This is not meant to be a ****ty comment, but I find it curious that Pakistan as a country that currently, and historically, produces such good fast bowlers has such a poor record of producing good opening batsmen. Typically a country's batting strengths at Test level, in very broad terms, tend to reflect the kinds of techniques necessary to prosper against the bowling that is prevalent within their domestic scene - English batsmen have traditionally had proper techniques to deal with fast bowling in helpful conditions, Australian batsmen have been used to fast pitches and bounce, Indian and Sri Lankan batsmen have been good against spin. Very broad rules, but often true. It's odd that, really since Anwar and Sohail, the Pakistan team has lacked a convincing opener.
There is a very simple explanation. Pakistan have
NEVER had a proper functioning first class system that polishes talents and produces quality players. Australia produces batsmen that are used to fast pitches and bounce
because the bowlers like Lee, Johnson, Gillespie are also produced by the same system that produces the batsmen. Similarly, there is a functioning system in place in England that produces Anderson and Broad so you have Collingwood and Strauss.
On the other hand, Pakistan has players like Imran, Wasim, Waqar
despite the system and not because of it. They are God's gifts if you would like to call it that. There is no system in place that actually polishes talent. The reason Pakistan had all these players like Wasim, Waqar, Sohail, Aaquib Javed, Saeed Anwar, Inzaman in the 90s is because Imran Khan in the 80s took control of cricket in Pakistan and made arbitrary selections based on his own judgement. There is a joke in Pakistan that when Imran was the helm of affairs in the 80s, there was no selection committee, no coach, no manager, no PCB.. It was an Imran show all the way.
Waqar had a crap first class record. Imran happened to catch him on TV in a first class match one day and was impressed with his pace. He said later that Waqar had only one thing - pace, the rest Imran would teach him himself.
Saeed Anwar used to be a lower order batsman. One day in a first class match, he chipped Wasim (who was then already established) for two consecutive boundaries in the last over to seal the match for his team. Imran saw he had sweet timing and told him to start preparing as an opener as he needs openers.
Inzamam was picked because of the way he played Wasim and Waqar at the nets.
This is how these players became who they are.
Similarly, Mohammad Aamer was spotted by Wasim Akram in a training camp 2 years ago.
So its not like these players are the result of a strategically developed and carefully structured first class system. They just happened to be talented and lucky to be spotted.
There is no system in place.
Yeah its pretty bad..
