The Pakistan cricket squad is facing the prospect of a clean sweep in Australia after consecutive losses in the Test series, with the home team solidifying its dominance by securing an unalterable 2-0 lead in the three-match campaign in Melbourne. The Pakistani pace battery, with the exception of Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali, comes with a tag of inexperience and has been exposed by the formidable Australian lineup.
While the batsmen from Pakistan have fared somewhat better in comparison, as a unit, the team has struggled to consistently challenge the Australian side. Fleeting moments of ascendancy in the Tests were not capitalized upon, leaving Pakistan unable to mount sustained pressure.
The absence of pacer Haris Rauf from the touring party has sparked debate. As the chief selector Wahab Riaz pointed out, Rauf was not available for selection. Contrary to this, Rauf was in Australia but actively participated in the Big Bash League (BBL), bowling for the Melbourne Stars. This decision has come under scrutiny by numerous past players from Pakistan.
Former Pakistan captain and all-rounder Shahid Afridi did not shy away from sharing his sentiments during the Boxing Day Test, suggesting that Haris Rauf would have been more impactful playing for Pakistan in the Test series rather than in the BBL. Shahid Afridi, noted for his candid opinions, expressed, “I think Haris should be part of the Test series [instead of playing in the BBL]. I don’t know the reason [why he isn’t playing]; I’m sure Haris would have communicated that to the selection committee. In these conditions, the kind of pace he has, he would have performed well and enjoyed himself on the kinds of pitches Australia prepared in Perth and here.”
Pakistan’s performance in the second Test at Melbourne showed signs of improvement from their previous outing, but it wasn’t sufficient to turn the tide. Each dropped catch, each poorly chosen shot, each ineffective spell of bowling seemed to push them further back, even as they momentarily appeared to have put Australia in a difficult position.
As the series prepares to move to Sydney for the final Test between January 3-7, the Pakistan team is left to reflect on what could have been. The absence of Rauf has become a focal point, with the sentiment that his pace could have been an asset on the Australian pitches. Whether his presence would have altered the course of the series is a matter of conjecture, something the team and fans will ponder as they prepare for the last stand in Sydney.
Australian cricket, on the other hand, continues to ride high, with captain Pat Cummins affirming 2023 as one of their special years following their Boxing Day Test success. In other cricket news, the legal woes of Nepalese cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane have also hit headlines, as the Kathmandu District Court indicted him in a rape case.
The lessons of this tour will no doubt be dissected by the Pakistan Cricket Board and fans alike. The predicament of striking a balance between international duties and league commitments has been a longstanding dilemma for players and administrators globally. Haris Rauf’s choice and its implications on Pakistan’s Test fortunes in Australia have thus added another chapter to this ongoing debate within the cricket world.
