Pakistan hope to end a 20-year drought against Australia when they meet in the first of two Tests in Dubai from Wednesday but they are crippled by the absence of their spin wizard Saeed Ajmal.
Ajmal, who has been suspended due to an illegal bowling action, has single-handedly ruled the dry and slow tracks of Pakistan’s neutral venues in the United Arab Emirates, especially at Dubai where he has 37 wickets in six Tests, three of which Pakistan won.
That includes 24 wickets in a 3-0 rout of England in 2012.
Pakistan have also lost frontline seamers Junaid Khan and Wahab Riaz — both through knee injuries — and have to rely on uncapped leg-spinner Yasir Shah and two-Test left-armer Zulfiqar Babar, both of whom are likely to play.
Captain Misbah-ul Haq, under pressure to score runs after managing nought and 15 in the preceding 3-0 one-day series defeat, admitted Ajmal’s absence is significant.
“Ajmal has left a big hole,” admitted Misbah, who skippers a team whose last Test series win over Australia was back in 1994.
“But we have youngsters who should grab the chance and I am confident they can.”
The return of veteran batsman Younis Khan and Azhar Ali may boost Pakistan’s fragile batting, however it remains to be seen how much of an impact those aging cricketers may have.
