England cricketers arrive in Pakistan as Bazball braces for spin test

The England cricket team received a traditional welcome upon their arrival in Multan on Tuesday for the three-match Test series against Pakistan, starting from October 7.

Led by all-rounder Ben Stokes, the team will rest for two days, with practice sessions starting on Friday.

England have returned to Pakistan for a red-ball series after defeating the hosts 3-0 in Tests in 2022.

Out of the squad that dominated Pakistan in 2022, only eight players — Rehan Ahmed, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, and Ben Stokes — remain in the touring party.

England’s former pacer Stuart Broad believes that England's aggressive approach will help when they face spin-friendly conditions in Pakistan.

During their last tour to Pakistan, Harry Brook scored three centuries and England’s spinners thrived.

Brendon McCullum's side, however, failed in similar spin-friendly conditions in India, where they lost a series 4-1 earlier this year.

Continue with ‘Bazball’ approach

Broad said England have got the players to deal with spin in Pakistan but will have to play with their ultra-aggressive style to get positive results.

"I think the style will work in Pakistan, for sure," Broad said ahead of the launch of Inside Lord's, Marylebone Cricket Club's (MCC) new digital platform.

"I think they're really positive and aggressive, they can find the boundary and don't get tied down by spin.

"England will have to play fast-paced cricket to force results over there because you generally do need five days to make something happen."

England batters struggling with form and complacency

However, the top three batters for England who excelled during their last tour of Pakistan have struggled with form recently, particularly during the Sri Lanka series.

England's Harry Brook uses the reverse sweep against Pakistan during the 2022 tour.AFP

Harry Brook, who was the leading run-scorer in Pakistan's 2022 Test series, scoring 468 runs in five innings with three centuries, saw a decline in form against Sri Lanka, managing just 180 runs across six innings at an average of 30.

Similarly, Ben Duckett, the second-highest run scorer from the Pakistan tour, only accumulated 186 runs at an average of 31. Ollie Pope, who also had a solid run in Pakistan, found it tough against Sri Lanka, scoring 191 runs in six innings.

England's aggressive "Bazball" approach seems to have backfired, particularly during the second innings of The Oval Test, where they were bowled out for just 156, contributing to their defeat.

This ultra-aggressive style has been criticized by Michael Vaughan, who felt that England disrespected both Test cricket and their opponents by being overly assertive with the bat.

Skipper Ollie Pope, standing in for the injured Ben Stokes, also admitted that the team’s overly aggressive play hurt their chances, saying they “shot ourselves in the foot.”

Despite the other batters struggling, Joe Root emerged as England’s top scorer in the Sri Lanka series with 375 runs in six innings. However, Root had a forgettable 2022 tour of Pakistan, where he scored only 125 runs at an average of 25.

England's Joe Root celebrates after reaching his century against Sri Lanka in 2024.Reuters.

England's fast-bowling unit, led by Chris Woakes and including Matthew Potts, Olly Stone, Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse, will be without experienced Mark Wood, who has an elbow injury, and skipper Ben Stokes, who is not yet fit to bowl.

Capitalize on Pakistan’s poor form

Broad said Pakistan, who were defeated 2-0 at home by Bangladesh last month, would be looking to take advantage of England's inexperienced fast bowling lineup, but the visitors must capitalise on the hosts' underwhelming form.

"Pakistan have not been playing the best cricket. They've been struggling, so England should see that as a positive and go there trying to apply pressure to that team as soon as they possibly can," Broad said.

"But we always know Pakistan, they've got world-class talent and players that can win a game on their own. It won't be an easy challenge.

"The surfaces (in Pakistan) were a bit slower and turned, but in their recent series they've had a bit of green grass on and carried through a bit more.

"I don't know which way Pakistan will lean on their pitches - they might leave a bit of grass on, seeing an inexperienced bowling group from England."

Focus on spin-friendly pitches

Pakistan cricketers surround Noman Ali to celebrate one of his wickets during the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle in 2023.AFP

Pakistan have brought back left-arm spinner Noman Ali, who was dropped for the Bangladesh series, signaling a shift back to spin-heavy tactics. This move suggests that Pakistan are hoping to leverage spin against England, especially after their pace-based approach failed in the first Test against Bangladesh.

However, preparing slow pitches could play into England's hands, allowing their aggressive batting style to flourish, potentially reviving their out-of-form players. On the other hand, balanced pitches would keep the series competitive and allow Pakistan to exploit England's weaknesses, including their struggling top order and inexperienced fast bowlers.

Following their early exit in the 2024 T20 World Cup and a series loss to Bangladesh, Pakistan are under pressure to perform. To win back their fans, they need to play boldly, seize opportunities against England's vulnerabilities, and capitalize on their home advantage.