I honestly do believe that a PAK team picked on proper merit would have made this Centurion Test on that deck closer. This margin actually isn't showing the real gap because of an unreal innings and some chancy hits by Ash & Shami. Otherwise, to be honest IND was out played in every department & most sessions on what has to be the closest to home wicket that an Asian side can dream of outside Asia - same display, next time it might end with 250+ gap. For example, I can't prove, so don't charge me on that - a fit Yasir would have killed SAF in 2nd innings, trust me; Ashwin went for Lungi/78 in 29 overs. Run outs didn't help, but Amla could have taken that SAF total to 450 as well - nothing much in that.
Coming to Junaids' team and strategy I actually do agree most of that - though I am sure, some how SAF groundsmen will learn how to make it a green, grassy, cracked & bouncy track by the time PAK reaches there, but let's not go there. I expect one Test will be at Cape Town, which should be a decent track for Asian sides. Other 2 might be more towards opposite direction. No alternative but to start at least 2 weeks earlier and play couple of proper 4 day games against SAF A side or U23 side (Or against a proper FC team), where 11 plays & 11 fields.
To start with (don't shoot me on this), I don't find Sarfraz a Test Captain - unfit for 5 days, poor tactician, impatient and too busy - not decent in ant aspect to lead from the front. He can be a decent LO Captain, but for Test - no chance (And this time fan boys won't bring that CT or 12-2 run, it reads 0-2 against 1 man, without his only somewhat parallel in that XI - Angelo Mathews). And, I don't find him a WK at all - let alone Test WK. PAK team's success will depend 99% on bowlers - who at least deserve a WK upon whom they can be confident. No Sarfraz, and I don't care who Captains there after - last was 1971, when TCCB (ECB) picked Tony Lewis as Sarfraz. I'll go for the U19 kid Umair Masood as WK, who looks quite good with gloves and for Test batting (Ruhail is more suitable for LO role). Sarfraz averages 14 during his pomp in SAF - I expect Yasir to match that, and Umar Akmal didn't keep worse than him in the Department Final - shouldn't be any issues therefore.
1. Azhar has to open. For his partner, I am not sure how Sami can fit - even 45/0 at lunch, means it just allows SAF pacers to rest & come back again with score card standing like a telephone pole. Imam can be an option, but he is too raw - I'll take one of Amin or FZ as opener - probably Amin, because he has better defense (apparently)
No. 3 - Heart says Saud, but kid is too raw and surely Ul Haq won't give him few Tests against ZIM to feast (that might be reserved for MoHa's come back, God forbid). Have to go with Haris (Babar's confidence must be low after AUS tour)
No. 4 - Babar, may be by SAF we can exchange between #3 & #4, but as of now, it's Hari at 3
No. 5 - Saad Ali. People say guy is weak against pace, but I am not sure who is strong in PAK. Young man is scoring at 70/70 stats on what can't be called a batting paradise. But, Ul Haq must make sure that SAF isn't his debut series - there are 3 series before that, if he is Imandar.
No. 6 - Asad. Ideally, he should have batted at 3, but I guess his confidence is high at 6 - you should definitely feel good to better Sir Gary at somewhere in life if you are a cricketer.
No. 7 - Masood+
No. 8 - Hasan Ali
No. 9 - Yasir Shah - for the Nth time, I say, for Test - I pick bowlers (spinners) on bowling merit, not for their 20 runs with bat.
No. 10. Amir
No. 11. Open spot - on cracked surface, may be Wahab is tempting, but we should remember that guy'll be officially almost 35 by then. Not suggested - I'll take a chance with a new face - Hamza or even SS Afridi. SAF batsmen will play Abbas like off-spinner, hence not suggested at all. Asif was phenomenal in his last Test tour of SAF - but that was 13 years back, and since then guy's body has gone through several entertainments, on top of 13 years age - can't pick him for a 4 bowler strategy. Or may be, they can go for a totally new face - don't mind as long guy is not more than 25, by his passport.
Hari and Amin has to share at least 25 overs between them. Can't pick 5 bowlers for this PAK side, because even 10 bowlers won't compete if it happens to be 141/7 every time.
I'll keep Shadab in squad (Or Irfan) - it's like to like replacement. PAK should never play a finger spinner in SAF (there is none actually - Arthur didn't trust Asghar in UAE), and never 2 spinners, hence it's redundant to pick Raza or Asghar; rather better to stock one more leggi, if in case Yasir is injured - Hari can serve for SLAO role. If it's a St. George's like seemers track, may be a 4 men pace attack isn't bad option - in that case I'll pick one of Yamin or Fahim or even Talat, if he can add a bit to his bowling. On seemers track, PAK has to win (or will loose) inside 3.5 days max - that's 170 overs work load in 2 innings combined - 3 X 45, + 25 from 4th pacer (& Amin) & 10 from Hari.
Personally, I won't make Azhar, Asad, Babar Test Captain ever. Had he been a little more intelligent than mixing wife's pill, Yasir was a great option for Test Captaincy. I'll again say - make Amir Captain & back him, but, I leave Captaincy to the critics. If he can justify his batting spot, Amin isn't a bad shout either.
PS: For No. 4, since Ul Haq in early 2000s, the best back foot player from PAK I have seen is Babar's infamous cousin - may be for one last time .... but I don't know what his mental state & physique now.
