Taking on Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates is a tough assignment but after seeing the squad England have selected for the tour, a repeat of the 3-0 Test series defeat suffered last time does not look on the cards for me. I wouldn’t rule out an away win, either.
Alastair Cook’s side may be less experienced than the one three years ago but there are good players of spin in that batting lineup and the collective mindset is strong; they will not carry scars from 2012, only a youthful positivity. With the ball, Moeen Ali is developing as a spinner and Adil Rashid, even if he is an unknown quantity at Test level, represents an attacking option.
The decision to omit Adam Lyth is obviously a tough one for me to analyse as his head coach at Yorkshire. His seven Tests have been against two good attacks in challenging conditions and the simple but harsh reality is that cricketers are judged on output. There were no question marks over Joe Root, for example, leading up to the announcement because – and I have said this before – players are their own best selectors.
A couple of half-centuries and Lyth might have seen his run extended but he was in control of his own destiny. Hopefully if he punches out more runs for Yorkshire another opportunity will come along. The England head coach, Trevor Bayliss, praised his attitude even when he was not performing as well as he can and that does not surprise me; he is a team man above all else.
The question of how long a Test batsman gets to make his mark is a tough one. Lyth got seven caps – like Sam Robson before him – while Nick Compton got nine. Only Compton got the chance home and away. The only gripe you could have was that England went for Jonathan Trott in the Caribbean first – when Lyth was in top form – but that wasted opportunity is in the past now.
Alex Hales comes in and he is a batsman I rate highly. He is an X-factor cricketer, which we at Yorkshire saw early this season when he made 236 against us on a Trent Bridge pitch that was doing a bit. He must at least be afforded the same opportunity as those before him but this will of course depend on the make-up of the side in the UAE.
The idea of Moeen opening the batting alongside Cook, which would get the extra spinner in while keeping four quicks, has been floated and it is not something I am against. I don’t see why a strokemaker cannot bat there and this left-hander has already shown he is one hell of a cricketer.
Moeen may not have done the job for his county, Worcestershire, but he has been a No3 for them and there is not much difference. My old team-mate Justin Langer played his first 38 Tests at first drop before stepping up to open in 2001. He peeled off three centuries immediately and did not look back.
Zafar Ansari comes into the squad as back-up spinner and, in my limited dealings with him, he has struck me as very impressive young man. People may look at his raw stats – averaging 31 with the bat and 35 with the ball – and think it’s a punt but there are not a heap of spinners putting their hands up and selectors have opted for youth. He will learn a lot on this tour.
Away from the squad, England look to have made a couple of shrewd additions to their coaching staff. The appointment of Mahela Jayawardene, the Sri Lanka batsman, as a consultant for the Test matches could be a masterstroke. He is one of the game’s loveliest blokes, who will bring a wealth of experience having done it in all conditions and against all attacks.
Paul Collingwood comes in for the white-ball leg of the tour and will bring both energy and a ruthless streak into the setup. I always felt he was born to be involved in international cricket, be it playing or coaching, and like Mahela has nous that can be tapped. Sometimes new voices in the dressing room, even if the messages are consistent with what has been said before, can freshen up a side.
Colly’s Durham team-mate Ben Stokes is rested for the one-dayers, Root was given a similar break against Australia and I for one have no issue with this. While not everyone will agree, the coaches and selectors do not set the schedule. And you have to remember, like players, their jobs are dependent on results. Such decisions are never taken lightly.
