Mohammad Yousuf is a class act. One does not score close to two thousand runs in a year otherwise.
I can recall his batting from three instances. WC 99 was a sucessful campaign for Pakistan bar the final. While Shoaib Akhtar and the bowlers get lot of credit (fairly) and also Razzak for his stodgy batting at no 3 to hold the innings together, to me the key man was Yousuf (Youhana those days). Allright Razzak blocked and kept the wickets intact, but someone had to pace the innings and explode at the end and also give strike to other hitters (Azhar Mehmood and co). That someone in WC 99 was always Yousuf. The absolute mastery in 2006 and partnership with Younis against India. Admittedly, home wickets were favourable, but this man was remorseless. Flawless. The 4th innings 88 he made against Murali in a losing cause. Surprising everyone with how late he could play Murali and remain in control.
Among his contemporaries if one were to describe batting in a word, Younis is bold, Inzamam was classy and Yousuf is all poise.
While I did not see the century on return, I am sure he must have shown plenty of that poise against Mendis and co. 80/4 is a tricky situation to be chasing 290 plus. From there on to get a small but substantial lead of 50 runs is very good going indeed. The match is intriguingly poised and Yousuf has done the job once again. On a difficult track, coming in after a long layoff to score a a hundred at 60 runs per 100 balls confirms that he is a special batsman. Critics could point out that the rest of this team has not played much cricket anyway, but to make a comeback of sorts is always tough. (Ask anyone from Mohinder Amarnath to Dinesh Karthik) Twenty-five test hundreds is a mark of greatness and he is just one short.
On an aside, it is great to have Test cricket up and running after a surfeit of T20.
Posts
Late!
ReplyDeleteLong time!
M.Yousaf (Y) is a great player without a doubt. He has very quietly made his way up the records, and like you said, he is definitely special. Excels in all forms of the game , consistent, has a wonderful strike rate, a range of strokes, and most of all, an extra-ordinary ability to always have a wonderful strike rate no matter what the situation is. A truly great player, and an asset to the Pak national team.
Back after a long hiatus - ask me, its tough too ;-)
his record against australia...as well as south africa two top teams is very abysmal...and to be finally labeled a class act he need to score consistently against top teams and overseas...
ReplyDeletein my book he is not asset at all...i am yet to know more selfish...opportunistic...player than him...
SP,
ReplyDeleteDo you not remember his 95 and 75 in his first test in Australia?
And his 100 at the MCG?
He had the Aussies by their balls..
Sure overall he averages under 30 against them but he's played only 7 tests against Australia.. and all but 2 of them in Australia.. 7 tests against the top team in over a decade? Its not his fault that the top team does not like to play against Pakistan more often...
SA is the only country against whom he does not have a century.. again he's played only 8 tests against them, and also all in South Africa...
The reason I am emphasizing the "in" is because other batsmen with good records against these teams, have so because they play more against them at home.
I agree abt the selfish part, but that does not take away his greatness as a batsman.
He is the best among the current lot. Check out the table on WP.
2,000 runs in 2006 all over the world - in india, in England, in WI, in Pakistan.. who has done that?
Fark - Good to see you again!!
ReplyDeleteSP - Ability and adaptability he is there. With the other two named, he formed a very strong middle order when the openers were practically non-existent. I am not an apologist for him, but giving my impressions of Yousuf over the years. Opportunistic and selfish - yes but who is not a 'maximiser' these days.
Q- No hundreds against SA will probably haunt him. Even Azhar Mehmood had one in Durban, I think.
Haha.. yeah Azhar did.. wat an innings that was.. still remember it..
ReplyDeletelate...
ReplyDeletei am not sure that we can put maximiser and selfishness opportunism in the same bracket...
specially in the case of yousuf coz he has put pcb as well as whole nation in an embarrassing situations on more than one occasions...
i also don't buy this theory that we should keep 'player' away from 'person'...for the obvious effect it causes to respective team...to respective board...and nation...
SP - Both points well taken.
ReplyDeleteIn this case what is going for Yousuf is that PCB seems to overlook his faults.
How many chances did Shoib Akhtar get to reform himself and what has he done except apologise and promise, time and time again?
Unlike Cricket Australia, which is professionally run, BCCI is full of manipulators and money-men and, PCB has got its share of political lackeys, generals and assorted strongmen.
Professionalism and uniform standards are the last thing one can expect from subcontinental boards. What matters for them is the next series and their team's prospects in that.
That said, I am impressed with his batting and hence the post.
Cheers
SP,
ReplyDeleteWhat ur saying is not wrong.. he had had the PCB and Pakistan compromised on more than 1 occasion, but that doesn't take away the fact that he is a great batsman..
Which is what Late is saying as well...
A class act who was unfortunate to be born in Pakistan. IF he'd been born in India, his numbers - output as well as income - would have been way better.
ReplyDeleteAnon - I am not too sure if that can be termed unfortunate.
ReplyDeleteI recall the case of Amol Muzumdar, who was perhaps the best batsman of his time never to play for India. His fault was not really his - being born in the same time as five of the best batsmen India has ever seen. Ditto with Hemang Badani about whom it was said that he was potential captaincy material but never had sufficient opportunities to show his obvious class.
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