Perspectives: Pakistan v England

So then Ladies and Gents. The first part of England’s difficult winter is upon us. How will our lads respond? I haven’t got the foggiest to be honest with you. I find second guessing the current England team as difficult as quantum mechanics. Therefore it’s more than a tad fortune that I’ve got a bonafide quantum mechanics student on hand to help me. Here’s guest writer Shantam Taneja’s preview of what should be a fascinating series …

Having started university last week, I found it bizarre that more people weren’t talking about England regaining the Ashes. Perhaps the declining popularity of the sport may have been the reason. Nevertheless it was astounding that this summer’s Ashes didn’t capture the imaginations of youth in their late teens. If the appeal of an Ashes series alone is not enough to entice people, then the simple fact that England regained the Ashes, eighteen months after being whitewashed in Australia, should have definitely turned a few heads.

As the week drew to a close, I was even more astonished that my friends weren’t discussing the new opening berth in England’s Test team (at this point, I could have forgiven them because their minds may have been occupied with Quantum Mechanics and Electromagnetism). The question of who should partner Cook in the first test against Pakistan would be on everyone’s lips if we lived in an ideal world.

However we don’t live in an ideal world because in that world, Adam Lyth would have made the most of the opportunities afforded to him during the summer. He’d be walking out with Cook to open the batting next week. As it turns out, Lyth isn’t in the Middle East and now England are left with the Moeen Ali or Hales conundrum.

Hales would be a sensible choice given his domestic season but a lot of people, including myself, remain unconvinced. He really struggled against the pace of Pat Cummins in the ODIs against Australia. What worries me is that Hales is viewed a long-term prospect and he could struggle down under in the next Ashes. On the other hand, a series against South Africa follows the Middle East excursion and giving Hales an opportunity in the UAE would allow England to groom him for more demanding challenges.

I personally feel England should take the riskier option for once. Pushing Moeen up the order provides a much needed balance to the team as England can field 2 decent spinners. Replicating the success of the English summer in the UAE will require a different approach – hence it’s essential that England play two spinners. This will allow the fast bowlers some much needed rest in the sweltering heat. We know that England’s best performances in the subcontinent have come when 2 spinners have been chosen – think Kolkata and Mumbai in 2012.

Despite all the talk about the balance within the team, success in this series will boil down to how England bat, specifically against Yasir Shah. In the previous series between the 2 sides in 2012, England could’ve won had the batsman played Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman better. Those two may not be around this time but don’t underestimate the threat of Shah, who recently became the fastest Pakistani bowler to reach 50 wickets. A couple of early dismissals might evoke memories of Shane Warne in his pomp.

To counter that threat, the senior batsman will have to be on top of their game. We know that Cook is a class act against spin bowling as his performances in India have shown. However, there are doubts about Bell’s ability to play spin. In fact, the last time England toured the UAE, Bell bagged a second ball duck in the warm up match and none other than Yasir Shah claimed his wicket. Bell will have to be on top of his game but it’s comforting to know that he scored a century in his most recent match in Asia.

The contest I’m most looking forward to is Joe Root against the Pakistani spinners. So far, in his fledgling career, he has found answers to everything thrown at him. A good series here will erase any doubts about Root being a home track bully.

Despite a strong performance from Finn in the warm up match, I wouldn’t have him in the squad. I would also play James Taylor and Johnny Bairstow because the Notts man has quick feet – this will help against the spinners. Taylor was one of the few batsmen who showed some fight as England capitulated against Pakistan A.

The extended batting line up should help England tackle the Pakistani attack. This would mean Buttler moving to 8 – which could end up being a blessing in disguise as it may prompt him to attack. The line up may prove to be too risky as it brings undue pressure on Stokes to perform the role of the 3rd seamer; therefore the selectors might play Wood instead of an extra batsman.

This could turn out to be a gripping series. Shame it will probably be played in empty stadiums. Lets hope that Cook’s team can repeat our success against Pakistan in 2001. Remember Graham Thorpe and Nasser Hussain scrambling singles in the dark, with Moin Khan grumbling to the umpires?

I will be trying to catch as much of the action as I can. I hope my friends will excuse my tiredness as I follow England’s quest to become the world’s best team. It’s unlikely that my excitement will rub off on my peers but who knows? Maybe one day they’ll come to appreciate the interconnectedness between quantum mechanics and the tactical dimensions of test cricket. Though based on my observations thus far, I doubt it.

My XI

  1. Cook 2. Ali 3. Bell 4. Root 5. Taylor 6. Bairstow 7. Stokes 8. Butler 9. Rashid 10. Broad 11. Anderson

Shantam Taneja 

6 comments

  • Nice reflection on the utter lack of interest in cricket which exists these days in those who you might think ought to be a bit more interested in the finest sport in the world. Still, look at all the money the ECB have now to….er….pay all the men in suits, pretend to care about Women’s cricket, and prop up the counties. Excellent job, men. Carry on.

    For the actual cricket…. I really don’t know much about batting or bowling, but it occurs to me the ones running the England team have obviously considered the chance of Pakistan batting first, batting well, and Moeen Ali rolling his arm over persistently until after a good 30-40 overs of spin, then really looking forward to the ten minute break before strapping on his pads and going out to open the innings.
    They have thought about that, haven’t they?

  • Interesting article very much enjoyed. I still think we are struggling for an opener to partner Cook long term. I share your view of Hales but don’t see Ali as anything but a stop gap. An ill advised policy imo.

    I would like to see either Wood or Finn play, which is a very close call and Taylor in for Buttler. Don’t expect it to happen though!

    Thanks very much for your contribution and thoughts.

  • “Lets hope that Cook’s team can repeat our success against Pakistan in 2001. Remember Graham Thorpe and Nasser Hussain scrambling singles in the dark, with Moin Khan grumbling to the umpires?”.

    Yes – and it was one of England’s finest achievements in my lifetime. Since then, England have played Pakistan away six times and lost five.

  • Nice to see JT’s inclusion your team Morgs ;)

    One of the best parts of cricket is it’s worst at times like this. The pitch. The intrigue and makeup of a pitch is what makes the sport unique but when it voids the contest of bat and ball it makes the game less of a spectacle.

    I would say that, I’m English we can’t play spin etc. etc. and Pakistan will prob rack up a huge score and knock us over for 200 – I just find it disheartening to see a first day pitch suck the life out of the quicks.

    • Hi PoP. It wasn’t actually my team mate. It was Shantam’s.

      My XI would’ve been Cook, Bell, Root, Taylor, Bairstow (wk), Stokes, Ali, Rashid, Broad, Wood, Anderson. Ian Bell is by far a better option as opener than Mo. At least he has a good technique. At least, that’s the team I would’ve selected from the squad picked. I’d come up with a new XI if I was picking with a blank canvass.

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