Shahid Hashmi
Legendary fast bowler Wasim Akram found similarities in India’s first-ever home whitewash at the hands of New Zealand last year to Pakistan’s recent defeat against the West Indies in Multan, saying the ploy of rank turner often backfires.
New Zealand shocked India 3-0 last year on spin-assisted pitches at Pune and Mumbai after losing the first Test on a pace dominating Begaluru pitch last year.
In that same phase, Pakistan unleashed spin assault on England, winning the series 2-1 and then cast the same spin web on the West Indies to win the first Test by 127 runs. But the same ploy backfired in the second Test.
Wasim believes “rank turners” are risky.
“I am always for a spin pitch to tame a few teams,” Wasim told Telecom Asia Sport (www.telecomasia.net).
“It is horses for courses, you ned to see how the rival team plays and use their weaknesses. But at times rank turners backfire on you. It happened in India when (Mitchell) Santner and Ijaz Patel had the better of Indian batting. In the same way the strategy backfired on Pakistan in the second Test.
“Both the defeats have similarities. Indian batters let them down, same happened to Pakistan against the West Indies.”
Pakistan had to take drastic measures after losing the first Test against England, also in Multan, last year. Pakistan went 11 Tests without a win. That was a drastic situation. They reconstituted the selection committee by bringing former pacer Aaqib Javed and now retired international umpire Aleem Dar. They dropped out-of-form batter Babar Azam and rested spearheads Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah.
The team management of Jason Gillespie and skipper Shan Masood were not happy with the drastic changes and taking their powes in selection. Gillespie vented his anger, Masood did not. Pakistan employed peculiar tactics to prepare dry pitches, one recycled in Multan and one ragged to the denunciation of England.
But results were wins. That counts.
Wasim reckoned both India and Pakistan can win against their rivals on their abilities and did not need rank turners. “India’s record at home is phenomenal so they did not need such rank turners. I have been told they do not prepare such rank turners in Ranji Trophy matches.
“Similarly, Pakistan should have beaten the West Indies on their ability. They should have prepared better tracks and played Shaheen Shah Afridi or Naseem Shah because you need a 140kph bowler to get wickets on the first two days and then the spinners.”
Wasim rued Pakistan let off the West Indies in both the Tests with their tail scoring too many runs.
“When you have them down on 51-7 in the first Test and then 54-8 in the second you should have killed that innings under 100. But what I noticed West Indies tail waged and that allowed them to score crucial runs.”
With the defeat, Pakistan finished ninth and last in the World Test Championship third cycle. They had a poor fifth and seventh finishes in the first two cycles.
“Pakistan need to take wise steps to lift the standards of their Test team. You plan a series months before and chose your best players. A ninth finish is abysmal and very disappointing,” said Akram, under whom Pakistan won the Asian Test Championship in 1999-2000.
