There is little doubt that Pakistan have planned and executed poorly with the ball in this series. Bowling coach Azhar Mahmood, however, did not have all the answers to explain this area of concern
Osman Samiuddin in Melbourne29-Dec-2016At least the right Azhar came out. On Wednesday, Azhar Ali was asked to explain the performance of his bowlers. The poor guy – on the day of his historic double and the really, or equally, big news was how strange and inconsistent the bowling was.So on Thursday Azhar Mahmood, the bowling coach, emerged to explain why Pakistan have both planned strangely and executed poorly with the ball this series.Azhar has not been with the Test side for long, having joined them full-time ahead of the New Zealand tour. He has worked with the limited-overs sides in a couple of stints earlier in the year, however. Some of the issues, like the no-balls, pre-date his arrival. Others, like the composition of an attack or broader bowling strategies, he has only a degree of influence upon.He only did what he could to explain why Pakistan have made the choices that they have.
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Why have Pakistan employed Yasir Shah in a way designed to ensure he will not take wickets, with leg-side fields of 3-6 and his line outside leg stump to the left-handers?In the first innings at the Gabba, Yasir came on after 10 overs, when Australia were 0 for 33. They were comfortable, but not really in control, or even threatening to take control. In the second innings, he came on after 10 overs again, with Australia 2 for 38 and Warner gone. He started with the same leg-side strategy.In the first innings at the MCG, Warner and Matt Renshaw were in no way secure, having just about survived the first 11 overs. Australia were 0 for 34 as Yasir came on, to the same field and same plan, which hadn’t really worked at the Gabba in the first place.Is he not better used in an attacking vein?Not even for a little while, early on when he is actually looking more threatening aiming around off-stump and Pakistan have some semblance of control? This is Yasir Shah, who has won you two Tests in England.
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Pakistan’s problem with no-balls is chronic. This year they have bowled 93, in 11 Tests. That is 34 more than the next highest – West Indies, in seven Tests. Other than one, Mohammad Amir was generally impeccable with over-stepping in the first stage of his career. He has bowled 17 in ten Tests since his return. Wahab Riaz has 60 this year, and 100 in his last 16 Tests. Mahmood is the fifth bowling coach Pakistan have had in recent years, and this problem is ingrained.Why do Pakistan bowl more no-balls than any other team?Before the ongoing Test in South Africa, Sri Lanka had bowled 12 no-balls in eight Tests this year. Sri Lanka, where there is a similar informality to the structure in which young cricketers play before they make it to first-class level and beyond.Why is it such a problem for Wahab?Wahab’s role in ODIs and T20s is also to bowl really quick and yet he does not transgress anywhere near as much. In the nets, at least on one of the days leading to this Test, he over-stepped the line on a number of occasions; enough for Mahmood to ask for someone to watch over him, which wasn’t subsequently done with great vigilance. And he’s not bowling fewer no-balls – he bowled seven in the last Test and he’s bowling them more often than he did under Waqar Younis.
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Mahmood doesn’t officially have a role in the selection of the XI, so Sohail Khan’s inclusion was not on him. On the first day of the Test, Mickey Arthur said he was “comfortable” with the decision to pick Sohail over Rahat Ali and Imran Khan at the MCG.Today, though he picked up a couple of wickets, Sohail’s pace rarely ventured above 130kph. Were they still comfortable with the decision, especially at the cost of Imran, who provides greater energy all through?The only thing that really makes sense there is that Sohail does provide runs with the bat. Otherwise, to say he is fit and simultaneously acknowledge that he cannot bowl more than one good spell makes no sense. In an attack weighed down by the strategies for Yasir and Wahab’s no-balls, Sohail’s flagging spells left Pakistan with, basically, one proper bowler. He is not fit and that should, especially on unforgiving grounds in Australia, determine whether or not he plays.
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The right Azhar did come. He just didn’t necessarily have the right answers.
