Where is our fielding headed?

The recently concluded Faysal Bank T20 Cup received a lot of attention and created a lot of hype in the media. A new sponsor for the format has been found auguring well for the domestic circuit. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has used the success of this tournament to make various claims including the viability of playing international cricket in Pakistan.

With Pakistan being one of the most successful T20 sides in the world to date it is felt that homegrown talent first makes its mark on the domestic scene through performances in this competition. Already most club cricket has gravitated to the T20 format and amateurs no longer look at the longer formats of limited overs cricket with much favour.

It’s true that the 20 over format is exciting and provides instant gratification. It’s replete with big hitting, direct throws, diving tackles on the ball, electric running between the wickets, lots of wickets falling and edge-of-the-seat finishes. All in all, it’s a young man’s game.

Surprisingly, the award for the best fielder of the tournament has been given to Muhammad Yousuf. The bearded 36 year old was never known as an outstanding fielder. It was always his performances with the bat which have led to his being acknowledged as one of the most elegant and stylish batsmen ever produced by Pakistan. In 90 tests he averages 52.29 runs per innings and has scored 7,530 runs at a strike of 52.39. His 24 centuries and 33 fifties and the fact that he has bettered Sir Vivian Richards’ world record aggregate in a calendar year amply prove his mettle as a batsman.

My question is regarding the criterion for the award of the best fielder of the tournament and whether it shows something about perceived importance of fielding in Pakistan cricket?

If the basis for this award was simply the number of catches held then it is too simplistic a criterion. Is just the number of catches held a well-defined measure? How would you rate a fielder standing at point who stops 20-30 runs, affects a run out or two (and if not a run out at least creates enough doubt in the batsman’s mind about running when the ball is hit in his direction) and manages to score 20-30 runs too?

On their 1992-93 tour to South Africa, led by Mohammad Azharuddin, the Indians simply eliminated the square cut from their repertoire as the fielder at point, one Jonty Rhodes, made it too risky and unproductive a shot to play. Imagine the influence that one outstanding fielder had on the game and the immediate pressure on the batsmen to score elsewhere. On the bouncy and quick South African wickets the square cut is a staple shot for scoring in the area behind point – eliminating it means taking away a huge advantage.

 If in case Yousuf was the best fielder then it is a reflection of the fact that in Pakistan we do not emphasise the importance of fielding to the side and thus do not encourage our players to improve in this area.

A case in point is the performance of the Pakistan team, in the fielding department, especially during the Test series played since their triumph in the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup in England. Multiple catches have been dropped in almost all Tests and matches have been gifted to the opponents. Where catches haven’t been dropped Pakistan has beaten Australia and England in England this last summer.

Where are the youngsters? Why aren’t they the best fielders in our domestic game? Is the development of our young and upcoming cricketers focused only on building up of batting and bowling skills? What does it take to produce fielders comparable with Jonty Rhodes, Ricky Ponting and Herschelle Gibbs?

Please comment and let me have your opinions on this.