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This team was plagued by one question even before the
series began: would Mohammad Rizwan, who performed reasonably well in Australia
during the previous tour but has generally struggled, replace Sarfaraz Ahmed,
who was rewarded for an incredible home series victory against New Zealand with
a starting spot in conditions he may never have experienced?
Though he scored seven runs in two innings and was the
least at ease of the Pakistani hitters, Sarfaraz was still selected for the
Test in Perth. Even throughout his brilliant batting series against New
Zealand, there have always been questions about his keeping. In one area of the
match, the younger Rizwan has surpassed Sarfaraz in terms of performance for
quite a while now.
Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Hafeez led the revamped
coaching and selection committee, which made some impromptu decisions prior to
the first Test. Although Pakistani selection practises have historically been
flexible, Rizwan has been selected to start as their wicketkeeper in the second
Test. In Pakistan’s two-day warm-up match against a Victorian XI, he batted and
scored fifty runs in the opening innings before being removed. In contrast,
Sarfaraz amassed 43 runs between two wickets before being dismissed after a
short delivery from the final ball of the match.
When you get to the bowlers, it only gets messier.
Selecting a bowling assault for certain teams requires sorting through fierce
competition for spots. Australia faced a
similar predicament at the beginning of summer in the northern hemisphere, when
they attempted to assign three elite quick bowlers—Mitchell Starc, Josh
Hazlewood, and Scott Boland—to each of the two fast bowling spots.
However, Pakistan’s selection process for their
current tour to Australia has focused more on the last player remaining. Due to
a lack of choices and a plague of injuries, second and third-choice players
have been forced into the starting lineup. A few players have also been brought
in from Pakistan on short notice to cover, and the visitors’ poor play has also
forced their hand.
Up to now, Noman Ali has been sidelined by acute
appendicitis, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad, and Abrar Ahmed are out of action
due to injuries, while Haris Rauf has chosen not to participate in the series
at all. Not to mention any tactical adjustments that could be necessary,
considering how the Perth Test played out, there’s a case for a number of them.
The Australian players visit the MCG on Christmas Day
for a short training hit, accompanied by their loved ones and small children
roaming around the pitch. It’s kind of a family affair. Even though it doesn’t
have the same level of cultural significance in Pakistan, they appear to be in
need of a miracle. When it comes to choosing a team that will offer them the
best chance of quieting the largest crowd in Test cricket history—Boxing Day at
the ‘G—Hafeez and Shan Masood are thinking more about caps than festive
headgear.