Which Asian team will be first to win series in Australia/South Africa?

[hussain.r97]

Don’t let anyone tell you that Pakistan can never win a series in Australia. England has. New Zealand has. It can be done – it just needs sound preparation.

Pakistan has done okay there in the modern era at times.

1981-82 – lost a 3 match series 2-1
They were beaten on the bouncy track at the WACA – where Pakistan should never play and on the second bounciest track at Brisbane. But they won at the MCG on its flatter wicket, and should always seek to play a Test there on Boxing Day.


1983-84 – lost a 5 Test series 3-0
This sounds worse than it actually was. Imran Khan was the only fast bowler and was unfit to bowl, and by the time he joined the tour as a batsman – for the Third Test they were already 3-0 down, but drew the next 2 Tests.

Lessons from this tour:
1) Specialist hook/pull/cut merchants like Qasim Omar are more use in Australia than the likes of classical batsmen like Zaheer Abbas and Javed Miandad and Mohsin Khan who can’t adapt to the back-foot game.
2) Without good fast bowlers you are dead meat in Australia.
3) Pakistan will always do best at Adelaide on its flatter pitch.

1989-90 – lost a 3 match series 1-0
Pakistan lost the First Test because they were not fully acclimatised to the moving ball and threw it away in the First Innings. Ijaz Ahmed’s cutting and pulling nearly won the match and, like Azhar Mahmood in South Africa, showed the value of backfoot specialists.

Pakistan nearly won the Second Test at Adelaide, and probably would have if Mushtaq Ahmed had been the finished article as a leg-spinner.

As ever, Adelaide was a relatively easy venue for Pakistan.

1994-95 – lost a 3 match series 2-1
Yet again, they were undercooked in terms of preparation and collapsed at Brisbane in the First Test. They also made the mistake of picking Saqlain Mushtaq instead of Mushtaq Ahmed, showing profound ignorance for the history of legspin versus offspin in Australia

The second Test was much closer – Mushtaq Ahmed was recalled and took 18 wickets in 2 Tests (whereas Saqlain took 4 wickets in 2 tests, Wasim Akram took 14 in 3 and Waqar took 8 in 3).

Pakistan then won the Third Test in Sydney.

Lessons from this tour:
1) Taller fast bowlers do better in Australia than shorter ones like Waqar Younis.
2) Legspinners do better in Australia than offspinners.
3) The batters require at least 3 First Class matches in Australia to adapt to the different length and bounce.

1999-2000 – lost 3-0 in Australia
This was the least one-sided 3-0 hammering in history!

Pakistan threw away winning positions in both of the first two Tests. They were hampered by Mushtaq Ahmed not having played for months and by poor team selection – how on earth was Mohammed Wasim played as an opener instead of Aamir Sohail?

Lessons from this tour:
1) Hobart is, after Adelaide, the best venue for Pakistan in Australia.
2) Pick the best batsmen in Aussie conditions, regardless of how obnoxious they may be (see S Butt, below).
3) Without a legspinner in form it is much harder to survive in Australia.
4) Expect to get slaughtered if you are dumb enough to agree to play in Perth.

2004-05 – lost 3-0 in Australia
Demolished by a better team.

Lessons from this tour:
1) Avoid Perth – bowled out for 72 to compare with 1981-82’s 62 all out.
2) Salman Butt and Younis Khan are your best batsmen in Australia – they were the only two to pass 200 runs, and were far more suited to the conditions than Inzy and Youhana were.
3) Kaneria was your leading wicket-taker – a leggie again.

2009-10 – lost 3-0 in Australia
A suspicious series defeat, as the Sydney Test had to be seen to be believed.


Lessons from this tour:
1) You can’t afford to exclude your best batsmen in Australian conditions The omission of Younis Khan was a total disaster.
2) Salman Butt, unfortunately, was again your best batsman in Australia, he scored 280 runs at 46.66, the next highest scorer was Umar Akmal with 199 runs.
3) Unfortunately again, Mohammed Asif bowled far better than Mohammed Amir (13 wickets at 28.46 compared with 8 wickets at 40.37).

So there is a clear template for success in Australia.

How to win in Australia in 2016
1) Salman Butt and Umar Akmal need to be the first two batsmen on the teamsheet if you want to win. (I despise Salman Butt, but I know that the tour of Australia is when you are really going to need him).
2) Left-handers often do well in Australia.
3) Given that Saeed Ajmal will be nearly 40, the only spin bowlers you should even take on the plane are legspinners. Yasir Shah because he is the best one you have, Usman Qadir because he has more experience in Australian conditions than any other Pakistani.
4) Your top-order will get out to the Kookaburra in the first 20 overs. You need the batsmen at 6,7,8 and 9 to score 80% of the runs, so plan accordingly.
5) Make sure that the fast bowlers you take on tour – and you will require 6 – are tall. Even Waqar Younis at 6 foot was mediocre in Australia – an Ehsan Adil will always be more useful than a Junaid Khan in Australia because he is 4 inches taller.
6) Don’t agree to play in Perth. You arrive in December 2016 while South Africa plays 3 Tests v Australia. Arrive 4 weeks before the First Test and play against every state you can in a First Class match – at least 3, preferably 4. Your First Test should be the Boxing Day test at the MCG and the Second Test will be the New Year one at Sydney. Ensure that the Third Test is in Adelaide or Hobart, not Perth.

Pakistan can win in Australia in 2016-17. They will have played 3 Tests in New Zealand and 4 in England in the preceding year, and the players who don’t know where their off-stumps are should already have left the scene.

You will only win if you play your best players in Australian conditions, and that means you need Asif but especially Butt. To be quite honest, Butt should probably be the first batsman selected, and Umar Akmal the second, in spite of their baggage.

A lot can change, but at this stage my team would be:

1. Ahmed Shehzad
2. Salman Butt
3. Azhar Ali
4. Umar Akmal
5. Haris Sohail
6. Asad Shafiq
7. Sarfraz Ahmed
8. Mohammed Amir
9. Ehsan Adil
10. Yasir Shah
11. Mohammed Irfan

My reserves would be Babar Azam, Hammad Azam, Usman Qadir, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan and Mohammed Asif at this stage. I’m assuming that Younis Khan will have retired.

Some good points. I personally don't see Salman Butt or Asif coming back, neither do I see Irfan playing Tests by the time we tour AU or SA next.

I also feel we need an all rounder in there, so I would play Hammad Azam at 6.

I would play Wahab, and use him as the 3rd seamer. Amir and Ehsan would open the bowling for us. Wahab will be used in short, sharp, quick bursts. A lot of chin music involved.
Yasir will be the spinner of course. Leggies are better in bouncy conditions than offies.
Hammad will the the 5th bowler, used to give everyone a breather, like Hafeez.

Babar Azam would open with Shehzad for me, while Shafiq bats at 3.

I also think Umar Akmal is more suited down the order, maybe at 5 tops, he doesn't know how to construct an innings.

This leaves us with this attack.

1.) Ahmed Shehzad
2.) Babar Azam
3.) Asad Shafiq*
4.) Haris Sohail
5.) Umar Akmal
6.) Sarfraz Ahmed+
7.) Hammad Azam
8.) Mohammad Amir
9.) Wahab Riaz
10.) Yasir Shah
11.) Ehsan Adil

Reserves - Azhar Ali, Junaid Khan, leggie (Usman Qadir?), Young batsman

The tail here is very strong, we bat all the way down to #11.

 

[Convict]

Pakistan don't get to pick and choose where they play.

If they get Perth they have to play in Perth

 

[Junaids]

Pakistan don't get to pick and choose where they play.

If they get Perth they have to play in Perth

Yes and no.

South Africa visit first in 2016-17, and they have to get back home for a series against Sri Lanka, presumably starting with their own Boxing Day Test.

As you know, that means that Pakistan has effectively locked in 26-30 December at Melbourne and 2-6 January at Sydney.

My guess is that the South Africans will get a Brisbane Test first up and finish at the WACA (or new Perth stadium) in the school holidays to try to get the South African diaspora to attend in large numbers.

Which should mean Pakistan play at Melbourne, Sydney and either Adelaide or Hobart. Which for them is ideal.

 

[Convict]

Yes and no.

South Africa visit first in 2016-17, and they have to get back home for a series against Sri Lanka, presumably starting with their own Boxing Day Test.

As you know, that means that Pakistan has effectively locked in 26-30 December at Melbourne and 2-6 January at Sydney.

My guess is that the South Africans will get a Brisbane Test first up and finish at the WACA (or new Perth stadium) in the school holidays to try to get the South African diaspora to attend in large numbers.

Which should mean Pakistan play at Melbourne, Sydney and either Adelaide or Hobart. Which for them is ideal.

Well yes. But that is just Pakistan's good luck.

We're apparently playing 4 tests series against South Africa now so for all we know Pakistan will get shunted to Darwin

 

[Junaids]

Incidentally, I didn't talk about factors in the Australian team that should help Pakistan in 2016-17.

I've shown that the grounds should suit Pakistan as much as they ever will in Australia. I've also talked about how Pakistan has the pace attack and leggies they need for Australia.

But what about Australia?

There is no chance that Mitch Johnson or Ryan Harris will be playing still. Zilch. The worst that can await Pakistan is Cummins, Pattinson and Hazlewood.

And the batting is worse. Dave Warner, Steve Smith and maybe Mitch Marsh will be the only survivors from last month. There is no Ponting or Hussey or Martyn or Waugh or Langer or Hayden to stick around for the next 24 months. There is no way that Pup Clarke's body will see him play.

Perhaps Jordan Silk will develop. But realistically, 24 months ahead of that series there is every reason to hope that Australia will be at a low ebb.

 

[Junaids]

Well yes. But that is just Pakistan's good luck.

We're apparently playing 4 tests series against South Africa now so for all we know Pakistan will get shunted to Darwin

That might be even better for Pakistan. If they still ensure that they arrive by 20 November and play 4 First Class matches - seriously - they could hope that Australia's summer looks like this and means that Australia is on its knees even before Pakistan's fist Test.

SA 1 at Brisbane
SA 2 at the SCG
SA 3 at Perth
SA 4 at the MCG (Boxing Day)
Pak 1 at the SCG (New Year)
Pak 2 at Hobart
Pak 3 at Adelaide (Australia Day)

That would be terrific for Pakistan!

 

[Mamoon]

Junaids' post highlights another common problem - inability to finish off games and provide the killer blow.

When we get on top in Australia or South Africa, we get way too nervous and start playing safe cricket which allows them an opening to get back into the game and once these teams are ahead of you, it is difficult to get them down on the mat.

One thing Pakistan did brilliantly against Australia in the UAE was to not let them get the upper hand at all. Australia is a poor defensive team and although South Africa are much more resilient, they don't like to be out of their comfort zones at all.

England is the most forgiving team out of the three and our best chance to win a major overseas Test series. James Anderson is not getting younger and the rest of the bowlers are hit and miss. Broad will blow you away in one Test but bowl rubbish in others.

Our bowlers tend to do well in England and we should be taking Amir and Ehsan along with Junaid and Yasir.

They lack killer instinct as well which was obvious in their whitewash in UAE. The number of chances we gave to England in that series, South Africa and Australia would have grabbed those opportunities with both hands.

 

[Convict]

That might be even better for Pakistan. If they still ensure that they arrive by 20 November and play 4 First Class matches - seriously - they could hope that Australia's summer looks like this and means that Australia is on its knees even before Pakistan's fist Test.

SA 1 at Brisbane
SA 2 at the SCG
SA 3 at Perth
SA 4 at the MCG (Boxing Day)
Pak 1 at the SCG (New Year)
Pak 2 at Hobart
Pak 3 at Adelaide (Australia Day)

That would be terrific for Pakistan!

Against who?

 

[Junaids]

Against who?

The states will be occupied by the Big Bash, but that doesn't really matter.

NSW XI
SA XI
Qld XI
Tasmania XI

 

[Romali_rotti]

Maybe if Amir was playing they couldve had a chance however as of now, ZERO CHANCE

 

[Junaids]

Maybe if Amir was playing they couldve had a chance however as of now, ZERO CHANCE

I don't understand? Amir clearly will be playing when they next tour each country.

And if cricket merit is the yardstick, so too will be Salman Butt, as he has a superb Test record in Australia.

They really have dodged a bullet in avoiding touring Australia until 2016.

 

[Aman]

Would the PCB and CA really sign off on 4 warm up matches for realistically a 2 match Test series? That's just fan boy thinking...

 

[JibranAnsari]

No.

None of the asian sides can win in these two countries for foreseeable future.

 

[Convict]

The states will be occupied by the Big Bash, but that doesn't really matter.

NSW XI
SA XI
Qld XI
Tasmania XI

So the 20 year olds and never good enough grade players?

I also think you're being incredibly down about Australia's prospects in 2016

 

[Convict]

Would the PCB and CA really sign off on 4 warm up matches for realistically a 2 match Test series? That's just fan boy thinking...

No they wouldn't.
And tour matches won't be first class standard.

And Salman Butt etc won't return.

And of course Australian aren't going to be anywhere near as weak as what Junaids is implying

 

[zabalestmsm]

Yes!

 

[Aman]

So the 20 year olds and never good enough grade players?

I also think you're being incredibly down about Australia's prospects in 2016

Will those warm up games even be played on some domestic grounds or Internationals ground in Aus, or will they be passed of to some random ground in Aus?

 

[Junaids]

So the 20 year olds and never good enough grade players?

I also think you're being incredibly down about Australia's prospects in 2016

Actually, youths and grade players would be a nice gentle introduction to Australia. You want the batsmen to get used to the line and length without getting out, and you want the bowlers to learn the same things.

Pakistan will get whatever preparatory itinerary they request. It will cost more money to arrive an extra couple of weeks earlier and to play more side matches, but it is worth every penny.

Pakistan was invited for 5 Tests in 1983-84 because they won a Test in 1981-82.

Similarly, they got 5 Tests in England in 1987 and 1992 because they had impressed on the previous tours.

It is a false economy to arrive late for Test series, because any team that does so goes on to lose and is less likely to be invited as soon again.

If Pakistan can get their pace attack and batting on lively wickets working they will again be invited to tour the major nations every 4 years. But if they keep turning up late, and then getting slaughtered, they will carry on being invited for 3 Tests every 6 years.

And yes, Convict, if Pakistan either arrive late or omit their best players they will lose. It's hard enough to win in Australia at the best of times, but Pakistan can't win if they ignore their best opener in Australian conditions.

Australia should win. Pakistan can win, but only if they follow my blueprint virtually to the letter!

 

[battler]

Junaids' post highlights another common problem - inability to finish off games and provide the killer blow.

When we get on top in Australia or South Africa, we get way too nervous and start playing safe cricket which allows them an opening to get back into the game and once these teams are ahead of you, it is difficult to get them down on the mat.

One thing Pakistan did brilliantly against Australia in the UAE was to not let them get the upper hand at all. Australia is a poor defensive team and although South Africa are much more resilient, they don't like to be out of their comfort zones at all.

England is the most forgiving team out of the three and our best chance to win a major overseas Test series. James Anderson is not getting younger and the rest of the bowlers are hit and miss. Broad will blow you away in one Test but bowl rubbish in others.

Our bowlers tend to do well in England and we should be taking Amir and Ehsan along with Junaid and Yasir.

They lack killer instinct as well which was obvious in their whitewash in UAE. The number of chances we gave to England in that series, South Africa and Australia would have grabbed those opportunities with both hands.

How do you reckon pakistan will do in India?
I see a pretty even contest to be honest.

 

[Robert]

For me if we done this it would equal a WC triumph. But we play in these conditions too little and it looks extremely unlikely that we will change this record.

Your thoughts?

Hard to win in Australia. England have only done it four times in the last four decades. But the PCB system will eventually throw up a good pace attack again so success in Australia is possible for them.

England have only beaten SA away once in three tries since readmission, when we had a very good pace attack in Harmison-Hoggard-Flintoff-Jones and Strauss was tearing up trees with the bat.

 

[Mamoon]

How do you reckon pakistan will do in India?
I see a pretty even contest to be honest.

Most likely a drawn series, or a win for India.

If the wickets are pancakes, it will be a high scoring draw but if India brings out those orange wickets, most of our batsmen barring Younis would struggle.

 

[battler]

Most likely a drawn series, or a win for India.

If the wickets are pancakes, it will be a high scoring draw but if India brings out those orange wickets, most of our batsmen barring Younis would struggle.

The thing is that on flat wicket in the sc you can take your time to get settled in and then score big runs as shown by most pakistani batsmen in the last 3 tests and that's what they are good at.
But on rank turners you need to be able to score fast because eventually u will get a ball that has your name on it.
This is where India is better as we score quicker.
On flat wickets I will actually give pakistan a higher chance as your batsmen are more patient than ours.
In short
flat wickets - Draw/pakistani win
Rant turners - most likely Indian win.

 

[Mamoon]

The thing is that on flat wicket in the sc you can take your time to get settled in and then score big runs as shown by most pakistani batsmen in the last 3 tests and that's what they are good at.
But on rank turners you need to be able to score fast because eventually u will get a ball that has your name on it.
This is where India is better as we score quicker.
On flat wickets I will actually give pakistan a higher chance as your batsmen are more patient than ours.
In short
flat wickets - Draw/pakistani win
Rant turners - most likely Indian win.

Absolutely no chance of your bowlers knocking your batsman out on flat wicket and if there is a black cloud above and grass on the pitch, Bhuvenshwar would run through us.

India is better equipped than Pakistan at the moment, we need more firepower in our bowling.

 

[Junaids]

Long warm-ups don't happen because touring teams want to cut costs. Frankly, if Cricket Australia won't schedule enough warm-ups, just play Bangladesh for two Tests in South Africa before visiting Australia. There's more than one way to adapt to bouncier tracks.

 

[Kianig89]

Only when retires

 

[Theo_14]

We say no but then who would have thought in this life-time we would see a player like Sharma scoring 2 double hundreds, or Misbah equaling for the fastest 100? Anything is possible in cricket, but for that to happen, Pakistan need major changes, they need to be blessed with a batting side who play in tough conditions.

I think IF and a big IF, Imran Khan becomes the PCB chairman, then that shall be a new era.

 

[trogger]

Long warm-ups don't happen because touring teams want to cut costs. Frankly, if Cricket Australia won't schedule enough warm-ups, just play Bangladesh for two Tests in South Africa before visiting Australia. There's more than one way to adapt to bouncier tracks.

You seem to have this impression that pakistan pretty much have open access to every other teams pitches/facilities ect whenever they want.

Why would SA care about providing pakistan with it's pitches(during it's own home season) so pakistan can warm up for a test series in australia?

 

[Pete Rose]

Simply because we don't have the batsman who can handle those conditions and Pakistan FC will never produce such lot. Even if we produce the next Wasim and Waqar, their good work will be undone by the batsmen.

We came very close to winging in 2006 against South Africa. The result was 2-1. Series was tied one each going in to the last test. A collapse in Pakistan's second batting innings gave the saffers an easy target.they won by 4 or 6 wickets.
So I think Pakistan can come close again.

 

[Bewal Express]

It can and will happen but it will require a vast improvement in domestic cricket. With the winds of change coming in the political arena we may finally see a PCB that prioritises cricket rather bank accounts for its elite leadership.
Personally I would like all first class cricket to be played in the south of the country as the weather during the winter months in the north creates conditions too favourable to dibble dobbly medium pacers. So maybe create lots of pitches at a specially made complex somewhere between Karachi and Hyderabad and create the good wickets that we are so desperate for.

 

[Mamoon]

We came very close to winging in 2006 against South Africa. The result was 2-1. Series was tied one each going in to the last test. A collapse in Pakistan's second batting innings gave the saffers an easy target.they won by 4 or 6 wickets.
So I think Pakistan can come close again.

There is no short of ifs and buts for us. We always come close to glory but something happens. Just lack mettle to deliver the killer blow.

If we are the brink of winning a game, we will more often bottle it and same goes when it comes to winning series.

 

[cricketAXEpert]

Maybe against south africa. But australia are the bogey team. Even a team of wasim, waqar, akhtar, saqlain, inzi, anwar and yousuf could not beat them.

it was because of poor batting, Look at the test Batting averages of Rameez and Ijaz Ahmed in low 30s can't beat Australia with that.
Plus the time of the above mentioned side concided with an 'all time great' Australian side which no one could beat, so tough luck on that. I am sure the above mentioned Pakistan can beat the current Aussies in Australia.

 

[Pete Rose]

There is no short of ifs and buts for us. We always come close to glory but something happens. Just lack mettle to deliver the killer blow.

If we are the brink of winning a game, we will more often bottle it and same goes when it comes to winning series.

Yes, but usually we are 2 down when the second test is over. I.e., when we played there a year ago. Just saying that we competed in 2006, which does not usually happen

 

[sabre1486]

Well yes. But that is just Pakistan's good luck.

We're apparently playing 4 tests series against South Africa now so for all we know Pakistan will get shunted to Darwin

you seem to be a bit bristly man... no disrespect...just an observation.... what gives?

 

[Junaids]

it was because of poor batting, Look at the test Batting averages of Rameez and Ijaz Ahmed in low 30s can't beat Australia with that.
Plus the time of the above mentioned side concided with an 'all time great' Australian side which no one could beat, so tough luck on that. I am sure the above mentioned Pakistan can beat the current Aussies in Australia.

Australia requires a backfoot game, and Ijaz was Pakistan's second best player there, ever.

Minimum 500 runs

1. Salman Butt 505 runs @ 42.08
2. Ijaz Ahmed 579 runs @ 41.35
3. Zaheer Abbas 1097 runs @ 40.62
4. Javed Miandad 1028 runs @ 38.07
5. Mohammed Yousuf 574 runs @ 31.88

Near-misses
Mohsin Khan 489 runs @ 34.92
Inzamam 494 runs @ 30.87

 

[Junaids]

And to give you all some light relief:

Rameez Raja 191 runs @ 21.22

 

[Junaids]

Notable mention but only played three Tests in Australia

Saeed Anwar 282 runs @ 47.00
Younis Khan 259 runs @ 43.16
Aamir Sohail 233 runs @ 38.83

Also I overlooked
Imran Khan 733 runs @ 36.65

There is a clear pattern of left-handed openers doing well! Perhaps Nasir Jamshed has a chance? He could open with Salman Butt with Ahmed Shehzad down the order for when the ball loses its shine?

 

[Junaids]

you seem to be a bit bristly man... no disrespect...just an observation.... what gives?

Give poor Convict a break. Australia has a simple walkover against India coming up, but the captain and vice-captain are injured and have no form behind them and apart from Warner and Smith the batting is a mess. Convict's entitled to be a bit anxious and irritable! Didn't he post something about exams too?

 

[cricketAXEpert]

Australia requires a backfoot game, and Ijaz was Pakistan's second best player there, ever.

Minimum 500 runs

1. Salman Butt 505 runs @ 42.08
2. Ijaz Ahmed 579 runs @ 41.35
3. Zaheer Abbas 1097 runs @ 40.62
4. Javed Miandad 1028 runs @ 38.07
5. Mohammed Yousuf 574 runs @ 31.88

Near-misses
Mohsin Khan 489 runs @ 34.92
Inzamam 494 runs @ 30.87

Good Stuff Junaids, Impressed with your research. It is True back foot play and ability to play the bounce are crucial.
My question is ... Taufeeq Umar also did well in South Africa when he went there.
Is he a kind of batsman who will prosper in Australia as well?

 

[Junaids]

Good Stuff Junaids, Impressed with your research. It is True back foot play and ability to play the bounce are crucial.
My question is ... Taufeeq Umar also did well in South Africa when he went there.
Is he a kind of batsman who will prosper in Australia as well?

Thanks for the kind words!

I think that Taufeeq would have done well, but he has hardly scored a run in First Class cricket in the last couple of years and I'm waiting on the current (NZ) Test to see whether he has anything left or if he has passed his best.

If he can conquer his mind I think that Nasir Jamshed could do well in Australia.

 

[Torpedo]

With Pakistan scheduled to tour Australia this year and Sri Lanka tour of SA this year as well, its a chance for an Asian team to break the drought of winning a series in either country.

Mods - Can you please change the title of the thread to what it was in the OP?

 

[CliftonBeach]

Pakistan is a good test team in Subcont. ONLY!!

Very Medicore outside of their comfort zone.

 

[CliftonBeach]

With Pakistan scheduled to tour Australia this year and Sri Lanka tour of SA this year as well, its a chance for an Asian team to break the drought of winning a series in either country.

Mods - Can you please change the title of the thread to what it was in the OP?

Perfect chance to win in Australia in 09 but thanks to our batsmen and Keeper.
Perfect chance to win in SA in 2012 but thanks to our batsmen again and poor umpiring.

 

[Torpedo]

Would the PCB and CA really sign off on 4 warm up matches for realistically a 2 match Test series? That's just fan boy thinking...

The warm up matches havn't been announced yet.

 

[Junaids]

The warm up matches havn't been announced yet.

That's a funny thing.

On the one hand, Pakistan should in theory look to play 3-4 warm-up matches in Australia.

But since the big Aussie names retired, Cricket Australia has deliberately tried to protect its asset - the national team - by sending visiting teams to play weak opposition on unsporting pitches to try to disadvantage them when the First Test comes around.

The First Test will be a Night Test at Brisbane. I think that Pakistan should lobby New Zealand Cricket to play two or even three Night Tests in November at any 2 of Napier, Hamilton, Wellington and Auckland.

The moving ball on a green track will get the Pakistanis used to bowling a full length and knowing where their off-stumps are. It's the best (or least bad) preparation for the Australia series.

 

[Hawkeye]

That's a funny thing.

On the one hand, Pakistan should in theory look to play 3-4 warm-up matches in Australia.

But since the big Aussie names retired, Cricket Australia has deliberately tried to protect its asset - the national team - by sending visiting teams to play weak opposition on unsporting pitches to try to disadvantage them when the First Test comes around.

The First Test will be a Night Test at Brisbane. I think that Pakistan should lobby New Zealand Cricket to play two or even three Night Tests in November at any 2 of Napier, Hamilton, Wellington and Auckland.

The moving ball on a green track will get the Pakistanis used to bowling a full length and knowing where their off-stumps are. It's the best (or least bad) preparation for the Australia series.

Wouldn't playing at the Gabba under lights be advantageous for PAK? We only have a chance of winning under such conditions, provided our bowlers are able to take full advantage of the conditions.

Batters can tuk and defend, survive.

 

[Hasan123]

Difficult to see an Asian side winning in Australia, South Africa is always a strong side but with there recent struggles in tests anything is possible..

 

[aniket1911]

India has best chance to win in the mentioned countries courtesy of many factors working in their favour.

Oftentimes playing on those xeric Australian pitches and having a solid batting core to draw out the matches if it's batting shootout kind of pitches.

Our bowling, however, failed to close out matches, which were well-nigh won. Still they have peculiar quality to punch above their weight when the pitch has something to offer.

Avowedly, best fielding side from Asia to kibosh any foolhardiness by fielders.

However, Pakistan is next in queue to have a shot to achieve this feat and with potent bowling attack, they have more than a chance to do so provided, their batting keep the love affair with runs intact.

 

[Deewana]

historically and currently the best Asian side in Test cricket i.e. Pakistan ..is the only side that can do that...India can't ever do it because their bowling is too rubbish.. Trundlers like vinay Kumar Parveen kumar Bhuv ..spray guns like Aaron Yadav can't win u a test match..their is a reason Pakistan is historically more successful in Test

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[anuk]

Gonna stick my neck out and say Sri Lanka or Bangladesh. India and Pakistan have been literally trying for centuries to win over there without even coming close. Surely the other two sides won't be as bad?

 

[street cricketer]

Pakistan.

 

[IcedEarth]

Absolutely no chance of your bowlers knocking your batsman out on flat wicket and if there is a black cloud above and grass on the pitch, Bhuvenshwar would run through us.

India is better equipped than Pakistan at the moment, we need more firepower in our bowling.

Bring Asif in.

 

[Buffet]

Which Asian team first won outside Asia in other venues - Eng, WI & NZ?

Practically, it's just Pakistan and India in my opinion. Even SL can win if series is 2 tests. In fact, 2 tests gives chance to win series for Asian sides otherwise it's tough for them to win in Aus or SA.

 

[Tusker]

But for atrocious umpiring India would have won atleast one or two series in Aus and one series in SA.

 

[IcedEarth]

Which Asian team first won outside Asia in other venues - Eng, WI & NZ?

Practically, it's just Pakistan and India in my opinion. Even SL can win if series is 2 tests. In fact, 2 tests gives chance to win series for Asian sides otherwise it's tough for them to win in Aus or SA.

Sri Lanka took far less matches than India or Pakistan to beat WI and NZ.

 

[Torpedo]

Pakistan's best chance is now or never. SL should give a good fight when they tour South Africa next year.

 

[Ab Fan]

Pakistan's best chance is now or never. SL should give a good fight when they tour South Africa next year.

SL have hardly any chance of winning test series in SA anytime soon.

They have a weaker team and the bowling is pretty ordinary barring Hearth who won't do much in SA.

SL would do good to win even one game there.

SA will have AB and perhaps Steyn back too making life more difficult for visiting side.

 

[Ashraful_Rox]

Pakistan has a better bowling attack than South Africa, Aussies will struggle to score 200 against Wahab, Amir & Yasir. Khawaja will be Amir's bunny.

 

[GLORY OF '92]

Pakistan has a better bowling attack than South Africa, Aussies will struggle to score 200 against Wahab, Amir & Yasir. Khawaja will be Amir's bunny.

SA pacers are sublime. Ours are just above average.

 

[Ashraful_Rox]

SA pacers are sublime. Ours are just above average.

It's the other way around man, Pakistan is ranked 2 and South Africa is 5, if Proteas can beat Aussies, Pakistan can do better. Be positive brah

 

[Buffet]

Pakistan has a better bowling attack than South Africa, Aussies will struggle to score 200 against Wahab, Amir & Yasir. Khawaja will be Amir's bunny.

It's the other way around man, Pakistan is ranked 2 and South Africa is 5,

Bowling units comparison means you check rankings of bowlers and not the ranking of teams.

SA has 4 pacers in the top 20. Pakistan has 1 bowler in top 20 and that is a spinner.

 

[Ashraful_Rox]

Bowling units comparison means you check rankings of bowlers and not the ranking of teams.

SA has 4 pacers in the top 20. Pakistan has 1 bowler in top 20 and that is a spinner.

The ranking system is flawed, do you really believe Mohammed Amir is 60? He should be in the top 10

Do you think Lakmal, Eranga, Holder, Bracewell are better than Mohammed Amir?

 

[Buffet]

The ranking system is flawed, do you really believe Mohammed Amir is 60? He should be in the top 10

Please, let's not start putting bowlers in the top 10 without any performance. Amir has done absolutely nothing in international cricket to be among the top 20 bowlers. If and when he performs, he will deserve to be up there.

 

[Ashraful_Rox]

Please, let's not start putting bowlers in the top 10 without any performance. Amir has done absolutely nothing in international cricket to be among the top 20 bowlers. If and when he performs, he will deserve to be up there.

Every Test there was like 5 dropped catches from Amir's bowling. He has to bowl them out or get lbws, not fair on the kid.

Amir is class, the fielders are hurting his stats, just like how akmal destroyed Danish Kaneria's career.

But I will comeback to your post after the kiwis bleedsgreen after the NZ tour

 

[Buffet]

Amir has not bowled as bad as his stats suggest. Agree on that. I disagree that he is among the top 10 bowlers based on how he has bowled so far. Once he perform to be called top 10 bowlers then it will be fine to put him up there.

 

[Buffet]

Anyway, can you seriously put Pakistani bowling unit higher than SA? There is absolutely no basis for that.

 

[Thivagar]

Don't see the SL duds coping vs South Africa. I can see Rabada running through them.

 

[Nil Dhumrojal]

Pakistan if not bangladesh

 

[Big Mac]

How can you put Amir in the top 10? Who would you replace him with? Not to mention the other bowlers who are currently outside the top 10 but are better than Amir at the moment. Philander, Woakes and Rabada are all more deserving of that top 10 spot than Amir is.

 

[idrizzy]

Pakistans best chance of winning a test series is now. Drawing vs England would've done wonders to our confidence and I think losing to WI bought us back down to earth (which is a good thing). NZ look very average and so do Australia atm. If we had a better bowler to partner Amir I'd have favoured our chances a lot more. Other than that I still think we're capable of winning the series with the quartet of Amir, Sohail Khan, Wahab and Yasir. Should Nawaz get selected? Hard to say. NZ aren't the greatest team against spin but Nawaz didn't light up his debut with either bat or ball.

Should be a great test regardless

 

[Ashraful_Rox]

How can you put Amir in the top 10? Who would you replace him with? Not to mention the other bowlers who are currently outside the top 10 but are better than Amir at the moment. Philander, Woakes and Rabada are all more deserving of that top 10 spot than Amir is.

Chris Woakes, Rabada, Phillander has the luxury of some of the best fielders in the world, not to mention De Kock who takes even 1% of a chance of a catch, De Kock has contributed to the success of Rabada and Phillander.

Who are the fielders for Amir? Hafeez? The one who openly said he didn't wanted to play alongside Amir, hence he drops his catches on purpose. Who else? Sarfraz? The guy is slightly better than Kami, if not for his batting, he wouldn't get into any side for his glove work.

Amir would have has Cook, early on if not for Hafeez, then Sarfraz dropped the easiest of chances. Amir had enough, Thug Life and bowled em. (This is just one example, there were numerous other drops) With longer bats and flat pitches it has been difficult to bowl batsmen out.

If Amir had Ponting and Gilly backing him up, he would have been averaging in the low 20s.

If Amir doesn't average lower than 25 in the NZ series I will retire

 

[Nil Dhumrojal]

The ranking system is flawed, do you really believe Mohammed Amir is 60? He should be in the top 10

Do you think Lakmal, Eranga, Holder, Bracewell are better than Mohammed Amir?

Who ever could be ATG with only TALENTS without any STATS? 'Talents' becomes garbage without 'Stats'. If amir with so much talent has no stats then he is garbage. So far he has done nothing. SO he is NOTHING to be in top 20 even not 40. Overrated till now.and pls don't make excuse of fielding.every bowler has to go through that.

 

[Torpedo]

With Pakistan tour now confirmed for South Africa & India touring Australia at the same time, will be interesting how the tours compare.

 

[Amjid Javed]

With Pakistan tour now confirmed for South Africa & India touring Australia at the same time, will be interesting how the tours compare.

Pakistan will be whitewashed, but India do have a great chance of drawing or winning series in Australia now that warner/smith are missing.

 

[UP]

India should win this time in Aus.

 

[ManFan]

India should win this time in Aus.

They might win 1 Test but they lack in fast bowling.

Shami and Bumrah are great but thats about it. The rest will get smoked in AUS.

 

[Buffet]

Pakistan will be whitewashed, but India do have a great chance of drawing or winning series in Australia now that warner/smith are missing.

India should win this time in Aus.

India doesn't have bowlers to win a series in Aus.

 

[Sidilicious]

India doesn't have bowlers to win a series in Aus.

The only way India can win the series, is for India to win 1 test match, and the rest 3 matches are played on pattas where Indian batsman make hay.

 

[Buffet]

The only way India can win the series, is for India to win 1 test match, and the rest 3 matches are played on pattas where Indian batsman make hay.

Agree. If all matches have results, then Indians are not winning the series.

I don't think any Asian team has bowlers for Aus condition. Many can bowl well in SA and Eng, but not in Aus.

 

[Chrish]

India might win a single game in Aus. But Aus will take the series.

Only Aus and SA bowlers are capable of getting enough out of flat bouncy roads.

 

[Sam99]

India do have shami, bumrah, ishant and umesh for those kind of pitches. I don't see bhuvi getting game in aus unless it has some help in pitch. Will be still hard to win series even without smith and warner. If cummins or hazlewood gets injured then chances are real high though.