There are virtually no guarantees in Pakistan cricket if some players have to go through the trauma of not being picked again after they opt out of a certain tour on compassionate grounds.
Imran Farhat — often labelled as a cricketer who despite an international debut, which took place more than a dozen years ago, is still struggling to secure a decent run in the Pakistan Test line-up — chose to skip the Test leg of the recent Zimbabwe tourand take care of his bed-ridden wife, who is battling for survival after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and three young children.
Imran’s wife, who is the daughter of former Test batsman and ex-selector Mohammad Ilyas, first contracted this rare disease — which attacks the central nervous system and over a period of time diminishes the functions of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves — more than three years ago.
According to family sources, although her condition has marginally improved after undergoing back surgery a couple of months ago, the specialists attending the patient have recommended further surgery, which is likely to be done abroad.
The poignant part of this episode is that Imran, who quite understandably has been in a disturbed frame of mind, was granted official permission from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to stay in Lahore and was replaced by his Habib Bank Limited (HBL) team-mate and fellow opener Shan Masood for the tour to Zimbabwe.
When the probables for the upcoming series against world No 1 Test side South Africa were announced last Thursday, the 31-year-old Imran was one of notable omissions along with fellow left-handers Taufiq Umar and Haris Sohail, who is reportedly having some fitness worries, for the short preparatory camp in Lahore.
The think tank of Pakistan cricket callously overlooked one significant fact that last February Imran, who has made his availability known to the PCB for the upcoming Tests, was one of the few batting successes on the disastrous trip to the Rainbow Nation where Graeme Smith’s men completed a 3-0 whitewash of Misbah-ul-Haq’s side.
After Nasir Jamshed had failed to make much of an impact in the first two Tests, Imran was recalled for his first match after a lapse of two and a half years — he was part of the team that played in the Lord’s Test when the infamous spot-fixing saga surface in August 2010 — for the final game at the SuperSport Park in Centurion.
Replying to South Africa’s 409, Pakistan capitulated inside 47 overs for a measly total of 156 with just Younis Khan (33) and Imran (30) crossing 20 as debutante seamer Kyle Abbott grabbed seven wickets. Forced to follow on, the visitors managed 235 in their second innings; Imran, batting at No 4 after being struck on the hand during the first innings, emerged as the top scorer with a 91-ball 43 while the Proteas completed an innings within three days.
Despite playing only 40 Tests since his debut — against New Zealand at Auckland in March 2001 — Imran, more or less, has managed to remain in the selectors’ radar despite his inconsistencies at the highest level of the game. His overall record may not be earth shattering (2400 runs at 32.00) with three centuries and 14 half centuries.
But the major contrast to those statistics is Imran’s impressive returns in Tests against South Africa. In six matches, the left-hander from Lahore has made 442 runs at 36.83 with one century — 128 at Faisalabad in October 2003 — and two half centuries. Among his opening compatriots only Taufiq has scored more runs (730) and has better average (60.83) against the Proteas in this format.
It is an irony now that both Taufiq and Imran now find themselves on the sidelines after forming arguably Pakistan’s best opening pair against South Africa. Together, they were responsible for the top three of the five 100-plus partnerships for the first wicket by Pakistan against them and all coming in three successive innings during the 2003 series here.
If current form is any yardstick for selection, selectors may have a point but logic should also be based on track record against a specific side in the particular format. And if the first-class domestic season was the point of evaluation then Imran deserves to be among the probables.
The embattled Mohammad Hafeez, who has mustered 43 runs in six innings against South Africa and 59 in four against Zimbabwe for a grand total of 102 at an average of mere 10.20 in five Tests this year, has been retained for the camp on the basis of his batting form in other two formats with those who matter not saying anything about his off-spin bowling!
Moreover, Hafeez’ overall figures against South Africa are just about modest — 307 runs in 18 innings of nine Tests at 17.05 with 60 his only 50-plus knock.
The Proteas, therefore, will be gleefully licking their lips upon learning that Hafeez would, in all probability, be part of the Pakistan squad for the Test matches in Abu Dhabi and Dubai next month since dislodging both Taufiq and Imran from the crease could have been more difficult for the likes of Steyn, Philander and Morkel.
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