England will have a point to prove in Rawalpindi this week – namely that they can win on pitches which nullify their powerful batting line-up.
Victory on the flattest of surfaces in the opening Test of this series in Multan underlined the feeling that the Bazballers are flat-track bullies. Posting 823 for seven declared, including those monster knocks of 262 by Joe Root and Harry Brook’s 317, was proof that this England batting line-up are almost unplayable when conditions suit.
However, when the same pitch was repurposed for last week’s second Test, it saw them again flounder on a difficult surface that negated their super strength.
In simple terms, if you can prepare a pitch that is difficult to bat on the Test literally becomes a level playing field.
India, hardly underdogs, did just that earlier this year after they had been ambushed by Bazball in the opening Test in Hyderabad.
They went on to win the final four Tests and the series 4-1 after preparing a series of pitches that favoured spin.
It’s why Pakistan have resorted to using patio heaters, industrial-sized fans and rakes to dry out and scuff up the Rawalpindi strip for this week’s series decider.
England have gone with three spinners, calling up Rehan Ahmed alongside Shoaib Bashir and Jack Leach, and just one specialist seamer in Gus Atkinson in a bid to tailor their XI to conditions they expect to favour spin as the game progresses.
It’s a Test match they are desperate to win given their patchy overseas record since whitewashing Pakistan 3-0 two years ago.
One more victory against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui in early 2023 followed. But since then they have lost six of their past eight Tests away from home, including that 152-run defeat in Multan last week.
With just one more Test tour, back in New Zealand next month, before the Ashes series against Australia, Ben Stokes’ men need to prove to themselves more than anyone else that they can win consistently away from home.
Perth, where the Ashes will start in just under 13 months’ time, will be completely different conditions to what England encounter in Rawalpindi over the next few days.
But the confidence borne of a first overseas Test series victory in two years could be hugely important for this group of players.
“I think we’ve just got to keep on playing the way we have done, and the results will look after themselves,” said Harry Brook, who scored 153 in his first overseas Test at Rawalpindi two years ago.
“I think the way we’ve been playing over the last few years has been really entertaining and we’ve drawn crowds and people have wanted to watch, so I think if we keep on playing like that the results will be there in time.”
Stokes, too, admitted on the eve of this series decider that seeing players up close and personal on tour was important as it gave him a better gauge on their strengths and weaknesses.
“It does because you spend more time around them and get to understand them as a person, first and foremost,” he said.
“And then when you’re training and playing, you get to see their skills on a more consistent basis, as opposed to little bits here and there. You can see a lot in a player when they’re in the environment, but there are certain players you can watch and just say, ‘Yeah, he’s got it.’”
Fast bowler Brydon Carse, rested for this match after two herculean performances in Multan, falls into that category. They were the 29-year-old’s first Tests but he now looks like he could be an important player in Australia come next year.
“He’s done amazingly well – the toughest conditions to be thrown in the deep end, out in Pakistan,” said Stokes. “It’s pretty obvious the role in which we see him fitting into this Test team going forwards.”
This match is a reprisal of the series opener at the same venue two years ago. For Brook, it holds special memories – memories the team can perhaps draw on even if conditions are different.
“That was a mega win, wasn’t it?” he said.
“Going into the last few minutes of the last day. Hopefully we can take some of that confidence and momentum we had here last time and bring it into this game and put on a good performance.”
For England, it would be the perfect end to an eventful tour.
