Australian captain Pat Cummins isn’t ruling out a twin-spin bowling attack for the first Test against Pakistan, but insists a full XI won’t be named until as late as possible.
Rain in Rawalpindi has prevented the Aussies from further close-up inspections of the pitch, which appears highly batter-friendly.
According to Cummins, the team selectors need ‘another look at the wicket’ to determine the bowling combination Australia takes into their first overseas Test in 30 months.
“We’ll have a think, either later this arvo or tomorrow morning we’ll have an exact team,” Cummins told media on Thursday afternoon (AEDT).
“Two spinners [or] three quicks, we have a fair idea what we want to do, but we don’t want to make the call too early without fully knowing what the wicket is.”
Australia boasts a fearsome pace contingent for the series, with Cummins joined by left-armer Mitchell Starc, a fully fit Josh Hazlewood and Ashes hero Scott Boland among those vying for places in the team.
However, Cummins isn’t ruling out the possibility of picking two spinners should conditions suit, suggesting both all-rounder Ashton Agar and uncapped leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson are ‘both great options’.
“I’d probably prefer to keep it quiet,” Cummins said when pressed on his ideal bowling quartet.
“‘Sweppo’ as a leg-spinner is a real luxury to have. He’s been bowling fantastically, he’s ready to go.
“Ash Agar, he hasn’t played a lot of red-ball, but he’s been fantastic whenever he’s played for Australia. He’s really grown as a bowler in the last couple of years as well, so either are absolutely ready for Test cricket if they get a chance.”
More set is the batting line-up, which is expected to be the same as it was for the fifth Ashes Test in Hobart, barring a shock recall for opener Marcus Harris or any late injuries.
Cummins had a message for his batsmen – be patient, but don’t hesitate to flip the switch if the time is right.
“Compared to, say the Ashes series or the last 10 Test matches we’ve played, this could be a real grind,” he said.
“There could be times where the scoreboard’s only ticking at two runs an over, and for our batting group, we’ve just got to be prepared to bat and bat and bat.
“There’s certain stages where if you feel it’s going to speed up, be brave enough to take on those opportunities.
“All the basics of Test cricket stay the same – there’s nothing I’ve seen here to think it’s going to be a total different scenario.”
Cummins isn’t phased by early glimpses of the pitch suggesting whichever bowling attack is chosen will be in for a rough few days.
The fast-bowling superstar maintains that his bowlers are good enough to exploit any minimal assistance the surface offers.
“It looks like a good wicket, so I don’t think it’s going to be seaming or swinging all over the place, but I think there’ll be enough there,” Cummins said.
“Bowling in the practice wickets next to the wicket, it’s been nice to bowl on, so hopefully it’s much the same out in the middle.
“I doubt there’ll be as much bounce or as quick as in Australia, it seems okay but I don’t think it’ll be a super-quick wicket. Really unknown, to be honest; we’ll see how we go.”
Babar Azam & Pat Cummins (Photo: Cricket Australia)
One advantage of a flatter pitch could be the absence of substantial spin, which has been Australia’s nemesis on subcontinental tours for a generation.
Left out of the squad, Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah repeatedly routed visiting Australians on two recent tours of the UAE, while the team has won just one Test in India since 2004.
“One of the unknowns about coming to play here in Pakistan is, it’s obviously in the subcontinent, but looking at that wicket, it’s quite a long way away from the really spinny wickets that we might experience, where the morning of Day 1 it’s jumping out of footholes,” Cummins said of the pitch.
“When you come over here, you expect less bounce, probably less pace, reverse-swing bowling might come into play a bit more. But we’ve turned up to subcontinent grounds before and seen really spin-friendly wickets.
“Looking at this one, I think it’ll spin but maybe not from the morning of day one like we’ve seen in the past. I think it’s going to be hard work at times, but that’s the way you want it.”
Cummins anticipates the tour, Australia’s first to Pakistan in 24 years, as being a career highlight for his charges, with packed houses expected across the three-Test series – the first three days of the first Test have reportedly already been sold out.
“The whole previous generation of Australian teams didn’t get to experience Pakistan, so we feel really lucky and fortunate that we’re the first team to be back here,” he said.
“This will be a tour at the end of our career we’ll look back on and think ‘jeez, that was really special’.
“As much as anything, the way we’re looked after with the security presence, we’ll probably never experience anything like that in our life.
“A great life experience, really proud and happy to be experiencing Test cricket over here. Hopefully there’s plenty more of it in the future.
“Test cricket’s really special, when it’s in front of a packed house even more so. With the way COVID’s been over the last couple of years, we haven’t played a lot of packed houses.
“[It’s] a great experience for us as cricketers.”
Despite Pakistan being without fast-bowling options Hasan Ali, Faheem Ashraf and Haris Rauf (the latter of whom had his chances of a Test debut scuppered by a positive COVID test), Cummins is wary of underestimating the home side, especially given the success Australia had with a similarly undermanned bowling attack through the Ashes.
“International cricket, you’ve got to have a squad of players. I’m sure they’ll be a big loss, but it gives opportunities for other players to step up,” he said.
“I think you saw that throughout the summer in Australia; someone like Josh Hazlewood missed, and we were able to have Scott Boland come in and debut and perform fantastically. There’s always another guy that can step up.”
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