Both openers Taufeeq Umar and Mohammad Hafeez played a vital role in leading Pakistan to victory in the recently concluded Pakistan-Sri Lanka test series. PakPassion.net caught up with the ex-selector and 80s opening batsmen Pakistan, Shoaib Mohammad for his views on the opening pair.

15th Nov 2011

 Both openers Taufeeq Umar and Mohammad Hafeez played a vital role in leading Pakistan to victory in the recently concluded Pakistan-Sri Lanka test series. PakPassion.net caught up with the ex-selector and 80s opening batsmen Pakistan, Shoaib Mohammad for his views on the opening pair.

What do you make of Taufeeq Umar as an opening batsmen for Pakistan.

Well he has been part of the Pakistan team for just under 10 years or so and he has been in and out of the side and yet has played 30 odd test matches. In a way, it was his comeback series and I am sure he was getting very desperate for runs. The lucky part was that he was involved in a series where there are wickets like Sharjah which is known as a batting paradise. Abu Dhabi was just a blessing in disguise for him.

The first test match is always very important, may it be Sir Vivian Richards or any other batsmen around the world. The first and second innings of the first test match always plays a very vital role for even the great batsmen. So once Taufeeq Umar got the kick-start of scoring a double century in the first test match, it was the perfect blend for him, because he then had the confidence behind him for scoring a double hundred. That is how he has emerged out as a winner in this series and he has been playing well.

The past mistakes were put behind him. The essential things, the basics for an opening batsmen, you have got to stick to the rules and he is the kind of player that once he gets going, he settles in and he doesn’t play too many shots, but he has some flaws. Sometimes he gets lucky by playing wayward strokes, but he is generally a compact batsmen and he should have been amongst the run getters when he was involved with the Pakistan team earlier. But by playing too many irrational shots, he had to pay the price earlier on.

Is Taufeeq a long-term opening option for Pakistan?

To be very honest, I have my doubts. Like I said earlier, this was a blessing in disguise as he got a series against Sri Lanka in a series played in the UAE. The wickets are not so difficult, until and unless you make them yourself and then your bound to pay the price. I’m sure he has to work a lot harder to stay in the Pakistan side. To be successful, he has to perform in foreign series in various other countries like New Zealand, Australia and England.

Your thoughts on Mohammad Hafeez and his development over the last 12-18 months?

Earlier on when he got involved with the Pakistan side he was not amongst the run-getters, but since his last induction in the Pakistan side, he has looked a much more mature and very different player. I reckon that was because of his extra capability of rolling his arm over as well. You need some sort of confidence within yourself, and it may come through your batting, it could be your fielding or bowling. So Hafeez has an edge in that he is a very good player in all three departments of the game and while he has been involved with his bowling and getting wickets he has become a regular bowler for Pakistan for quite some time. 

He gained confidence through his other departments like fielding and bowling and that made him produce results in batting. He has been one of the strongest points for Pakistan cricket for the last 18 months.

Does Hafeez have too many shots for test cricket and does he need to curb that attacking instinct?

No, I don’t agree on those lines because you cannot produce a copybook cricketer. Every cricketer in the world has his own qualities and drawbacks at the same time. With too much Twenty20 cricket involved these days, you tend to get into a false impression, as if you will get away with too many shots even in test cricket as well but sometimes you pay the price. It all depends on yourself and how strong you are, how focussed you are through your mind. You have got to switch gears in every format in the game, be it Twenty20, one dayers or test cricket. The quicker you switch on and off the better results will be produced in all formats.