Shan Masood unviels his strategic plans for upcoming home Test series

• Shan Masood outlines Test strategy for hot Pakistani conditions after T20 World Cup.
• Core group, squad announcement soon for clarity on playing style.
• Unconventional pitches, extra bowler considered for home advantage.

Shan Masood, Pakistan’s Test captain, has shared his strategic approach for the upcoming home Test series after the T20I World Cup 2024.

In a recent interview with a local sports website, Masood highlighted the challenges posed by the unique climatic conditions on home soil and emphasized the need for a proactive and risk-taking mindset.

“Considering the type of wickets we produce, obviously, weather plays a role. There is a lot of heat in August, and even in October, it remains quite hot. So, we will have to consider many things,” Masood said.

Addressing the complexity of the series, the left-hand batter outlined the importance of quickly announcing the core group and squad to provide clarity on Pakistan’s cricket.

“We will try to quickly announce our core group and the squad, so that there is a certain clarity on how Pakistan wants to play cricket in this manner,” he said.

The 34-year-old stressed the significance of adapting to various playing conditions, suggesting that the team might need to explore unconventional strategies. He also expressed a willingness to take risks and a commitment to elevating the team’s Test game.

“It is also essential to assess in which conditions our team will thrive. It’s possible that in such conditions, bowling-friendly pitches may not be available. In that case, creating seam-friendly or spin-friendly wickets may be necessary, and you may need to consider playing an extra bowler in such situations,” Shan said.

“We need to explore all combinations, but I think one thing we are ready for is to take risks. We are prepared to improve our game, we are ready to enhance the quality of our Test. I think if we look at it realistically, we had two very good chances to win Test matches in Australia. We didn’t win, but we took steps in the right direction,” he concluded.

It is noteworthy that the national squad will play two Test series against Bangladesh and three Test series against England on home soil in August and October, respectively, after the T20I World Cup 2024 concludes.

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