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    Naseem Shah Calls for Rethink on Home Advantage
Naseem Shah Calls for Rethink on Home Advantage
Naseem Shah. Source: facebook.com

Naseem Shah Calls for Rethink on Home Advantage

Naseem Shah's frustration with yet another lifeless pitch in Rawalpindi spilled over during a press conference, where the fast bowler urged Pakistan to reconsider how they utilise home advantage in Test cricket. On the sweltering fourth day, Pakistan's bowlers were left on the field for nearly the entire day as Bangladesh's lower middle order piled up 565 runs across more than 167 overs, effectively ending Pakistan's hopes of winning their first home Test since 2021.

Naseem, who was playing his first Test in over a year after recovering from a long-term injury, bowled 27.3 overs and took 3 for 93. He expressed that Pakistan has had too many series on such unresponsive pitches, adding that while the ground staff did their best, the heat and sunshine made the pitch less favourable for bowlers. He emphasised the need to rethink how to leverage home conditions, as failing to do so means not fully utilising the advantage of playing at home.

When Pakistan resumed hosting Test cricket in 2019, their pitches were considered the liveliest in South Asia, particularly during South Africa's tour in 2020-21, where pace, bounce, and seam movement were consistent. Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali combined to take nine of South Africa's ten wickets in the fourth innings of the series-deciding Test. However, Pakistan's pitches have since become notoriously flat, particularly in Rawalpindi and Karachi. In a March 2022 Test against Australia in Rawalpindi, only 14 wickets fell over five days, leading to criticism from then-PCB chairman Ramiz Raja, who acknowledged that the pitch had been deliberately deadened, a move that resulted in the pitch being rated below average by the ICC.

Since the start of 2022, the average bowling figures in Pakistan have ballooned, with bowlers averaging over 43 runs per wicket, the highest among Test-playing nations. Out of 21 Test innings that have lasted beyond 150 overs since 2022, six have been in Pakistan, three of which saw Pakistan as the bowling side.

Pakistan's home Test results have also declined, with their last home victory coming during the 2020-21 series against South Africa. Since then, they have drawn four and lost four home Tests, prompting Naseem to question whether the approach to Test cricket at home needs to be reassessed. He noted that despite the bowlers' efforts, the hot weather and unhelpful pitch conditions made it difficult to generate the expected results. He suggested that if they cannot prepare pitches that favour fast bowlers, they should consider producing spin-friendly tracks. He stressed the importance of using home advantage effectively to keep Test cricket engaging for fans, especially in extreme heat.

The timing of the series, played in August, further complicated matters, as the combination of heat and humidity dried out the surfaces. The Rawalpindi pitch was left to bake under the sun before the match, and an early morning rain delay only added to the suboptimal conditions. Pakistan's packed winter schedule and Bangladesh's upcoming tour of India in September left no other suitable window for the two-Test series.

Pakistan had anticipated a pitch that would offer assistance to seamers, which led them to field an all-pace attack at home for only the second time in nearly three decades. However, when the pitch did not deliver as expected, Pakistan's fast bowlers were left to toil in nearly 40-degree heat as Bangladesh's batters dominated. The hosts also struggled with the overrate on both the third and fourth days, even after utilising 50 overs of spin from all-rounder Salman Ali Agha and part-time bowlers to ease the burden on the quicks.

Naseem, however, dismissed the idea that spin could be more effective on the surface, explaining that while the pitch appeared to have grass on it, it was very dry underneath, providing little assistance to either fast bowlers or spinners.

This frustration marks the first time such a strong call for change has come from within the Pakistan camp. With Naseem, arguably Pakistan's best Test bowler, expressing doubt over the viability of pace-friendly pitches in Pakistan, the need to address the issues with the country's Test match pitches has never felt more urgent.

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