Taufeeq Umar

Morning shows the day is a popular adage but Taufeeq Umar's career despite a debut ton in Tests was always about a start stop affair. Over a period of 13 years, he could hardly play 44 Tests from 2001-2014. A high backlift backed by a dour and gritty technique characterized Umar's style of batting. But fallibility outside off led to his downfalls more often than not.

But when on song, Umar could batter the opposition into submission with his truck loads of patience. Umar's career in ODIs was nothing to write and was always branded as a Test specialist. His Test span though was divided into two halves. He was a regular from 2001-2005 and then had a gap of 5 years and came back into the side in late 2010 and held his own till July 2012.

A double hundred against the Lankans sandwiched between tons against Windies and Bangladesh ensured he had a fruitful 2011 and Pakistan had an answer in him for one of the opener's slot but runs dried up post his 7th Test ton and he was left out of the side. He was recalled for a Test in Nov 2014 but as given only Test to prove his mettle. Scores of 16 and 4 against the Kiwis at Dubai did not help his cause and ever since then he has not been picked again and a come back also seems bleak. The emergence of Shan Masood and promotion of Azhar Ali to the opener's slot also has been enough to keep him out of the side.