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Yousuf Youhana: Pakistan's Middle-Order Run
Gobbler |
- Karthik Narayan
Whenever I am asked for a contemporary batsman
with the perfect blend of aggression and defense
and capable of turning the match on its head, so
many names come to mind. But when one brings the
middle order batsmen into play, one fine
Pakistani batsman comes to mind almost
immediately – Yousuf Youhana.
He is a batsman in the classical mould, with all
the exquisite shots in his repertoire. His Test
Debut came at Durban, against South Africa in
1997-98, a tour beset with controversies for
Pakistan. Coming into the Pakistani team as a
greenhorn batting at that all important No. 5
position, he soon became a green finger, with
solid performances at the test level almost
immediately; tasting success in his second test
itself. Against Zimbabwe, he scored fifties in
both innings of that test, showing glimpses of
his abilities.
After some good knocks, he got his first hundred
against Zimbabwe at Lahore, on his home ground.
That was a warm welcome to International Cricket
for this youngster making his debut at 24. He
has since made 3799 runs in 52 tests at a
magnificent average of 49.33 with 11 centuries
and 21 fifties.
Youhana is the perfect exponent of technique
when it comes to batting and is one of the most
consistent players for Pakistan ever since he
has broken into the team. He is one of very few
batsmen from the sub continent who have come to
terms and adapted to seaming conditions abroad.
He has a great record in alien seaming
conditions, and it is purely because of his
orthodox correct technique.
Who would forget his amazing double ton at
Christchurch against New Zealand in the second
test in 2000-01 under wickedly seaming
conditions, as Youhana grilled and toasted the
Kiwi bowlers in cold clammy conditions by
grinding them to dust.
Youhana is one batsman in the Pakistan line up
along with Inzamam who keep their noses to the
grindstone and turn a match around with their
batting in a matter of minutes. Youhana is
tolerant and hence his knocks are gritty and
face saving at times, if not match winning at
other times. When the team is groggy with a top
order collapse, just look upto Youhana to hold
ground and stay at the wicket for long periods
of time.
Chittagong and Bangladesh have always been great
for the opposition and Youhana proved that by
scoring his highest score of 204, his second
double hundred in 2001-02. And when India toured
Pakistan in 2003-04, he scored some good runs
against the Indians with a century at Multan and
a good knock of 72 at his hometown of Lahore.
Youhana is the most gifted player to have played
for Pakistan when it comes to batting; he has
the shots to come good in both versions of the
game. His ODI record is no less impressive than
that of his tests. In 180 ODIs he has over 6000
runs with 10 centuries and 38 half centuries. He
averages 42 with the bat, and for a person
coming in at No.5 in a 50 over game, that is
outstanding. He scores his runs silently with
ones and twos and before many people notice, he
fills in that Fifties Column in his career
graph.
In fact, in his first ever One Day International
against Zimbabwe at Harare in 1997, he scored an
unbeaten 59, and followed it with another solid
66. His ODI career started with a bang. Soon
after the runs flowed like a waterfall, runs
never drying up; the first ODI hundred soon came
up in his 10th ODI, when he scored
exactly 100 against Australia again on his home
ground. So his home ground has always been a
happy hunting ground.
Youhana has always been dangerous when it comes
to performing against Zimbabwe. He ravished the
challenge of making the Zimbabweans scamper
around, when he made his highest ODI score of
141* in Bullawayo in 2002-03. It turned out to
be a run-fest for Youhana with scores of 141*,
76*, 100* and 88 in that series.
Youhana is at the crossroads right now, with the
soundness of technique and his own batting
skills; he can only go further up in his career
and launch himself amongst the Greatest Middle
Order Batsmen ever from Pakistan and the World.
We at Cricketfundas.com wish this gutsy
cricketer to move on and shift gears into his
prime years.
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