Pakistan Struggles to Find Home Advantage in Test Cricket, Naseem Urges Pitch Rethink

Naseem Voices Frustrations over Placid Pitches

As Pakistan grapples with another placid pitch in Rawalpindi, fast bowler Naseem Shah has voiced his frustrations, urging the team to reconsider their approach to securing home advantage in Test cricket. In the ongoing match against Bangladesh, the hosts were kept toiling on the field for over 167 overs as the visitors’ lower-middle order piled on 565 runs, effectively quashing Pakistan’s hopes of a first home Test win since 2021.

“We need to be honest,” he said. “It’s been too many series where we get these types of pitches. The groundstaff tried their best, but perhaps because of the heat and sunshine, there isn’t much help from the pitch. We need to think about how to extract home advantage, because you have to find a way to produce results from these games, otherwise you’re not utilizing home advantage.”

Shifting Dynamics in Pakistan’s Home Advantage

When Pakistan resumed hosting Test cricket in 2019, the country was considered the liveliest place in South Asia for fast bowling, as evidenced by the 2020-21 series against South Africa. However, the tide has turned, with flat decks becoming the norm, especially in Rawalpindi and Karachi. Since the start of 2022, bowlers have averaged more than 43 in Pakistan, over 8 runs more per wicket than the next country on the list, Sri Lanka.

Naseem believes the team needs to rethink their approach.

“If we’re incapable of making the sort of pitches that help fast bowlers, then we should look at whether we can produce spin-friendly conditions. However you do it, you need to use home advantage. People come to enjoy Test cricket in this heat, so you need to entertain them. What shouldn’t happen is you’re on the field at home and thinking this is hard work. The more you keep cricket entertaining, the better. It’s something we need to seriously think about.”

Dashed Expectations and Dry Pitches

The frustration stems from Pakistan’s high expectations for the pitch, which prompted them to field an all-pace attack for just the second time in nearly three decades. However, their hopes were dashed as the surface offered little assistance to the seamers, leaving them toiling in the scorching heat.

Naseem is doubtful about the pitch’s spin-friendliness as well, noting the dry underlay beneath the grass cover.

“We believed the fast bowlers would get plenty of help here. But what we were expecting didn’t exactly happen. With four fast bowlers, your mindset is to take wickets with the quick balls. However, I don’t think it’ll spin either, because there’s grass on the pitch. But the pitch is very dry underneath, and the ball isn’t getting much help off the grass because of that, even if it appears like it might off the surface.”

A Call for a Strategic Approach

This is the first time the call for a rethink on Pakistan’s home pitches has come so clearly from within the team. With the urgency to fix the issues that plagued the team in 2022, Naseem’s comments highlight the need for a strategic approach to reclaiming home advantage in Test cricket.

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