A middling 2019 World Cup campaign and poor results over the past year in Tests meant Pakistan underwent sweeping changes in management prior arriving in Australia.
Mickey Arthur was replaced as Pakistan coach by Misbah-ul-Haq and, with that, the team got new captains as well in different formats. Sarfaraz Ahmed’s axing as Test skipper was a long time coming as the results over the past year or so hadn’t been the best.
They had lost to New Zealand and Sri Lanka in the UAE and were whitewashed by South Africa away earlier this year. Azhar Ali takes over the Test captaincy with a young team and a new management on this very tough Australian tour.
Australia is pretty much the toughest country to tour for Pakistan, as they haven’t managed to win a single Test in the last 24 years. The biggest issue this time around is not their batting – as it has historically been – but their bowling.
They have some experienced hands with the bat, like captain Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq, to guide this young team but, with the ball, they don’t much experience on these pitches down under.
Their bowling is led by Mohammad Abbas whose career is just 14 Tests old. The problem is not only the lack of experience but also the kind of bowlers they have picked.
Imran Khan Jr and Mohammad Abbas are similar. Both operate at a pace less than 135 km/hr and bowl fuller lengths trying to get the ball to swing. Abbas, who has been brilliant in England and has had successful county stints there, was well but struggled on bouncy South African pitches earlier this year.
Imran Khan Jr hasn’t played an international game for over three years. Both aren’t going to find too much swing with the Kookaburra ball at the Gabba except for few overs at the start.
The biggest problem after the initial overs will be the lack of pace from their experienced bowlers once the ball loses its shine. The fact that Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz decided to retire from the longest format of the game did not help.
Shaheen Shah Afridi, who is a sure starter, probably has the pace and height to trouble the Aussie batsmen but, again, this will be just his fourth Test. Naseem Shah is an impressive talent and he impressed one and all with his pace in the practice games.
If he does get a chance to play ahead of Imran Khan Jr, it will be interesting to see how he holds up fitness-wise. He is just a 16-year-old kid who has a grand total of seven first-class games to his credit.
Yasir Shah, who will be their lead spinner, had a horror tour to Australia last time and struggled in South Africa earlier this year as well. This makes the bowling selection for the first Test interesting, with Abbas and Shah the only certainties at this point.
Pakistan haven’t been the best Test team over the last couple of years and, with the upcoming games being the start of the World Test Championship, they would be hoping for a miracle against a team flying high after an impressive Ashes show.
While the Pakistan batting might hold, their bowling attack does not seem to have the experience or skill on the hard pitches they are going to encounter here.
Gurlivleen Grewal
Roar Pro
Time and again, we have seen even good starts go awry. I just want to make a distinction between talent and test-match success. So I differ on your point about getting wickets early. They might get them and yet struggle. Dropping Abbas for the first test - that doesn't seem right either! Misbah was expected to bring the unPakistan patience, resolve and nuance - the first few matches are quickly eating away at that assumption.
Giri Subramanian
Roar Guru
The biggest problem is the fitness for these young bowlers. Australia is a tough place for young bowlers touring. The heat and the hardness of the pitch can get you if you don't have experience bowling long spells here. Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi don't have too much experience playing long formats. The start is important. If they can get wickets they might enjoy the conditions but again if the Aussies put them under the sword, they will wilt under pressure.
Gurlivleen Grewal
Roar Pro
I think it would be like the last 3 Indian tours of Aus before the last one or when Pakistan had a formidable attack - early 2000s. Even one makes the inroads early, the 3/4/5th bowlers have to still back it up on relatively flat pitches, under heat. Expecting a few sparks but nothing of substance, win wise. If they go all-out attack (unlikely with Misbah at the realm) - the bowlers are quite green, will go for runs. If they play the game of patience - are they fit enough? They certainly lack the FC experience.
Giri Subramanian
Roar Guru
It is going to be tough for them as all their fast bowlers irrespective of the length of their association with the national side are very inexperienced. Imran Khan Jr is the only one who has played Test cricket in Australia and it is not the performance he will want to remember. The other problem will be the conditions and the ability to keep going in the heat if they are put under pressure. Fitness will also be an issue with the young bowlers as they haven’t played too many FC games. Yasir and Abbas are the key if Pakistan are to trouble Australia. If these two don’t fire they will find it really difficult.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Shaheen is a joy to watch when he gets it right, and could be dangerous in Aussie conditions, but it's consistency and the fact he goes for runs that'll hurt him. Run scoring is often faster in Australia due to the conditions, so that'll be only heightened and he will struggle to build pressure. Naseem Shah is in the same boat. Exciting, but too experienced. I think he will get a run, but then try to bowl too short. Yasir Shah needs to be about 100x better than last tour if Pakistan are to have a chance.