The many Fawad Alams of Pakistan
How does one flog a dead horse in Pakistan? One way, definitely, is bemoaning the wasted career of Fawad Alam.
How does one make sense of a 24-year old with a batting average of 41.66 in his first three Test matches not getting a game for the next 11 years? How can anyone — let alone that same young batsman — not get a Test call-up while nursing a first-class batting average over 50? How does a team like Pakistan afford to have a batsman like that sitting on the sidelines?
Ten years on, many Pakistani fans would just sit there and stare in space as the discussion turned to Fawad Alam. Many had stopped flogging this particular horse — it takes a lot of effort and persistence to keep doing the same thing for a decade. The fans were starting to let go but Fawad kept on flogging. Somehow, he finally flogged his way back in, and two months after his 35th birthday — Fawad scored a near match-saving century against one of the best bowling attacks in the world at their home. Let’s not get into how Fawad feels about all of this — that guy is entitled to feel however he feels about this without a second opinion. But what about all the long-suffering Pakistan cricket nuts who kept asking the same question year after year? I, for one, feel little vindication at this point. Even if Fawad keeps going for the next four years, Pakistan cricket has squandered a resource it so desperately needed as early as when Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Yousuf retired, and as late as when Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq ended their careers. He should have been in the starting 11 years ago and there is no other way about it.
But how many other batsmen out there have the resilience to keep flogging it in domestic cricket until somehow someone realizes that, if for no other reason than common sense, they should get a shot in this self-collapsing Pakistan line-up? And why should they carry on wasting the prime years of their lives destined to be undervalued, underutilized and constantly worrying about what more they could possibly do? Following is a shortlist of the other talented cricketers in the current set up, whose stories might end up sounding increasingly similar to how we talked about Fawad years ago. What should be the basic and most fair criteria for picking a batsman into the national side? I think most people would agree on: runs in domestic cricket; batting average over multiple seasons; and age and fitness which can see them potentially becoming a team regular for at least four years if not more. These batsmen tick all these boxes.
Name: Usman Salahuddin.
First-class runs: 7,675.
Batting average: 47.67.
Test caps: 1.
Age: 30.
Last Test played: 2018.
Name: Saad Ali.
First-class runs: 4,747.
Batting average: 44.36.
Test caps: Uncapped.
Age: 27.
Name: Saud Shakeel.
First-class runs: 3,220.
Batting average: 48.78.
Test caps: Uncapped.
Age: 25.
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Young talents to keep an eye on:
Name: Kamran Ghulam.
First-class runs: 2,229.
Batting average: 48.45.
Test caps: Uncapped.
Age: 25.
Name: Imran Rafiq.
First-class runs: 1,440.
Batting average: 40.00.
Test caps: Uncapped.
Age: 24.
Name: Omair Yousuf.
First-class runs: 1,428.
Batting average: 38.59.
Test caps: Uncapped.
Age: 22.
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Such lists are not extensive by any means. There are several other cricketers in the system who are looked over regularly. These guys might stick it out till 35 waiting for that long service appreciation cap. Or they might seek greener pastures — like Sami Aslam did — in other countries where big investments are being made in domestic cricket infrastructure. Or they might just hang their whites up altogether and find something else to do which is more meaningful and worthwhile for their families and their own sanity.
As fans, we need to question how such batsmen are barely making it into the Pakistan Shaheens or Pakistan “A” squads? What do they need to do to be considered for selection? Any selection? What’s the pathway or incentive for consistent top performers? And how many chances should they be given — once selected — for a fair assessment of their abilities at the top level? We need to move on from the Fawad Alam in New Zealand and refocus our dead horse flogging energies on Fawad Alams who might never receive the same level of attention. Keep asking the questions. Keep up with the progress of these talents. And loudly lament the loss of those who choose to, or are forced to leave.
It’s the least we can do.
