PAK vs AUS: Imam-ul-Haq To Be Dropped! Pakistan Set For 2 Massive Changes In Sydney Test - Reports

As per the recent reports in Cricket Pakistan, the team management is thinking about making two massive changes to the playing XI in the Sydney Test as they are looking to drop Imam-ul-Haq as well as include a specialist spinner in the side.

Pakistan suffered a major loss in the second Test match against Australia by 79 runs. The Shan Masood-led team once again put up a flop show during the second Test of the three-match series and now will want to end the tour with a win in the third Test in Sydney. The third match of the series will be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney from January 3.

There has been a major problem for the team in the Test series so far as none of the big names have been able to perform well in the series so far. Babar Azam, who is one of the biggest names in the batting lineup of the visitors has not stood up to the mark and was just able to score 42 runs in the second match of the series.

Another major problem for the team has been the non-performance of Shaheen Shah Afridi. Shaheen is the most experienced bowler in the Pakistan pace attack but has not been able to take up the responsibility. Afridi’s pace and swing constantly declined after his recovery from injury after the T20 World Cup 2022.

Will Pakistan make changes to playing XI in Sydney?

However, the major problem has been the form of opener Imam-ul-Haq who has not been able to give the team the type of opening start they need while playing against big teams. Imam got out cheaply in both the innings of the second Test match played in Melbourne.

Hasan Ali is another player in whom the Pakistani team has invested a lot but he has not been able to take wickets so far. If spinner Abrar Ahmed gets fit ahead of the third Test match in Sydney, the Pakistani team might rope in Abrar in place of Hasan Ali.

In place of Imam ul-Haq, another young batsman Saim Ayub can get to play in the third Test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The Pakistani team is yet to win a Test in Australia since 1995 and since then they have not won a single Test match on the Australian land. They have not been able to play well in the last few months and they were also knocked out from the round-robin stage of the 2023 ODI World Cup. Pakistan also had a dismal run in the 2023 Asia Cup and was not able to beat the low-ranked team, Sri Lanka.

However, the major reason behind Pakistan’s failure in international cricket has been the non-performance of their pace battery. Pakistani pacers struggled to take wickets in the 2023 ODI World Cup and they went for a lot of runs. Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi, whose pace was a strength for Pakistan had become a weakness for the ‘Men in Green’ in the 2023 ODI World Cup.

Pakistan will now want to end the Australian tour with a win in the third Test starting from January 3 and also achieve their first win in Australia.