“Pakistan's second-Test win over England in Multan 'cannot be the template”: Nasser Hussain

[BouncerGuy]

Nasser Hussain speaking during a SkySports Interview:

"This cannot be the template for future cricket in Pakistan, to keep playing on the same surface. They need to look at their surfaces."

"But, if they find a winning formula, stick with it. Stick with this squad, stick with these two spinners, stick with the batting line-up, stick with the selectors and the captain."

"Go to Rawalpindi [for the third Test] and try to prepare the same sort of pitch, one that turns."

"Pakistan cricket, and I reckon Test cricket, needed this week more than last week. It was much, much more watchable."

"Some will say the fact they've won will justify their team selection but I don't agree with that at all. You still need a balanced side.”

"I don't want everyone to walk out this ground going, 'right, that's it, we've solved it', because you may not be able to replicate these conditions."

"How do they continue the progress of these two spinners that bowled so beautifully here? How do they provide pitches for Naseem and Shaheen? This country has produced some great fast bowlers, so don't just say, 'we're going to go with spin now'."

"They started with green pitches against Bangladesh, now we're playing on spinning pitches. And that is a problem with Pakistan cricket… when they do lose, then they change the captain, they change the coach, change the selectors, the chairman, they change the pitches."

"And in the same way as don't get too low when you're losing, don't get too up when you're winning. Try to work out, how do we improve from this position?"

 

[Cover Drive Six]

Perfectly said.

 

[Mamoon]

After a slight improvement, Nasser is back to what he does best - talk whenever the subject is remotely related to Pakistan cricket.

 

[James]

The Pakistan players will undoubtedly be feeling better after getting a win, that breeds confidence, but the conditions have a significant impact on any game of cricket, so it remains uncertain whether the curators “will” or even “can” roll out a similar spinning pitch for the 3rd Test.

There is no current evidence that the skill levels in terms of preparing a pitch have suddenly gone up a level overnight - it was just a flat pitch that had been reused and showed natural deterioration. Until proven otherwise, the pitch was a one off.

Expectations for the third game need to be realistic on both sides as England are unlikely to bat so inconsistently and catch so poorly again, and it’s probably going to be a batting friendly wicket. A drawn final Test and a shared 1-1 scoreline was my prediction and I can see that being the outcome.

 

[TheSultan]

All good points. Well said. I watched this live when he said it and it echoed my thoughts.

I don’t agree with the bit about needing to find a way to re-introduce babar, Naseem and Shaheen. We don’t need to mention the personell, but the tools.

You need to find a way to bring your fast bowlers back in the game.

 

[gibsyhesperis]

Well, he’s right in the medium to long term.
If we just produce pitches that are only helpful to spinners the batsmen will never cope when the side travels to SENA countries and it’ll be a nail in the coffin to the development of quick bowlers (which has been one of Pakistan’s traditional strengths).

However, in the extremely dire situation in which Pakistan cricket found itself, for a short period of expediency, it does make a heap of sense.
Let’s hope the Pindi pitch turns square (it probably won’t)