The Upcoming Star

                                 What is Umar Akmal's future in tests?

I must admit I have heard of many Pakistani prodigies from Zaheer Abbas in the 60's,to Javed Miandad in the 70' and then Inzamam in the 90's.So when I heard of the younger brother of Kamran Akmal in Umar talked of in the lead up to the Pakistan tour of New Zealand in 09.I couldn't wait to see him.Duly I wasn't disappointed with his style and stroke play of the highest calibre.This seen in a truly brutal debut 129 off 160 balls. Where he belted the Kiwi's all over Dunedin.This against an attack containing the rarely fit,but lethal Shane Bond.Who was duly lethal in this match taking 8/153 and being key in the result.Even in the run chase in the Pakistani second innings on a wearing pitch favouring spin,but still support swing.Akmal as his more mature and reputed team mates failed was a stand out scoring an excellent and very mature 75.Thus nearly pulling of a great victory

In this series drawn 1 all. He was elite scoring one century and 3 50's with an average of 63.
So on seeing this I thought he was the next big thing in Pakistan cricket.So couldn't wait to see him in the Aussie part of the tour.
He was less successful in this part of the Pakistan tour of Oceania.Here he scored just one 50.He was viewed as being impetuous in his shot selection.That smacked of the impatience of his youth.More disturbingly was his technique being challenged and duly come up short.Though im a forgiving man and just saw this as a blip in a young man's career with Akmal only being 19 during this series.Also the pressure of that tour with the questions over Captaincy and selection dramas. That in the third test centred around his brother Kamran being dropped for his litany of misses behind the stumps in the ill fated Sydney tests.This must have worn heavy on him.

So I thought every person deserves a second chance so eagerly awaited his performance in the tests against the Aussies and England in the UK.In truth if he was average in Australia he was damned awful in these 6 tests.His technically deficiencies were there for all to see and duly exploited.Then more worrying was the lack of heart and mental toughness he was showing.He had the look of a beaten man in mind and in his heart.Thus in tests where any weakness in technique or in mind or heart is duly exploited.He was like a dead man walking with the vultures circling and in truth in sport don't rely on vultures to be kind
For they never are!
So as the test series against South Africa is fast approaching against a team containing the Worlds best bowler in Dale Steyn.Then the fast improving Morne Morkel and hopefully the left arm pace and swing of Wayne Parnell.
Which Umar Akmal will we see..................?
 For against this brutal bowling line up, if he is like how he was in England. He will truly be hung out to dry.