Opening batter Shan Masood will have another chance to establish himself as a permanent member of the Test side after being selected for the upcoming three-match series against Australia.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a 20-member squad for the Tests against the Baggy Greens, which included five reserves as well.

Major absentees

The most notable absentee from the contingent is of opening batter Abid Ali who was not included as he continue to recover after suffering a minor heart attack during the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match in Karachi in December last year.

Abid has been a constant part of the Green Caps’ Test squad ever since making his debut in the five-day format back in 2019 against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi.

He has played 16 matches for Pakistan in red-ball cricket where he scored 1,180 runs at an average of 49.16, which included four centuries and three half-centuries.

Another major absentee (or not—depending on how one reads into it) is veteran leg-spinner Yasir Shah who could not cement a spot in the 15-member squad and was only placed in the reserves.

Shah, who has had some fitness and form struggles in the recent past, has been in the news for all the wrong reasons where he was named in an FIR lodged by a young girl. He was accused of assisting his friend in raping the young girl, but his name was later cleared.

The 35-year-old last represented Pakistan in the match against West Indies in August 2021. He has played 46 Tests for the national team, claiming 235 wickets at an average of 31.08.

Shan’s return

The most notable return in the squad is of opener Shan Masood who has been recalled in the 15-member squad on the back of some impressive performances.

The left-hander was in phenomenal form in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2021-22 season while playing for Balochistan. He scored 502 runs in eight innings at an average of 71.71, which included three centuries and a fifty.

He has carried his form in white-ball cricket as well. In the ongoing season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), the 32-year-old, while representing defending champions Multan Sultans, is the only batter other than Lahore Qalandars’ Fakhar Zaman to score more than 300 runs.

Masood will be hoping that this time around, he will be able to extend his career at the very top at least in red-ball cricket. He has played 25 Tests for Pakistan, scoring 1,378 runs at an average of 29.31, including four tons and six half-centuries.

However, it will be interesting to see whether the management gives Masood a chance in place of Imam-ul-Haq, who was also a part of the Test squad on the tour of Bangladesh.

Injury concern:

Pakistan team have suffered a major setback as in-form all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz is uncertain to take part in the series after suffering a navicular bone fracture. The injury ruled him out of the PSL 2022 as well.

His exclusion might open the door for pacer Naseem Shah who was surprisingly not included in the 15-member squad and only managed to get a spot in the reserves.

First test for new management:

Ahead of the series, the PCB announced a new coaching staff for the men’s national team. Former off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq will be the head coach of the team as he has been given a 12-month contract. Former Australia pacer Shaun Tait will also work for 12 months as the fast-bowling coach, whereas legendary batter Mohammad Yousuf will be the batting coach but he has been given a three-month contract.

Saqlain was the interim head coach of the team in the International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup 2021 where the Men-in-Green sealed a spot in the semi-finals and lost to eventual winners Australia in the last-four clash.

He continued to be a part of the management on the Bangladesh tour where the Green Shirts whitewashed the home team in both T20I and Test series.

However, after being given the full-time role, the series will be a stern test for Saqlain-led management who will be hoping to put the team on winning ways.

Full-strength squad:

Earlier, Australia announced their full-strength squad for the series against Pakistan. The side will be led by star pacer Pat Cummins.

Australia’s preparations have suffered a blow with an untimely departure of head coach Justin Langer. The former opening batter resigned from the role after being offered just a six-month contract with no surety of getting another extension.

Meanwhile, the former all-rounder Andrew McDonald was named as the interim coach of the team. The 40-year-old represented Australia in four Test matches.

Historic tour: 

This will be the first time in more than two decades when the Australian team will play Test cricket in Pakistan. The last time the Baggy Greens visited the country was back in 1998 when the three-match series ended in a 1-1 stalemate.

Both teams have competed in Test cricket 66 times where Kangaroos have a far superior record with 33 wins compared to the Green Caps’ 15 victories whereas 18 matches ended as a draw.

However, in Pakistan, the home team have a superior record with seven wins compared to three victories of Australia whereas 10 matches ended as a draw.

The Test series will be followed by a three-match ODI series whereas the tour will be concluded with a T20I in Lahore.

Australia squad: 

Pat Cummins (captain), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner

Pakistan squad: 

Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan, Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz*, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Zahid Mahmood

Reserves: Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Yasir Shah

Fixtures:

1st Test: 4-8 March (Rawalpindi)

2nd Test: 12-16 March (Karachi)

3rd Test: 21-25 March (Lahore)