INZI AND SHOAB UNCUT

There isn’t much I can add to the debate over Pakistan’s humiliating defeat to India, except that every other writer in the country has begun his article with this very wording, and then has launched a scathing attack on every conceivable person (peons included) associated with the present cricket board. So that’s the fervour of this nation for cricket that even the intellectual can’t think straight without allowing emotions to cloud their thinking.
All I have to offer is some remarks that Daryl Foster, the bowling coach of Pakistan team during the World Cup made when sought advice on whether Inzimam and Shoaib should be included in the team after the World Cup:There isn’t much I can add to the debate over Pakistan’s humiliating defeat to India, except that every other writer in the country has begun his article with this very wording, and then has launched a scathing attack on every conceivable person (peons included) associated with the present cricket board. So that’s the fervour of this nation for cricket that even the intellectual can’t think straight without allowing emotions to cloud their thinking.
All I have to offer is some remarks that Daryl Foster, the bowling coach of Pakistan team during the World Cup made when sought advice on whether Inzimam and Shoaib should be included in the team after the World Cup:

“Inzi, has he recovered from the trauma he sustained in South Africa because I believe he needed specialist psychiatric help because he was in such a mess. If he is not making runs he drags everyone down and young players don’t need to see that sort of attitude. If Australia can drop Waugh)Steve) from their one-day team then Pakistan can leave out Inzi. And perhaps, if he is right and that is the big question, play him in test matches only”.
About Shoaib he wrote: “ As for Shoaib, I was personally very upset with his attitude in South Africa. I have lost faith in him, particularly in his ability to play for his team, it is about him all of the time. He was not fit and I would leave him out for a while longer to see if he can change his attitude. Sure he can perhaps be a match winner but all too often he cannot maintain his pace for 5 overs let alone 10 overs.”“So perhaps my thoughts are pretty radical but I would give the young guys a further responsibility and leave both Inzi and Shoaib out for the time being.”

But both were brought back and the rest is history.In one of his reports last year, Foster said:

“I fully support the selectors (Aamir Sohail and company) for selecting such a young and promising team- everyone however has to be a little patient and should not, at the first failure, return to picking the veterans as they will not get any better.”“In my view after touring England and South Africa with the Pakistan team the selectors must choose players who have character, are mentally tough and who will fight. It seems to me that they may have concentrated on continuing to pick players who look technically good but don’t fight when the pressure is applied. Try to get the player you need to be successful.”“Richard(Pybus) tried to do it but I felt the senior players resisted. They(young players) are a valuable resource, they need to learn quickly and they will be most loyal to you if they feel you have their interest at heart- players like Sami,Taufiq, Faisal, etc just want someone to show interest in them instead of Waqar going off at them all the time.”
“ The lovely thing about young players is that they don’t fear failure and are prepared to take calculated risks and go for it. Therefore if they occasionally make a mistake or stuff up, don’t be too hard on them- but if they make the same mistake again that is the time to point out to them that good players learn from their mistakes and don’t go on repeating them.”