Navigating a Packed Cricket Schedule: Shan Masood Calls for More Test Matches

As Pakistan’s Test captain Shan Masood prepares his side for a rare season of Test cricket bounty, he has emphasized the need for the team to play more Test matches. This comes ahead of a jam-packed home season, where Pakistan will host five Tests against Bangladesh, England, and West Indies, as well as a two-Test series in South Africa.

Masood’s Concerns about Infrequent Test Cricket

Masood’s concerns are not unfounded, as the last time Pakistan played more Tests in a season was over 25 years ago, in the 1998-99 season when they played ten. The long gaps between Test series have hindered the team’s progress, with the last Test they played being the New Year’s Test in Sydney this year. Once they finish the series against West Indies in January 2025, they are not scheduled to play any Tests until October when South Africa visit.

“We need more Test cricket,” Masood said in a PCB podcast, where he was interviewed alongside Test coach Jason Gillespie. “We play a lot of domestic cricket, so I don’t think we can blame that. We do play ten first-class matches minimum, and with the introduction of departmental cricket, some players ended up playing 16-17 first-class matches in a year.”

Masood believes that the stop-start, intermittent nature of the scheduling has caused a gap to develop between the big three of India, Australia, and England and other Full Members. He is not alone in this sentiment, with West Indies’ captain Kraigg Brathwaite having made a similar appeal after his team’s 3-0 series loss against England last month.

Establishing a Winning Identity at Home

Masood, who replaced Babar Azam as Test captain last year, believes that the first step for Pakistan is to become more formidable at home. After a period of building a winning home record, Pakistan have not won a Test at home since beating South Africa in January 2021, and have even been whitewashed by England and drawn 0-0 with New Zealand.

“If I’m being brutally honest, in home Test matches, because they’ve been played at different times of the year and against different nations, we still haven’t found our ideal way of playing at home that suits our batting, bowling, and overall style,” Masood said.

Gillespie, the Test coach, echoed Masood’s sentiments, stating that the team’s identity will evolve as they play more Tests at home. He acknowledged the challenges of balancing the demands of playing for Pakistan with separate financial opportunities, but emphasized that the priority for the multi-format players is to represent the national team.

The upcoming series against Bangladesh, which will be Gillespie’s first assignment as Pakistan’s Test coach, will provide an opportunity for the team to find their groove and establish a winning identity at home. As they navigate a packed cricket schedule, the need for more consistent Test cricket remains a pressing concern for Shan Masood and the Pakistan cricket setup.

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