Pakistan must take advantage of England Test squad’s vulnerabilities

Pakistan cricket hit a historic low in August, dropping to eighth place in the ICC Test rankings — their worst position since 1965. This sharp decline followed a humiliating home whitewash at the hands of Bangladesh, marking only the second time Pakistan has suffered such a defeat on their own soil.

Ideally, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the team, and their fans would want some respite after this crushing setback. However, fate has dealt them a tough hand, as their next challenge comes against England — the very team that first whitewashed Pakistan at home in 2022.

Though England will return for a three-match Test series in October, their squad this time around features several changes.
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 lineup.

Injury concerns

Ben Stokes is set to lead the team as he continues recovering from a hamstring tear that sidelined him during England's recent Test series win over Sri Lanka. However, there are lingering concerns about whether he will be fully fit in time for the first Test. Even if available, questions remain about his ability to bowl, which adds a crucial dimension to England’s attack, as Stokes is known for his ability to break key partnerships.

England's Ben Stokes in action against West Indies in 2022.Reuters

Zak Crawley is also returning to the squad after missing out since the West Indies series in July. The 26-year-old has been recovering from a fractured right little finger, sustained during the Edgbaston Test. Although his recovery has progressed well, it remains uncertain whether Crawley will be match-fit and able to regain his form after being out of action for over two months.

Meanwhile, Gus Atkinson has been withdrawn from England's white-ball series against Australia due to a thigh injury he suffered during the final Test defeat against Sri Lanka.

Stand-in captain Ollie Pope mentioned that Atkinson will need to rest before England’s upcoming series against Pakistan, which begins on October 7.

“I think he’s OK,” Pope said after the match. “He’s got a couple of weeks off to refresh and put his feet up.”

England batters struggling with form and complacency

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.

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.

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

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.”

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

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.

Meanwhile, England's new wicketkeeper, Jamie Smith, showed form with 280 runs in Sri Lanka, though he has no experience playing in Pakistan. It remains to be seen if England's key players can regain their form as they prepare for Pakistan tour.

Inexperienced pace attack

England's current pace attack presents a stark contrast to the one that dominated during their 2022 series against Pakistan. Back then, the combination of James Anderson and Ollie Robinson's precision, coupled with Mark Wood’s raw pace, was crucial to their success. However, this time around, England will lack that express pace, as well as the relentless accuracy and variety that Anderson and Robinson provided.

Chris Woakes now leads the pace attack as the most experienced option, but his contrasting performances at home and abroad are well known. In England, Woakes has claimed 137 wickets at an impressive average of 21.59. Outside England, however, his average soars to 51.88, with just 36 wickets from 20 Tests.

England's Chris Woakes in action against West Indies in 2022.Reuters

Woakes’ inclusion in the squad is primarily justified by his experience, especially since the other pace bowlers — Olly Stone, Matthew Potts, Gus Atkinson, and Josh Hull — boast just one overseas Test cap between them.

Apart from seamers, England will take three spinners to the subcontinent: Shoaib Bashir, Rehan Ahmed, and Jack Leach.
Both Leach and Ahmed were part of the last Pakistan tour but were overlooked for this summer's Test series against the West Indies and Sri Lanka. Hence, they would be returning to international cricket after a long lay-off.

Pakistan must adopt a bolder approach

Pakistan must quickly move past the whitewash against Bangladesh and focus on the upcoming series against England with a fresh mindset.

The type of pitches prepared will be crucial in determining the outcome. After struggling against Bangladesh's pacers on bouncy Rawalpindi pitches, Pakistan might be tempted to opt for slower, flatter tracks to neutralize England's pace threat. However, considering their slim chances of making it to the World Test Championship final, Pakistan needs to take a bolder approach.

Preparing docile tracks could backfire, as it would allow England's aggressive "Bazball" batting style to flourish, potentially bringing their out-of-form players back into the game. On such surfaces, Pakistan’s batters could struggle to keep up with England’s scoring pace, leaving them constantly playing catch-up over the course of the three-Test series.

Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq put on a solid opening stand.AFP

More balanced, sporting pitches would keep both sides in the contest and give Pakistan an opportunity to exploit England’s vulnerabilities, including their struggling batters and inexperienced pace attack.

After their early exit in the 2024 T20 World Cup and the whitewash against Bangladesh, Pakistan has hit rock bottom. To regain the support of their fans, they must play fearlessly, take the game to their opponents, and capitalize on England's weaknesses.