He’s made it to the squad, time and again, despite being horribly out of touch with the bat.

He’s frustrated the most dignified of fans by refusing to budge from his preferred opening position and perhaps by being constantly in the ear of his teammates.

Yet, one cannot discount the value Mohammad Hafeez brings to Pakistan with the ball.

And with Saeed Ajmal currently out of commission, the ‘Professor’ may just be starting the most important phase out of his career.

I am not a Hafeez fan by any stretch of imagination. With an average of 80.50 against Zimbabwe, 45.00 against Ireland, 17.75 against Australia, 18.88 against South Africa and 24.68 against England, he can hardly be bracketed among the top batsmen Pakistan has ever produced.

His last ten innings in Tests before he was finally dropped read like this: 18, 0, 5, 16, 22, 16, 11, 80, 21, 1. His ODI numbers have been a tad better, an average of 39.6 in the last innings. He’s decent with the bat, at best.

Also read: Atif, Adnan likely to be Pakistan’s best bet against Aussies in Ajmal’s absence

Of course, Hafeez is not a like-for-like replacement for Ajmal, but it is bowling which has kept him in the side in the shorter forms of the game and that is what Pakistan must heavily bank on now. If Ajmal is not cleared by the World Cup in February next year, Hafeez’s offbreaks become even more vital. He averages 35 in ODIs and 23 in T20s, and has ranked among the top ten in both formats repeatedly in the past two years.

Pakistan captain Misbahul Haq recently said:

“At the moment, we have tried different players as an all-rounder but the problem is that the guys who are good batsmen can’t bowl like that. We want them as a full-fledged bowling option. If we pick players who are good at bowling, we lack batting options. We are lacking quality all-rounders.”

Hafeez is currently the top allrounder in both ODIs and T20s and that’s where his utility to Pakistan really lies. He’s the genuine jack of all trades the team needs.

Wahab Riaz is not that man.

Take a look: Saqlain to help Ajmal correct bowling action

The ideal position for him in the batting order would be number 7, just above Shahid Afridi. This adjustment will mean Pakistan can go in with three genuine fast bowlers or even a fast bowling allrounder.

Again, Riaz is not that man.

If Misbahul Haq, provided he’s retained as captain until the World Cup, brings in a specialist spinner, then, unfortunately, either Hafeez or Afridi must sit out.

Misbah will have two big series, Australia and New Zealand, to test an Ajmal-less attack out.

It is time the ‘Professor’ and Pakistan learn their lessons and become willing to make adjustments in a side which might be without their best player at the World Cup.