The MCG defeat saw the second high-profile final-day capitulation for Pakistan in a year in which the team was crowned the world number one for the very first time. While the collapse at Edgbaston left Pakistan 2-1 down in England, giving them a shot at leveling the series (which they did), the MCG surrender was series-defining, with Australia heading to Sydney holding a decisive 2-0 lead.
Neither of the two batting disarrays was caused by indefensible bowling from Australia or England. Last week’s pear-shaped batting display, just like the one at Edgbaston in the summer, was mostly self-inflicted as pressure soared amidst towering stakes.
Mohammed Amir
What next for Pakistan after comprehensive defeats? What next for Misbah-ul-Haq?
On Day 1 of the final Test at Sydney, David Warner has hit a first session ton. This piece is being written just after the day’s play and by the time you read this on Day 4, the writing might be on the fall for Pakistan’s 12th successive Test defeat in Australia. But of course, stranger things have happened in cricket, which is what we wrote last week as rain looked all set to push the MCG Test to a draw.
So what next for Pakistan after comprehensive defeats in Australia and New Zealand? More pertinently, what next for Misbah-ul-Haq?
The Pakistani captain’s press conference following the MCG defeat left a sorry picture for a man who had proudly held the ICC Test Mace for the number 1 ranked side in the world only three months ago. He talked about giving a verdict on his retirement in a couple of days after the second Test, even hinting at dropping out of the ongoing Sydney Test.
While Misbah confessed that those remarks were emotional and that retirement wasn’t in his mind going into the SCG Test, a day before play began, it still might be the end of the road for the most successful Test captain Pakistan has ever seen.
Being outplayed in Australia is neither shambolic, nor a novelty, for Pakistan cricket - as displayed by the three successive 3-0 whitewashes Down Under over the past two decades. But the Australia tour had long been touted as Misbah’s curtain call, especially after a series with India became increasingly unlikely. In case Misbah is urged to postpone his retirement, as the noise within PCB suggests, how long should he go on?
Along with Misbah, Younis Khan’s future is also in jeopardy after failing to perform for a while. Even so, it’s hard to see Younis calling it a day, and even harder to see him being dropped.
Azhar Ali
As discussed last week, the void created by Misbah and Younis is expected to be filled by the increasingly reliable Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq. But to finally crack the code in Australia, the PCB needs to invest in equipping Pakistani batsmen with techniques to cope with the bouncy tracks Down Under.
Whenever Pakistan lose, the inevitable focus seems to be on the batting. But the bowling, especially the pacers that have long been a strength taken for granted in Pakistan, has been failing to deliver for a while.
2016 was a mixed year for Mohammed Amir, following his return to the national side after six years. While intermittently showing what he is capable of, he hasn’t quite delivered as the leader of the pace attack in favourable conditions in England, New Zealand and Australia. Of the other three to regularly feature for Pakistan over the past year, Wahab Riaz was the biggest name on paper. He, like Amir, has performed too rarely to leave any decisive impact on the side.
Sohail Khan might not play many Tests in the future after repeatedly proving his lack of fitness for the longest format. And while Rahat Ali might be the most consistent of the lot - at least in terms of line and length - he lacks the ability to bowl any devastating spells.
Yasir Shah might be expected to lead the Pakistani bowling in all conditions if the fast bowling fails to deliver. And while he has long been compared with Shane Warne, Yasir would need to develop his game further to become more effective in conditions less suitable for spin bowling.
After impressive performances in a losing cause in New Zealand, Babar Azam didn’t replicate his good form in Australia. Even so, he and Sami Aslam should get an extended run in the top 3, as Pakistan look to rebuild their batting order following the imminent farewells of Misbah and Younis.
2017 will be the year the transition from Misbah-ul-Haq to his successor is completed. While Azhar Ali the batsman is going great guns, he still has a lot to prove as a captain. The ODI series starting next week would be a good place to start.
