done nothing at this level.

 

[TimAngas]

Surely roads would favour Pakistan. Surprised they look like they might be preparing pitches similar to the ones they beat England on, given the team selection. West Indies' vulnerabilities very different to England's

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Both Tevin Imlach and Jangoo made unbeaten fifties in the warmup match.
They pushed JDS to open in the second innings (something I am in favor of).

3 keepers in same XI will soon come to fruition

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

They will go with the safe option for the first test:

1. Kraigg
2. Mikyle
3. KC
4 Alick
5. Hodge
6. Greaves
7. JDS
8. Motie
9. Kemar
10. Warrican
11. Seales

I’d personally change greaves with Sinclair (and somehow someone else with Jangoo’s inclusion)

 

[Chin Music]

Abbas doesn't need pace, he has the seam movement, the intelligence and the knowledge to outfox most batsmen, his record speaks for itself ..100 Test wickets @23 and he was Pakistan's best seamer in SA.

Plus if spinners are going to do the bulk of the workload you would want a guy like Abbas who won't waste the new ball, he's played a lot of FC cricket in Pakistan and the conditions haven't stopped him from being successful..

What makes him really a handful is his accuracy and use of angles, on a dead pitch you'll see him use the bowling crease , some deliveries will be bowled a bit wider from the crease , some a bit closer to the umpire , he'll use his off cutter ..and it's always attacking the stumps or just outside off . I'm a big fan of his work I think Pakistan are missing the trick here.

Being able to zero in on the stumps will challenge the techniques of many players in test cricket, regardless of whom they play for. Seems a strange decision to me.