The Pakistan team will kick off their tour to Australia in Perth on Thursday in the first of three test match series. The series will be a way for the Men in Green to put the disappointments of the World Cup in India and the year's upheavals behind them.
Australia has announced a well-balanced squad with four of the world's top fast bowlers and a specialist spinner in the form of Nathan Lyon. Watching a team enter a test match with five genuine bowlers is a source of joy and comfort for all cricket fans and pundits, as it will provide the most direct route to winning a test match in Australia.
The Aussies have a loaded bowling attack with Pat Cummins, Josh Hazelwood, Mitchell Starc, and the all-rounder Mitchell Marsh. To top it off, they have the legendary spinner Nathan Lyon, which gives their team an excellent chance of taking 20 wickets and starting strongly in the three-match series.
In contrast, Pakistan's bowling appears to lack the same depth as their hosts. The impressive pacer Naseem Shah remains home, nursing his shoulder back to full fitness. While Shaheen Shah Afridi is formidable, he may find himself lonely, almost like a man whose wife forgets about him while browsing a jewellery store.
As we saw in the World Cup, it will be quite challenging for Shaheen to keep the Aussies at bay without support from Naseem from the other end. Instead, he will have to trust all-rounder Faheem Ashraf to produce the goods. Debutante Khurram Shahzad will have an opportunity to give a good account of himself on foreign soil.
The Ashrafs, Shahzads, and Hassan Alis, however, lack the flair and charisma of Naseem Shah. Pakistan possesses an excellent crop of young fast bowlers, such as Shahnawaz Dahani, Muhammad Hasnain, and Ihsanullah Zaman. But none of them have been molded into match-winning test players. This is down to the inefficiencies of our cricket board, who have focussed too much on keeping the first team unchanged that they forgot to groom a pool of ready backups.
Even though the match is being played in Perth, I would never opt for the team to play a test match without a genuine spinner in the side
Pakistan should ideally start with five bowlers for the match, which starts on Thursday. My lineup of choice would include Shaheen Shah Afridi, Wasim, Khurram Shehzad, Faheem Ashraf, and Noman Ali as the spinner. Even though the match is being played in Perth, I would never opt for the team to play a test match without a genuine spinner in the side. Take a cue from Australia — they never drop Nathan Lyon. India, who won back-to-back series in Australia, always had R. Ashwin in the side. I believe it was a masterstroke in their strategy.
While we may not have players who can match the quality of Ashwin or Lyon, we must play Noman, who I believe is an underrated bowler. If picked, he would need to mix up his deliveries bravely and occasionally flight the ball to extract some purchase from the track. As a spinner, one should be prepared to be hit for a boundary or worse every once in a while because it is essential to reap the rewards — it’s like love; there will be bumpy moments, but along the road, you can create memories of a lifetime.
It is crucial that skipper Shan Masood and the team management get Pakistan's playing eleven and the roles of each player spot on if they wish to put up a fight. The Australians are perfect in this area, and I hope Pakistan follows suit. Shan Masood is an intelligent character, and I expect he will make well-thought-out choices and give appropriate value to the "horses for courses" concept. He should avoid a muddled approach and draw inspiration from the successful approach adopted by the Indians against Australia. It’s an excellent template that he can Xerox.
To win in Australia, it is crucial for the team to overcome the mental challenge.
If you're batting, you need to put a high price tag on your wicket and attack when the opponents offer a chance. Perth is the same city where Pakistan recorded its fourth-lowest total of 62 all out in test cricket
The last time Pakistan won in Australia was all the way back in 1995-96 under the great Wasim Akram. This is why it is critical that Shan Masood takes a page out of Wasim Akram's book, emulates the great all-rounder's monumental self-belief, and instills a strong desire to win in his charges. To play against Australia in Australia is the Mount Everest of challenges in cricket - just ask England, and only brave captains who are willing to bet on their charges will conquer it.
While the mental aspect of the game is always crucial, the skillset of individual players is equally important. The management needs to highlight their skills, offset their weaknesses, and encourage them to fully utilise their strengths.
Whether batting or bowling, players must be fully cognizant of the situation and play accordingly. If you're batting, you need to put a high price tag on your wicket and attack when the opponents offer a chance. Perth is the same city where Pakistan recorded its fourth-lowest total of 62 all out in test cricket. However, this does not mean players should go into a shell, which would be fatal. If you are bowling, you must believe you can get the batter out on every delivery. Good bowlers always set up the batter and follow the captain's plan with courage.
Lastly, fielding, especially catching, is the most critical part. Our bowling attack packs a sufficient punch to create chances. But mark my words like gospel: the chances our bowlers create will only count if the team holds onto catches as if their life depended on it. Remember, clichés were coined by wise men and women, and the best one in cricket is "catches win matches."
Here is to five days of high-quality cricket in the longest format of the game.