Follow Us23 years and 128 days, that’s how long it has been since Australia have toured Pakistan for a Test series. In addition, it has been 900 days since the Kangaroos played a Test series away from home.
The familiarity factor has certainly been a heavy part of the recent Australian success and it poses a threatening question: can they do it away from home? Their last 14 Tests have been at home and the last time they played away from home, it was in England, a condition in stark contrast to the one that will be dished in Pakistan.
"So, I'm expecting it to be pretty nice to bat on for the first couple of days then look for it to hopefully spin, and reverse swing may come into it,” predicted Nathan Lyon after having his first look earlier on Wednesday.
Lyon also likened the wickets to the Middle East, which also was the last time these two sides faced each other. If the wickets play out as it did in 2018, Australia have a humungous task in hand, to battle spin and reverse-swing.
Also read: All set for first away tour in 900 days, litmus test beckons Aussie batters
On the other hand, Pakistan will welcome Australia with an unbeaten record at home since the return of Test cricket in the country. While Pakistan have their own share of worries, including Haris Rauf testing COVID-19 positive, a packed crowd in Rawalpindi is expected to make things daunting for the visitors.
All eyes on Warner-Khawaja as opening pair
For Australia, the last few years has been about searching for a suitable opening partner for David Warner. After several batting partners, Australia will go into the Pakistan series with a relatively known opening pair of Usman Khawaja and Warner. The two go well back in time, when they grew up playing club cricket as kids. Khawaja’s experience alongside Warner at the top of the batting order is invaluable, the only question being, can he hold shape?
With just seven Tests in Asia, the 35-year-old’s record stands good, with an average of 31.45, with a century that came against Pakistan in Dubai. In Australia’s rather disastrous tour, it was Khawaja who stood as one of the biggest positives, with 229 runs. In reality, it wasn’t all about the runs, the technique he showed against the spinners, the reverse-swing is what has made him a contender for the Rawalpindi Test.
The management will be keen on how the openers fare out in Pakistan, with a major sub-continent series still on the horizon for Australia, which in reality, could be the decider of the World Test Championship finalists.
A life without Hasan Ali in Pakistan
Since the beginning of 2021, two Pakistan pacers have dominated the top bowling charts in Test cricket – Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali. The Asian side, however, will be without the latter, who was ruled out of the first Test with an abductor strain. That combined with the absence of Faheem Ashraf and Haris Rauf, puts the onus on Shaheen to once again be the leader of the bowling unit.
Unlike Australia, whose concerns primarily are around their spin unit and the overall look of the lower-order, the problem for Pakistan lies in how they can fill the Hasan-sized hole in their bowling unit. In the last Test at the venue, it was the 27-year-old’s efforts, that took the hosts home, picking up a ten-fer in the clash against South Africa.
The 27-year-old not only threatened the batters with his pace and swing but also the fact that his batting brought about the right balance for the Pakistani outfit. While the reports suggest that Mohammad Wasim Jr might debut on Friday, which also could see the return of Naseem Shah, the hole left by the duo of Ashraf and Ali would be tough to fill.
Babar Azam remains key despite century drought
If Virat Kohli’s last Test century was in November 2019, Babar Azam’s last one came in February 2020, with both of them incidentally scoring against Bangladesh. Since then, the Pakistan skipper has made some valuable contributions but hasn’t been able to convert them into centuries, notably against South Africa and West Indies.
His return in the last six Test innings read: 76, 10, 13, 75, 33 and 30. While the right-hander has had his fair share of struggle against Josh Hazlewood (six dismissals), his record against the Kangaroos is extremely impressive.
A century in Brisbane and a 97 in Adelaide are definitely up there in terms of class. Babar averages 31.46 against Australia, against whom, he has scored 409 runs, joint second-best aggregate for Babar against any Test side. So, despite the century drought, the 27-year-old remains key for Pakistan.
Predicted playing XI and Team Combination
With George Bailey confirming that Khawaja would partner Warner at the top of the order, the mystery surrounds whether Australia would play two front-line spinners, a front-line spinner and Ashton Agar or three quicks. Pat Cummins, however, was lip-tight on the playing XI, saying that the visitors will take a call on the day of the Test, with weather likely to play a part in selection.
Australia’s Predicted Playing XI: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar/Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon
On the other hand, for Pakistan, there is expected to be a wholesale change in the bowling department, owing to the various news that has jolted them over the past week. Reports suggest that the Asian side are preparing for fielding a five-man bowling attack to counter the Australian batting unit.
Pakistan’s Predicted Playing XI: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq/Shan Masood, Azar Ali, Babar Azam (c), Fawad Alam, Mohammed Rizwan (wk), Mohammed Wasim Jr, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah