Key events
Pitchwatch
There’s a bit of grass, so England could have some joy this morning, but there are also cracks that will widen in the Multan oven. It sounds like batting first was a fairly straightforward decision.
Ollie Pope speaks
These are the hottest conditions I’ve played in but we’ve trained really well and we’re ready for that challenge
We would’ve batted first. There’s a bit of moisture in the pitch so hopefully we can take advantage of that. I’m excited to see [Brydon Carse] go in Test cricket – he’s got that extra bit of pace and he’s exciting to watch.
Ramiz Raja, conducting the toss, tells the Pakistan captain Shan Masood: “Keep that smile on your face boss, you’ll need it.”
Pakistan win the toss and bat
Chris Woakes, playing his first overseas Test of the Bazball era and his first in Asia since 2016, will be straight into the action.
1 December 2022: the day the world changed
Temperatures should reach 37 degrees in Multan today
This McCullum fella needs to chill out a bit
“I don’t have any concerns, it was a combined decision” 🗣️
Brendon McCullum defends bowling consultant, James Anderson’s decision to play in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship meaning he will miss the start of the first Test against Pakistan 🏴 pic.twitter.com/0B2CGkJUiu
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) October 6, 2024
Team news
Both captains named their XIs in advance, which saves us engaging in futile speculation. Brydon Carse, who has jumped the cab rank in the last six weeks, will make his Test debut for England. Zak Crawley and Jack Leach also return, with Dan Lawrence, Josh Hull and Olly Stone dropping out of the side.
No new faces for Pakistan but Aamer Jamal, who was hugely impressive in his debut series in Australia last winter, returns from injury to join Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah in an eyecatching pace attack.
Both teams have picked three seamers and two spinners, a balance they may regret if the pitch is as grassy as suggested. We’ll soon find out.
Pakistan Ayub, Shafique, Masood (c), Babar, Shakeel, Rizwan (wk), Ali Agha, Jamal, Shaheen, Naseem, Abrar.
England Crawley, Duckett, Pope (c), Root, Brook, Smith (wk), Woakes, Atkinson, Carse, Leach, Bashir.
Preamble
Morning folks. Enjoy the off season? Less than eight days after the end of the English cricket summer, the winter begins with the first Test against Pakistan in Multan. Ordinarily that would generate a certain ennui. But when a man is tired of Pakistan v England, he is tired of sport; for there is in Pakistan v England all that sport can afford.
These series always give us something, from exhilarating cricket to pantomime controversy to surprise victories. Pakistan are in a bit of a mess, and were recently beaten 2-0 at home by Bangladesh, yet that often makes them more dangerous – especially now that Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah are back in the side. There are a few 2005-06 vibes about the build-up to this series. Pakistan low, England high; final score: Pakistan 2-0 England. And don’t get me started on 2011-12.
A more obvious reference point is England’s last tour of Pakistan, the remarkable 3-0 win in 2022 that elevated Ben Stokes to the ranks of truly great captains. He’s unfit for this game, though he will be in the dressing-room as both the boss of the family and consigliere to Ollie Pope.
In 2022 Stokes and England had to get blood out of a road to win. This time, by all accounts, the pitches could be much livelier. Rise and shine everyone!
