Pakistan Test team is struggling to make an impact in world cricket at the moment. The Men in Green have had a fantastic outing in the last two T20 World Cups. Their ODI team has been performing decently as well, but their Test side has not been able to perform up to the mark.
When ICC announced the schedule for the 2021-23 World Test Championship, many fans felt that Pakistan would finish in the Top 2. The reason behind it was that their away series were against Sri Lanka, West Indies and Bangladesh. Their home series were against Australia, New Zealand and England. However, at the moment, Pakistan is seventh in the ICC World Test Championship standings. Only New Zealand and Bangladesh are below them.
There are some major changes taking place in the PCB, with the chairman and selectors losing their jobs. Here are two other changes Pakistan needs to make to improve its Test team.
1. Groom players for close matches in red-ball cricket
Aarish Ali Khan has been the top wicket taker in every tournament from u16 to u19 to 2nd XI.
— Haroon (@hazharoon) December 20, 2022
He is now 22 years old and has only played 1 first-class game. By now he should have played 30.
These are the little things which hurt Pakistan cricket in the long term. WE NEED CHANGE! pic.twitter.com/PnXNIiVIkD
Pakistan’s players play a lot of T20 cricket, which has helped them deliver the goods in close T20 encounters, but the same cannot be said about Tests. In the recently concluded series against England, Pakistan could have won the first two matches, but their batters failed to finish off the game.
Similarly, the team lost a Test against West Indies by one wicket last year. The bowlers conceded 17 runs to the 10th wicket pair of Kemar Roach and Jayden Seales to lose the match. This is one area where Pakistan needs to work on.
2. Prepare better pitches for home matches of Pakistan Test team
The pitches in Pakistan were exposed during their home series against Australia and England. One can assume that their domestic cricket takes place on the same wickets. So, the curators need to make pitches which have something for both batters and bowlers.
