Sunday 10 January 2010

Why did RSA include Tahir?

Well the latest news ahead of the fourth test match between South Africa and England was that South Africa has decided to drop the Pakistani born South African cricketer - Imran Tahir after claiming that Tahir is ineligible to make it to the South African squad. The decision was taken soon hours after the player was selected for the upcoming fourth test against England along with another player in Parnell by the South African convener of selector - Mike Procter. Much has been discussed about the issue wherein a report also says that his selection and subsequent omission from the squad is an embarrassment.

There was no reason absolutely for the inclusion of Imran Tahir which not only relates to his nationality but also for his experience in international cricket and more so in test cricket and that too at this stage of the tournament where a win is quintessential for South Africa to remain alive in the series whatsoever. And, it would have been a risk for someone like Tahir to have made it to the squad which no one can forgive for that matter. This is not the time for anyone to give chance for a new comer to play test cricket.

Added to this, his nationality also plays an equal role which not only raises legal issues related to whether Imran Tahir can be considered a citizen of South Africa or not, but also his potential to make it decent if not big in South African pitches. If at all Tahir is to be believed to be a decent player of test cricket, his experience would always point to that in Pakistani pitches, where he was a citizen until recently when he got married to a local South African girl. Tahir has not even featured in the domestic cricket of South Africa though statistics suggest that he has played for the Karachi Dolphins.

Tahir's first class cricket contains only one half century in 106 games that he has played till now and only one six in 20 T20 games that he has played so far. On the otherhand, he has been found to have a decent run in bowling department where he has 32 five wicket hauls. But, the most interesting factor about Tahir is that he is aged 30 and cropping him up to be a star one day would be just waste of resources and nothing else. Had something been possible in Tahir's cricketing life, it should have been cricket for Pakistan which didn't happen. So, one can imagine what would happen in case he is given a chance for RSA.

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