Pakistan slip in Test rankings

Pakistan slip in Test rankings -DAWN - Sport; August 2, 2005

What a fall! Pakistan has now slipped to number 7 in the ICC test rankings, now only ahead of the hapless West Indies and the minnows Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. This ranking really is representative of the rebuilding process the team has been going through the last two years. If Pakistan want to reverse the trend, and join the upper echelon of test playing nations, a longer term strategy is needed, both in terms of the lineup and team fitness.

Pakistan need to decide once and for all who will open the test batting for them, and let that pair stick together for two or three series, rather than having a new pair with every test match. The number 3, 4 and 5 spots are pretty much set in stone with Younis, Inzy and Yousef. Kamran Akmal has cemented his spot as the wicket-keeper, and with Danish Kaneria, that accounts for 7 of the 11 positions. Pakistan's inability to find a healthy tandem of fast bowlers to open the attack has perhaps been their other Achilles heel. Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammed Sami, if healthy, seem to have a lock on these positions, but Sami's strike rate and average has been quite dismal after a fairly lengthy go at this position for Pakistan. Umar Gul, Shabbir Ahmed and Naved-ul-Hasan are other options which need to be cultivated. If like other teams, Pakistan want to play one or two all-rounders, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq and Shoaib Malik will surely fight for these spots. Asim Kamal, Salman Butt, Yasir Hameed, Imran Farhat, Taufeeq Umar and Bazid Khan are all young batsmen that need to step up to the plate to find a place in the Pakistani lineup.

Somehow Inzy and Woolmer need to find a way to make use of the resources available to them and fashion a squad of 11 which can play with the best in the world. There is no reason why that cannot happen with all the talent listed above.