Is this the most spineless Pakistan Test team in our history?

[Suleiman]

Timid captain.

Choking chases despite looking in a strong position to chase them down at 2 or 3 wickets down.

Weak and fragile minded middle order batsmen collapsing under pressure.

Worst pace attack in our entire history.

In t20s we play ODI cricket of the 90s with the bat

In tests we play test cricket of 50s or 60s. No hunger for runs or anything. It’s like scoring runs is simply a bonus. We’re only here to dead bat the ball, or get out playing a loose stroke to a short ball or fishing outside off.

 

[PakPremi]

Poor selections batsman short and no proper pacer in the team. England pacers and deep batting line up won the match and of course their match awareness with excellent captain.

 

[ethan hunt]

Dark day in pakistans test history. Losing a home series to a team who s lead spinner is Jack Leach.
A feather in Babars cap.

The test side needs a fresh start.

 

[jnaveen1980]

This is inexperienced side. If you give the side to stokes he will also lose it.

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

Our selectors and captain are so stupid they needlessly injured Shaheen Shah Afridi by continuously playing him in meaningless games

Babar and Rameez should resign if they have an ounce of shame and decency.

 

[Savak]

The problem is the incompetence of Babar Azam the captain.

 

[PakPremi]

Dark day in pakistans test history. Losing a home series to a team who s lead spinner is Jack Leach.
A feather in Babars cap.

The test side needs a fresh start.

Its England pacers that won the match.

 

[bones]

I remind you that once upon a time Pakistan scored 59 & 55 against Australia in a test match.

Very hard to get more spineless than that.

 

[Suleiman]

Our selectors and captain are so stupid they needlessly injured Shaheen Shah Afridi by continuously playing him in meaningless games

Babar and Rameez should resign if they have an ounce of shame and decency.

I’ve seen Rameez give more statements that a captain should be making than a chairman.

Neither of them are doing their own job.

It’s sad to say that some of the fans’ standards are also falling at the same rate as our quality as a test side. Most are angry, but some will defend even this.

“Boys fought hard”. Is that what we’re going for now? Series defeats ar home but it’s okay because we fought hard? Whatever happened to winning? Especially these 2 games where we clawed back only to throw it away regardless.

 

[SpiritOf1903]

Who selects Mahmood for another match to be more expensive than a T10 bowler?

 

[amvbfm]

Despite this loss, despite all the wrist slitting here I think this test team has a very solid core of youngsters, the best we've had in a long time and there are some others outside the team who can make this a very solid unit. What we lack is self belief and a good leader. Babar has never been and will not ever be a good leader. He is a great batsman but he has abysmal cricketing sense. With him at the helm we will never see balanced XIs and neither will he ever be able to infuse this team with the self belief it requires to win consistently.

 

[greatest]

All will be forgotten when the PSL starts. We are seriously not producing or developing Test stars. Our future is only T20 cricket.

 

[greatest]

Despite this loss, despite all the wrist slitting here I think this test team has a very solid core of youngsters, the best we've had in a long time and there are some others outside the team who can make this a very solid unit. What we lack is self belief and a good leader. Babar has never been and will not ever be a good leader. He is a great batsman but he has abysmal cricketing sense. With him at the helm we will never see balanced XIs and neither will he ever be able to infuse this team with the self belief it requires to win consistently.

No doubt we have the talent, in fact we will always have a talented bunch of players but these talented players are not able to develop mental toughness which separates the ordinary from the best when it comes to Test Cricket.

 

[umerz]

I am happy to see 2 young batsmen coming out and doing well in tests for Pakistan.
Imam, Abdullah Shafiq, Babar Azam, Saud SHakeel are to be persisted with. We need to find a better captain and I have no idea how do we do that. Secondly people like Azhar Ali should also be replaced.
Abrar has done well in this game but the bowling attack that we are playing shows that we have no talent in the country. I would have preferred playing Yasir Shah and Muhammad Abbas instead of Ali and Zahid. Some brainless captaincy and management tactics

 

[greatest]

I am happy to see 2 young batsmen coming out and doing well in tests for Pakistan.
Imam, Abdullah Shafiq, Babar Azam, Saud SHakeel are to be persisted with. We need to find a better captain and I have no idea how do we do that. Secondly people like Azhar Ali should also be replaced.
Abrar has done well in this game but the bowling attack that we are playing shows that we have no talent in the country. I would have preferred playing Yasir Shah and Muhammad Abbas instead of Ali and Zahid. Some brainless captaincy and management tactics

We knew beforehand that we can't beat England so we preferred playing rookies to make an excuse later that it's a young team which fought hard and we unearthed a few gems etc etc.
The fact is that it was a home series, in home conditions where compared to English players our local players on home grown pitches and conditions were always going to perform better. We lost due to poor planning and lack of match awareness.

 

[umerz]

We knew beforehand that we can't beat England so we preferred playing rookies to make an excuse later that it's a young team which fought hard and we unearthed a few gems etc etc.
The fact is that it was a home series, in home conditions where compared to English players our local players on home grown pitches and conditions were always going to perform better. We lost due to poor planning and lack of match awareness.

Yes agree. There should be no excuses for losing a home series in such a manner. Team management and captain are clueless and have no game awareness

 

[bones]

I don't know about the management being spineless because they have fielded what is probably the best available XI at this moment.

But their play against the short and leg side line is terrible. How many batsmen are getting caught strangled down the leg side? It's more than being unlucky - it's a technical problem.

 

[Mamoon]

This is easily the worst Pakistan Test team I have ever seen. The batting lineup from 2008 to 2010 was pretty bad too, but at least the bowling was good.

Currently, it is a circus show in all departments. Borderline minnow team.

 

[sweep_shot]

I think there needs to be a leadership change.

Babar was never a great captaincy option. I don't know why he was made captain. He is too introverted for this position.

 

[IAJ]

All will be forgotten when the PSL starts. We are seriously not producing or developing Test stars. Our future is only T20 cricket.

Lol, we are not good in T20s either. Can't keep relying on bowlers.

 

[PerfectionPersonified]

"When you are unaware how incompetent you are, this is where the problem is "

 

[Gollum]

No talent, no skill, no spine. Yep pretty much sums this team.

 

[Usman Chadda]

Has to be the worst Test team that has represented us since forever. You go through this line-up and there is no respite whatsoever in terms of the mediocrity prevalent.

Sacking Babar won’t do anything. We need to find the right Test players and give them proper roles. You cannot select a bunch of random players and expect them to stick it out against top class international teams!

 

[Nikhil_cric]

There's nothing wrong with the team except lack of talent.
Specifically, fast bowling talent. If you have 2 reliable fast bowlers who can keep it tight and reverse it at good pace, you will start winning at home.

Nothing to do with mentality, spine etc.

 

[pakistan cricket fan]

Yesh pretty much.

 

[Buffet]

Pace bowling unit is not a good one. That's where Pakistan needs to improve.

 

[Majestic]

Unfortunately the answer is Yes.

Home matches :

Lost vs NZ ( adopted home, UAE)
Lost vs Aus
Lost vs Eng
Won vs SA
Won vs SL

Away matches :

Lost vs NZ
Lost vs Aus
Lost vs Eng
Lost vs SA
Drawn vs SL
Drawn vs WI

Conclusion - The only positive is home series win vs SA( a transitioning SA side) and Sri Lanka.

 

[Markhor]

Congratulations to Pak team management for a new feat.

First time we've lost 3 consecutive home Tests since 1959.

 

[Mamoon]

When was the last time a non-Asian side whitewashed an Asian team away from home?

Excluding Bangladesh of course.

Let’s see if Babar can make further history.

 

[Markhor]

When was the last time a non-Asian side whitewashed an Asian team away from home?

Excluding Bangladesh of course.

Let’s see if Babar can make further history.

England when they beat Sri Lanka in 2021. Looks like we're set to join the club.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

When was the last time a non-Asian side whitewashed an Asian team away from home?

Excluding Bangladesh of course.

Let’s see if Babar can make further history.

England in Sri Lanka 2020 and once again in 2018. PAK was last whitewashed in Asia under Waqar I think. When Australia whitewashed them .

 

[James]

Pakistan have lost the toss twice and they were set ~350 to win in the 4th innings in back to back Tests.

They’ve been under huge pressure all series, usually playing catch-up with the bat and retrieving the ball from the boundary when fielding, and have held themselves together pretty well under the circumstances.

Statistically, most teams facing 350 in the final innings will lose, and they often get bowled out for well under 200. This has been the case throughout the history of Test cricket.

Pakistan getting a really hard time from some.

 

[jnaveen1980]

When was the last time a non-Asian side whitewashed an Asian team away from home?

Excluding Bangladesh of course.

Let’s see if Babar can make further history.

England might come in with extra force given that their off spinner did diddly squat.

 

[ask_analyse_act]

Pakistan have lost the toss twice and they were set ~350 to win in the 4th innings in back to back Tests.

They’ve been under huge pressure all series, usually playing catch-up with the bat and retrieving the ball from the boundary when fielding, and have held themselves together pretty well under the circumstances.

Statistically, most teams facing 350 in the final innings will lose, and they often get bowled out for well under 200. This has been the case throughout the history of Test cricket.

Pakistan getting a really hard time from some.

Yes if 350 is set as target , 90% chasing team will lose but that doesnt hide the incompetence of the bowling side letting the opposition to set such target and also chicken out 8 wicket in one session for 70 runs all these lead to the target of 350+

 

[PakHammer]

I would bring Hassan Ali back just so he could sledge some of the English batsmen. Too nice and subservient this Pakistan team have become under Babar.

Almost looks the British Raj is back with this English cricket team.

 

[shariqnoor]

To be honest, Pakistan have choked both these Tests where in fact they should've been up 2-0. Against this England side, Pakistan couldn't have asked much more to be only chasing 340-350 on easy 4th innings pitches.

If Pakistan gives the same target to England in the 4th innings, they will knock off these runs easily. Pakistan were given a huge helping hand by England in both these Tests yet Pakistan managed to choke.

It's absolutely shameful that England have managed to win a Test without even scoring 300 in either innings in such conditions.

 

[shujaatraza]

When is the reception for Babar and his team happening for taking both the test matches deep?

 

[Champ_Pal]

Over reaction.

England are a terrific team across all the formats and the best currently. To beat them, any team has to be in top form with very good bowling and top class batting. Pakistan did decent in the 2nd test. They were never good enough to beat England with the squad they had.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Pace bowling unit is not a good one. That's where Pakistan needs to improve.

I have seen Bangladesh bowling in NZ during their famous test win. They were pretty good. Taskin, Ebadat and Shoriful all of them very good in comparison.

 

[Savak]

Spineless is a harsh word. This team has fought hard in many test matches even if they have won, drawn or lost those games

- Pakistan vs Australia 2nd Test in Karachi in 2022
- Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st Test in 2022
- Pakistan vs England 2nd Test in 2022

Unfortunately the captaincy and coaching is woeful which reflects in the selection of players, tactics e.t.c.

 

[Savak]

Has to be the worst Test team that has represented us since forever. You go through this line-up and there is no respite whatsoever in terms of the mediocrity prevalent.

Sacking Babar won’t do anything. We need to find the right Test players and give them proper roles. You cannot select a bunch of random players and expect them to stick it out against top class international teams!

Sacking Babar as captain will go a long way. He is one of the most powerful captains we have had in recent times. Ramiz has given him complete authority to select whoever he wants. Mohd Wasim the Chief Selectors position is redundant at this point.

Given the above, it is Babar who is responsible for the selection of duds in our team. It is babar who is ultimately responsible in the field as far as spreading the field, not having any fielders close in to create pressure and stop the singles, unlike Stokes who has the game awareness to identify which fielders to keep close in and which fielders to keep on the boundary to prevent the release shots from our players Babar kept no fielder at deep wicket even though Harry Brookes hit 8-9 boundaries of Abrar in that region.

Pakistan will be very well served by a new captain who can display competence in team selections, bowling changes and field placements. Stokes has shown he is Babar's daddy in this regard.

 

[Kianig89]

Biggest culprit is Mr. Wasim the crown chief selector, who is busy in merry-go-round of selections, Agha Salman Zahid Mehmood have no business in Test sides inexplicable that seniors are warming bench and we are leveraging juniors

 

[GLORY OF '92]

I've been saying this for a year. Change the captain and get proper fast bowlers back and team will improve a lot.

Losing these 2 Tests was shameful.

 

[Ab Fan]

Yes, they are embarrassing home and away both. Currently at same level as Windies and Sri Lanka.