In the absence of Saeed Ajmal and Junaid Khan, Pakistan could put out an attack that has a combined experience of 11 Tests
Umar Farooq in Dubai21-Oct-2014Pakistan’s record against Australia makes for grim reading: only one Test win since 1995, 13 defeats in a row between 1999 and 2010, plenty of those by big margins, and no series win in 20 years.To make matters worse, for the two-Test series starting Wednesday, Pakistan are without several of their best bowlers. Saeed Ajmal and Junaid Khan have been go-to bowlers for Misbah-ul-Haq in the past few years but in their absence, Pakistan could put out an inexperienced attack of Mohammad Talha, Rahat Ali, Yasir Shah and Zulfiqar Babar, who have played a combined 11 Tests.”This is part and parcel of the game,” said Misbah about the new-look bowling attack. “Whosoever comes on the international scene he starts inexperienced, but this is how the life is, you have to make your name and I think these players are good enough to make their names at international scene.”Misbah, though, drew confidence from Pakistan A’s victory in the warm-up game. “It does affect when you don’t have experienced players, those who lead your batting and bowling line-up they have effect on your team, but the way the A team played (at Sharjah), they showed it’s all about determination, if you go and apply yourself you can compete against any team. These boys had done good in domestic level.”Misbah said that even though Australia’s recent Test numbers in Asia aren’t great – out of the last 13 Tests in subcontinent, they have won one, lost eight, and drawn four – he doesn’t expect an easy series. “Everybody knows their (record in subcontinent) but they have already proven themselves in the one-day series that they can really be a tough side. So you can’t just say that their record is poor so we just get through this, you have to really play well, you have to fight hard against them.”Australians are always tough and if you are not putting your 100% and you are not playing good cricket it can be really difficult for you, so what you can assure is put your 100% and your performance should be right at the top to beat them. We have to convert the half chances into full to keep them on toes and it’s very simple, especially in Test cricket you need to stick to your basics and to your strengths and that should be your strategy.”Responding to the statement of Australia’s paceman Peter Siddle – who said he will be targeting the experienced duo of Misbah-ul Haq and Younis Khan – he said he is ready for the challenge. “Obviously we know that the team is going to target the senior players and as important players of the team and this is how cricket or any other sport goes on. If you pass through that, then your team is on a roll, so we will try to get through that and try to tackle that.”In the series against Sri Lanka earlier this year, Pakistan struggled against the left-arm spin of Rangana Herath, who took 23 wickets in two Tests. Australia have a left-arm spinner of their own in Steve O’Keefe, and could play a double-spin attack for the first time in more than two years.Misbah said his side was ready for the spin test. “We have worked a lot on playing spinners keeping in mind Nathan Lyon and their other spinners and all the batsmen have given importance to the spin and everyone knows spin will play important role in this series, especially in Dubai,” he said. “Pitch looks good, a bit different from what you normally get in Dubai. But I think it’s more suitable to our team so again it’s a case of putting your efforts and playing better cricket.”
