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After a difficult Perth Test for Sarfaraz, particularly with the bat, after he scored seven runs across both innings, struggling particularly against Mitchell Starc’s pace.
It’s one of at least three changes Pakistan will make for the second Test at the MCG after they named a 12-man squad, which will be cut to 11 on match day. Khurram Shahzad has been ruled out of the series while allrounder Faheem Ashraf will also miss out after a poor Test with bat and ball, with Pakistan to take a final call on the sort of combination they play with.
There is a possibility, however faint, that the visitors line up with another all-seam attack, which leaves Sajid Khan, named in the 12, out. That, however, is believed to be a remote possibility, with Sajid and one of Hasan Ali and Mir Hamza getting the nod considered much more probable. Mohammad Wasim Jnr was not part of the trimmed squad, so the pace bowling debate comes down to Hasan and Hamza.
However, it is Sarfaraz’s omission that remains the most significant. His inclusion for the first Test received significant scrutiny because of his historical record in Australia and on similar, bouncy surfaces, only exacerbated by how the Perth Test went. At the time, Pakistan team director and coach Mohammad Hafeez pushed back against suggestions playing Sarfaraz was a mistake, saying it wasn’t right to label Sarfaraz as “someone who can only perform in a limited set of conditions”.
Despite the extensive build-up to the Test – Pakistan arrived in Melbourne a full week out from Boxing Day – they have spent relatively little time out at the MCG. A training session on the 21st was followed by a two-day practice game at the Junction Oval. Pakistan rested on the 24th, and heavy rain forced both sides to conduct their training session indoors on Monday. Masood explained that was part of the reason Pakistan had named a 12, rather than 11, to enable them one final look at the surface.
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