Asia Cup 2022 mega clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan is all set to take place on August 28 (Sunday) in Dubai. Ahead of the big match, former Pakistan cricketer Danish Kaneria expressed his views on the strengths and weaknesses of both the teams along with the team selection and presence of biggies – Virat Kohli and Babar Azam.
While speaking exclusively to CricketNext.com, Kaneria opined that Virat Kohli’s absence from international cricket in last couple of series has made him stale. Kohli is out of form so there is a big question of how he will perform against Pakistan in Asia Cup.
“Poor fellow Virat. During 2021 T20 World Cup, he was out of his form and team was also collapsing."
Further, “Virat Kohli should have left half of IPL because he cannot miss international cricket. In IPL also he was out of form, and he was continuously playing and playing.
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“Sometimes, two things happen, it’s like there’s a stale on your form. You do best to your strengths but there is a stale because there is continuous amount of cricket. Day and night cricket and then travelling as well. There is bubble, there is Covid, you can’t go out and can’t refreshen yourself, so cricket is different these days."
Kaneria expressed that Kohli should have undoubtedly played series against West Indies because that’s the way he could have regained his form.
“Definitely West Indies series, he shouldn’t have skipped any international matches because that’s how his form should have come back. But he is out of form now.
“We saw him in England where his form was struggling. He didn’t make runs. So, he should have played some county cricket in England, at least some hundred ball game or something like that to bring back his form. Now, he is out of international cricket, without form so we don’t know how he will come back.
However, he said, “Big players come with a big bang. So, I am hoping he comes back with big signature, his trademark of getting runs."
While expressing his concern with the Indian team, he said that the only weakness Men in Blue are carrying right now is the issue of whether Kohli and KL Rahul would be able to score runs or not. He said that he was quite perplexed with the inclusion of KL Rahul in Asia Cup squad because when India had the option to choose in-form Sanju Samson then why Rahul.
“KL Rahul was coming from a big injury and then he went to Zimbabwe, and now he is going into Asia Cup squad so early. India have Sanju Samson type of a player who’s been doing so well. He is a fantastic cricketer and he’s been playing beautifully.
“Samson didn’t get consistent opportunities to play for team India. He was in and out of the squad and now he is getting opportunities because Rahul Dravid knows him so well, and he knows, what a talent he is.
“In such a case, Sanju Samson should have got the opportunity of playing in the Asia Cup and KL Rahul should have been given some time so that he can focus on T20 World Cup to be played in Australia."
KL Rahul was seen on the field after over six months in Zimbabwe. He managed to score only one run off five balls in second ODI while he scored only 30 off 46 before Brad Evans bowled him out in the third ODI. On that note, former Pakistan bowler said that India should have given some time to Rahul and should have given Samson a chance in Asia Cup 2022.
“In Australia, there will be buoyant tracks and KL Rahul loves that kind of a track. India should have let him come in his form, but the thing is that he is a big name and if he wouldn’t have been in the team, then the whole media would have argued, why KL Rahul didn’t get selected?
“But, from cricket perspective, Sanju Samson should have been in the squad for the Asia Cup in place of KL Rahul because Rahul is just coming from his injury, and he needs to get his form back."
However, while talking about Pakistan’s batting line-up, Kaneria said,
“Pakistan rely on only two batters – that’s it!
“If Babar doesn’t score or Rizwan doesn’t score then they will fall out. They were playing in Netherlands and both Azam nor Rizwan didn’t score, and Pakistan were bundled on 200 that too against Netherlands.
“Pakistan are relying heavily on Babar Azam and Rizwan to flourish and make runs. Both are in good form, but Pakistan’s middle order is struggling.
“Pakistan did not develop any strong middle order. They are relying on Asif Ali, Khushdil Shah, Iftikhar Ahmed and young Haider Ali. These are all youngsters, but they do not have Shoaib Maqsood, Shoaib Malik, who’s been fit enough, who’s been playing cricket and who had been a part of the 2021 T20 World Cup and he saved Pakistan so many times when these two batters got out and he built the innings."
Kaneria further added, “Pakistan do not have Shan Maqsood as well, who has the experience, who’s been playing cricket so well in England, doing captaincy in Derbyshire and doing so well.
“So, Pakistan’s middle order is very weak because they have not developed a single all-rounder. As an all-rounder, they have Shadab Khan but he is not that great enough to be called an all-rounder."
On being asked about the absence of injured Shaheen Shah Afridi from Pakistan’s squad, Kaneria replied,
“Pakistan are badly struggling and they are to be blamed themselves. I will blame the captain; I will blame the selection committee and their management.
“You see a guy who’s been a wicket-taker, who’s been phenomenal with the white ball and a great fast bowler. But, you’ll need to make him rest, he will break down one day. And now Pakistan are without Shaheen Shah Afridi, who will take wickets?
“They don’t have that quality or class of bowlers who can take wickets. They have Haris Rauf but he’s too expensive. He doesn’t have that experience. They have youngster Mohammad Wasim Junior who has just started playing his T20 career, who’s not taking that many wickets. The pressure is there."
Kaneria further highlighted problems with the selection committee and answered why Anwar Ali was kept out of the squad.
“The problem in Pakistan team is that the selection committee and captain do not select on merit, they select on friendship. They select on PR relation. They think ‘agar humne isko rakh lia to humara banda team se bahar ho jaega kyuki ye perform kar jaega’ (if we keep this person then our friend will be out if the other performs well)
“That’s why there is a struggling part in Pakistan team and that’s why players don’t get that much of an opportunity to come around and play cricket and to expose themselves in the international circuit."
“Whereas India have a back-up plan. India do not have Jasprit Bumrah but look at the backup they have. They have Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Umran Malik, Harshal Patel, Prasidh Krishna, Natrajan. You name it and have it. But what about Pakistan? They don’t have the backup.
“India think of the future but Pakistan are only behind ‘record karna hai’. We have to just make records, we have to just play our team, our bonding or friendship should not be broken.
“They didn’t make Anwar Ali an allrounder because they were scared that if we make him one then we will miss one of our friends. Like this, you can’t win. In this way, Pakistan’s downfall will come soon."
Kaneria did mention that Pakistan builds strongly on Babar and Rizwan and therefore, India would need to take their wickets out early in order to win. However, India should keep a strong hold on their spinners as a combination of spinners with batters like Rohit Sharma, and Suryakumar Yadav can create a magical impact on Sunday.
While Kaneria highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of both Pakistan and India teams. He said, “Earlier, I had given 60-40-win percentage to India-Pakistan respectively but after Shaheen Shah Afridi’s exclusion, I will give 70-30 per cent respectively to India and Pakistan."
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