This piece revolves around the argument that if Paras scores a fifty from number four position, not only it prevents the team from the situation of being all-out for two hundred in a 50 over match, rather Paras’s presence in the centre will give guidelines and boost to the remaining players in line to bat.
Highlighting the importance of Paras’s fifty, the piece will reveal how he has in the past failed to capitalize his starts to accomplish a half-century. Invoking a slice of history, this piece will remind that Paras has played three u-19 world-cups, and can be remembered for his lack of fifties, maybe he even does not have three half century to his credit. Why is paras’s relationship with half-century so rough and filled with such bitter tragic stories? The article brings out what his current plans as a batter appears to be, and suggests what alternate options he has available.
Batting at number four at present Paras’s plan is to take the game forward, take attack to the opposition, counter-attack and express oneself in order to put the bowlers on the back foot. This approach is employed in the light that as he enters the scene to bat, the run rate is down, and he think it is his job to bring it to normalcy.
The situation after the Namibia has changed, Nepal team has installed Gyanendra Malla at the opening slot, and kept Shard Vesawakar in charge of number three. In this new circumstance, does Paras has to revise and change his plans as well?
Yes, in my opinion. From now it can be expected that he does not have be encounter drowning run-rate. In this situation I suggest him to see alternative planning options so that he can score fifty and avoid the possibility of Nepal team getting all out for two hundred.
He should say to himself, now I won’t look to counter-attack, instead I will look to play as late as possible. I will not charge after a bowler, instead I will look to give superior status to single-and-double and secondary to a boundary. I will not hate a spinner, instead look to milk him for runs. I will not get out for score of twenty and thirty, rather I will score a fifty first to take the team to strong position. I will not counter-attack from the beginning. I will counter attack only after I score a half-century. I will first score a fifty take the team to safety thus avoiding under two hundred dismissal. I repeat, I will counter-attack “only” after I accomplish a half-century.
Conclusion, Paras should not counter-attack from beginning, he should “plan” to first score a fifty and then counter-attack to take team close to victory.
When I find younis khan bat for Pakistan, I always remember Paras. In the first test match at Lords I was on vigil after Younis arrived to bat. He was couching, looked unnatural, was jumping like a cat on a hot tin roof, desired to pick single, tried all he could to stay not out. If I compare Paras and Younis, cricket follower would criticize me for comparing an all time batting great with Paras. May be they will make me count number of fifty and hundred Paras has scored and Younis has accomplished. In terms of body position, feet movement, balance, artistic element Younis has lot of flaws, he is a clumsy batting in display. What has lifted him to such unreachable height is his desire to stay not out, and love of single and secondary status he gives to a boundary. In private I consider Paras to be more natural player who displays more visual aesthetics than Younis, in public I dare not say so because I fear someone would spread the stats displaying number of half-century Paras has scored.
Had Paras, Sharad, Gyanu developed or displayed talent of scoring half-century, and had Nepal installed right batting order the team would have climbed to division one beating Malaysia, Oman, Singapore, Kuwait, USA five years back.
The alternate batting plan I propose to Paras is to not counter-attack from the beginning but only after he scores a fifty, play the ball as late as possible, to develop desire to stay not-out by respecting spinners, to avoid failed concept of “natural” game and look to play “normal” cricket, and finally to give superior status to a single than a boundary. My final suggestion is a request to him to watch Younis, and Misbah bat for two hours in past videos or in upcoming matches. If Paras “changes” his plans with objective to survive for two hours at the centre, Nepal team will post a target of, or will chase, 260 in 50 over match that too against high standard team like the Netherlands. Will Paras score at least one half-century, if possible two half-century in two fixtures against the Netherlands?
