Saeed Ajmal or Abdur Rehman: Spinner selection Puts Afridi in a Spin
Saeed Ajmal Vs Abdur Rehman
Who should be the first choice spinner for Pakistan In The World Cup ?
Pakistan will kick off its World Cup 2011 campaign on Wednesday against Kenya. But the one question still puzzling the fans, team management and the captain would be Who should be our first choice spinner ? Would it be Saeed Ajmal or would the ball spin towards Abdur Rehman.
Saeed Ajmal :
Couple of months back Ajmal would have walked into the team any day of the week but not anymore, he is struggling for form off late. Just a year ago Ajmal was troubling everyone with his well disguised "Doosra" and kept the lid on the runs flow too, but not anymore.
The Reason ?
One of the main reasons that Ajmal has become a bit less effective is his over reliance on his "Doosra" delivery, now a days he over bowls his "Doosra" and has lost that surprise element and hence the wicket taking delivery. Another thing that has to be kept in mind when considering Ajmal is that he bowls with a scrambled seam and hence gets less turn. He always relied on his "Doosra" for taking wickets and he needs to make it his surprise delivery once again rather then over using it.
Most definitely the answer is YES he is, Ajmal was given a break during the ODI series with New Zealand and that probably would have helped him regain his form and get back to basics. There is no doubt that Ajmal is a very effective and wicket taking option to have in the armory.
The "Teesra" ?
Yes the "Teesra" , Ajmal a few months back indicated that he is working on a new kind of delivery for the World Cup. So be prepared to see the spin wizard cast his new magic spell on batsmen with his new surprise delivery !
Abdur Rehman :
Abdur Rehman in simple words can be described as consistent if not spectacular bowler. He bowls wicket to wicket and keeps the run flow to a minimum. He is not a wicket taking option by any means but he knows how to build pressure he knows his limits and sticks to what he knows best, stopping the run flow.
Why Abdur Rehman over Ajmal ?
The things that go in A.Rehman's favor for now is better economy rate and the fact that he is handy with the bat too.
The Verdict !!!
It all depends on what the captain prefers but Ajmal would still get the nod ahead of Rehman because he is a wicket taking bowler. And picking Ajmal would suggest an attacking mindset rather then a defensive one. With his experience and variation Ajmal would be vital for Pakistan in the middle overs as the tournament progresses.
Have your say in the Comments section below, who do you think should be picked S.Ajmal or A.Rehman ?
