Saim Ayub has been called-up by Pakistan for their Test tour to Australia next month, after breaking into international consciousness for his blistering performances on the franchise circuit and in domestic cricket over the last year. Here’s how he could fit into their starting XI.
21-year-old Ayub is a promising candidate to strengthen Pakistan’s batting lineup. He scored 341 runs in PSL 2023 and made his first international white-ball appearance against Afghanistan in March 2023. He scored 17 runs off 15 balls in his T20I debut in Sharjah and then went on to score 49 hits off 40 balls in the final match of the series, his best international performance. However, his first class performance secured him a test assignment.
Pakistan test results in Australia: Shan Masood (c), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Agha Salman, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakir, Shaheen Afridi
Ayoub has so far scored 1,069 runs in 14 first-class matches, averaging 46.47. In the last match of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final, Ayub scored 203 and 109 points to help Karachi win the title. He finished the tournament as one of his top ten run scorers with an average of 79.00 and his three centuries.
His inclusion in Australia’s Pakistan Test squad is not the first time Ayub has been included in the Test playing group. He was included in Pakistan’s squad for Pakistan’s second Test match against New Zealand last year, and Shahid Afridi, who was interim chief selector at the time, said he wanted to give Ayub experience alongside more established players. He cited the fact that.
However, with the Pakistan team undergoing a major reset after the disappointing 2023 World Cup, there may be scope for Ayub to make his Test debut.
Ayub has played domestic cricket as an opener for Karachi, but his opportunities overseas may be limited, at least at the start of the Australian tour. Abdullah Shafiq and Imam-ul-Haq have both been selected in the squad and have now earned their starting berths. Shafiq scored a double century in his last Test innings against Sri Lanka and has scored 400 runs in 14 matches in his Test career so far. Imam has also scored over fifty in four of his last eight Test innings, good enough to retain his spot, at least at the start of the series, despite losing his spot in the opening ODIs during the World Cup. in position. Lower values can make it weaker.
Shan Masood has been appointed as Pakistan’s new Test captain and is currently ranked third. His position being secured by his new role rather than his previous performance means there is no room for Ayub to reach the top of the rankings unless he gets injured or loses form significantly. do.
Babar Azam will be relieved of the burden of captaincy and will continue to occupy the No. 4 spot, but either Mohammad Rizwan or Sarfaraz Ahmed will be needed in the middle order to keep wickets. Pakistan are also likely to field Saud Shakeel at No. 5, who has shown impressive Test batting results in the early part of his career. This leaves 6th place, but the competition is still fierce, with Salman Ali Agha scoring a hundred in the last innings, and both Sarfaraz and Rizwan are fielded in the same team, with one of them being a specialist batsman. I am tempted to play.
Considering this, Ayub’s path to the team looks limited. However, Pakistan have a disastrous record in Australia having lost their last 14 games in a row. Since 2010, only India (7.5) has a higher winning percentage in home Test matches than Australia (4.272). Despite a fresh start with a new captain and new leadership, all signs point to this being a difficult task for Pakistan. This could give Ayub, who has been left out of the team, a chance to replace him as a specialist.
He also has the added advantage of being able to enter anywhere in Pakistan’s rankings. He plays as an opener in top-class domestic cricket, but his white-ball skills allow him to bat in almost any position. If any of the batsmen fails, Ayub is waiting in the side as a substitute.
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