Can Junaid Khan fill the void left by Amir?

In terms of the first 7 tests, Junaid already has more wickets more 5 wicket hauls a better average and strike rate Mohammed Amir did. What's even more exceptional is that Junaid has not played in conditions which favour bowling in these first 7 tests. Amir was indeed naturally gifted, But who knows he could've been hammered all over the place on subcontinent pitches? Junaid's a natural hard worker and sometimes hard work prevails over talent but hope does remain he can do it.

No.

I believe every bowler is unique like snowflakes. Some snowflakes are dirty as they fall on dirt, but once in a while, you can just catch a few on your palm to admire.

Atleast Junaid is better than the experienced Gul.

It will be interesting to see how he performs in England,NZ, Australia or South Africa.

he just seems ordinary whenever I watch him.

no great pace or movement at all...lad has a big heart and will run in all day, but am not convinced.

To be honest I have not seen enough of Junaid yet. Its early days but its heartening to see him get wickets on placid tracks. I feel he needs to beef up a bit.

I really like Junaid khan and feel that he is equally talented as Amir he has the talent and Amir was also like this in his first series in slanka had catches dropped off his bowling Junaid also had catches dropped off him in abu dhabi. one thing he needs to improve on is his short delivery bouncer it is a hit me ball from him doesnt get as high as it should got a lot of tap from pieterson in series against Eng for that in t20 and odi

Aamir was also not a special bowler until his one spell in Australia and then the England tour. And tbh all fast bowlers were successful on that england tour even the inconsisten riaz and Gul as well..

So junaid just need that break through tour and IA he will be our future star.

I'll answer the question when Junaid gets a tour to England and Australia.

He will not be the same thing as Amir. Junaid is good but not Amir good. Amir was on track to be Waseem Akram type of good.

He's going to be better.

Seriously though, it's too early to say anything ATM. We've not seen much of him, just wait a couple more series and we'll find out.

He may not be like Amir but he is very talented plus he's only 22, IMO he's going to have a great future ahead of him Insha'Allah.

Seriously speaking though, I think this is what has kind of dented our bowlers [or at least in our minds, because we expect them to be excellent but they turn out to be less]. I mean, a new bowler comes onto the scenes and straight away gets compared to the better/good fast bowlers - at least give the poor guy a chance first! I remember when Junaid Khan first got selected for Pakistan and threads were made, people started saying, he will be another Amir for us. He hadn't even bowled a ball internationally and the comparisons had already started!

Yes, I know that there have been big boots to fill in for Junaid and co. since the departure of Amir and Asif, but let him settle properly first. There is a big 'void' to be filled, but we have got to understand that it won't be filled straight away. It takes time.

Another thing is, because we have been blessed with such good fast bowlers regularly we demand all the fast bowlers to be as good. But we have to understand that all our fast bowlers can't turn out to be great bowlers. Realistically, that can't happen because every bowler is different in his own way. We can't expect all our bowlers to be fantastic from day one.

Expecting Junaid to fill such a big void is a tad unfair on him. He has his own role and Amir had his own role.

As @Shahid Afridi rulez has said, he has age on his side. He is a hard working lad too, so any problems that are in his bowling he will be more than willing to correct. If he is given the right guidance he will be at least a good bowler for us. He is one of those that works hard and will bowl day in and day out for us, and that's always a plus.

Junaid has taken wickets on flat tracks and placid wickets, which makes me excited to think about his bowling in bowler friendly conditions such as England, South Africa etc. Though, he has already shown promise in England during the little amount of County cricket he has played.

He'll have a good future ahead of him, Inshallah. But we mustn't start asking him to do what Amir does, because Junaid is a different bowler.

Not a big fan of these Amir/Junaid comparisons.

Junaid looks to be a good bowler. His two 5fers against SL on relatively dead pitches have been great. His main weapon to the right hander is angling the ball in from round the wicket on a good length. However, occasionally he's shown ability to get the ball to hold its line enough to take the edge through to the kepeer. To left handers, all I've seen is the angled ball in from over the wicket. As well as this he has a good surpirse yorker, useful especially to tailenders and fresh batsmen at the crease. His pace is fine but it would be desireable if he could improve it to the 140+ mark.

But that's pretty much it so far. His short ball doesn't seem to trouble batsmen and he also doesn't get natural swing with the new or old ball. Having said that, he hasn't yet bowled in bowling friendly conditions for Pakistan so who knwos how much better he can perform in Eng/SA/NZ/Aus. Also, he's only 22 so has time to develop and should definitely be preserved with for now.

Comparing him to Amir though is unfair. Amir had almost everything: raw pace, ability to bring the ball back in to the right hander as well as swing it away, a sharp bouncer and a good yorker. All of this at the age of 18. Freakish.

Junaid can be a great bowler for Pakistan in the coming years and I hope he does but let's not compare him with Amir, at least not at this point in time.

Very good post by Talha.

However, if we ignore the comparison with disgraced Amir and think only about the void that has been left by his excommunication from the world of cricket, then I think we have found a pretty good bowler in Junaid. He won't be an all time great....something that Amir had the potential of being, but he can be a very handy bowler for us for sure. So while we shouldn't expect or hope for him to fill that void completely, there is no reason to not be upbeat about his capabilities.

Let's face it.....on a dead as a plank of wood wicket which stayed flat for all five days, where bowled toiled for hundreds of overs without success, he looked dangerous and threatening and continued to trouble experienced and successful test cricketers....the results were there for all to see in his figures.

It's not only me but also Peter Moores who has been impressed by him...

Ideally he would be a 3rd bowler....behind Amir and Asif or Amir and Gul or Gul and Asif.....but circumstances haven't allowed that so he will have to step up and show everybody he has what it takes. The story so far is good.

@HashiBaba

I dont agree with Moores comment about Odis.

To me, Junaid is a much better test bowler, he needs atleast 6/7 overs to get settle whereas in odis you dont have that many overs to play with. Also i have noticed, he is bit nervous and under pressure in odis while his confidence is sky high in tests.

you guys will get all your answers the day he bowls in australia and england


iv saw videos of him bowl in ireland

unhittable and serious swing and seam

True but to Moores' defence, he made that comment after Junaid's stint with Lancashire. I believe Junaid was only there for the limited overs and didn't play the County Championship so Moores didn't get to see him in the longer version of the game.

I think he picked 4 wickets in one of those games and was motm as well.

yes

he swung the ball a mile, theres a video behind where he was bowling, friend has it, will ask em to send

doesnt have xfactor that amir has lol

what would that be? a keen eye for corruption?

How come he doesnt have x factor?

He is more good looking and certainly a very humble, dedicated and likeable player.

but but he doesnt bowl 100 MPH

I find Junaid Khan a lot more hardworking than Mohammad Amir who on other hand was abundantly talented compared to Junaid Khan.

Having said that Junaid Khan is becoming a better bowler as days go by.

What a sensational, breathtaking display of bowling today by Junaid.

One of the best spells I have seen for a long time. Unlucky to only get 2 wickets.....deserved more!

junaid is good & getting better with every passing day but in compare to Amir he lacks pace & the inswinger. Will Junaid still be able to the fill the viod left by Amir, surely.

He's a fantastic bowler. Bowled superbly today and got the 2 big mans out. He's got the talent and potential to become something really big [IA].

But PCB need to treat him well and not like the others, so he doesn't come under the list of "Wasted Talents".

Absolutely.

And he also needs to use the brain that God has given him and not throw everything away like others before him have done!

Works both ways!

he wont InshALLAH

A Pathan will never sell his country.

Let's hope you are right!


But one thing....and no offence saab. You're a good poster and I have nothing against pathan people. But you are not a master race nor are you superior to anyone and nor are you any less likely to be corrupted or a criminal.

Did you see the spell? No exaggeration. He was unplayable at times. Hope the highlights can be found somewhere.

Brilliant from junaid, but imagine if amir was still around, it would have been an amir-junaid duo, like waseem-waqar!

aamir... aamir ... aamir

wth.. just move on guys.

dont imagine coz if aamir was here, he would have most probably fixed this as well.

where did i say.. Pathans are master race or superior to anyone else?

its just one of their quality that most of them are honest people....

I know you didn't say that but it's something that is banded about quite often.

I don't believe they are any more or less honest than others. I understand you may be Pathan and by all means have pride in your ethnicity but remember that all people are equal and nobody is a better person or a worse person simply because of their ethnicity.

ok Sir.

i do agree with you that nobody is better because of their ethnicity, may be we feel more pride in it but that doesnt mean that we are considering anyone else inferior.

my views about this issue are

O Mankind, We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of God is he who is the most righteous of you" (Quran 49:13).

I'm not a fan of early comparisons too. I despise it when players just play 1 game and the comparisons start occurring - Awais zia is the latest. People started saying he's just as good as Afridi and go on Youtube, Facebook you'll see stuff like 'Boom Boom Zia' 'Best hitter Awais Zia' But because Junaid said it himself that he's going to try and fill Amir's place thats the only reason why I wrote 'Void'. It means he knows his role in the side and Yes its early days for him but just wanted to talk about this achievement of him so far.

For the time being Junaid should carry on playing Tests, He can fit into all 3 forms of the game however this'll help his stamina, fitness, ounce of handling pressure and when he comes into the ODI or T20 side he won't be as pressurized as much. You could tell he was when he played that solitary T20 against England earlier on in the year, Luckily he managed to bowl a good last over though otherwise I thought with him bowling we could've lost.

Brilliant bowling today. You can see the highlights, he was absolutely unplayable.