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Reverse swing, 'tough calls' loom for Pakistan Tests

Pat Cummins concedes some 'tough calls' will need to be made by Australia's selectors when they sum up the conditions for the three-Test tour of Pakistan

For all the speculation surrounding Pakistan's pitches and playing personnel, the greatest mystery awaiting Australia on their first overseas Test tour in almost three years might be an artform they used to practice in their own backyard.

Pat Cummins leads an 18-man squad on a three-Test Qantas Tour of Pakistan that begins next week expecting that reverse swing bowling will play a pivotal role in the eventual outcome.

Despite not knowing what conditions await at Rawalpindi, Karachi and Lahore, it's expected enervating humidity and worn wicket squares at the end of a subcontinental season will more likely produce old-ball swing rather than pronounced movement with the new one.

But Cummins admits his bowlers have been afforded little opportunity to re-acquaint themselves with the craft that was first perfected by legendary Pakistan quicks like (now Prime Minister) Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis due partly to their recent proficiency with conventional swing.

So quickly did Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Josh Hazlewood, Jhye Richardson and Michael Neser scythe through England's fragile batting in this summer's Vodafone Ashes, they rarely needed to rely on an auxiliary skills set that included reverse swing.

And on the rare occasions England did occupy the crease long enough to warrant a change of bowling tactics, lush wicket squares created by a cooler-than-usual summer combined with well-grassed pitches meant balls did not suffer the level of wear and tear required to generate it.

As a result, Cummins and his fellow fast men have spent some of their pre-departure training in Melbourne this week focusing on the temporarily lost art in the knowledge that, if Pakistan pitches aren't raging turners, then reverse swing will be an essential bowling tool.

"I'm not sure it's a competitive advantage, but it's a reality of playing over there," Cummins said today, acknowledging the reputation of Pakistan quicks as masters of the skill.

"A lot of the time the ball just reverse swings, and we didn't really experience it this summer with grassy wickets and short games whereas over there it can be a real weapon.

The top 20 deliveries from the 2021-22 men's Ashes

"So we're just trying to upskill that.

"We haven't bowled a lot of reverse swing in the last year or so, but it's a huge factor going to the subcontinent."

In addition to use purpose-made 'swing' balls at their MCG training, the Australia squad also devoted significant time to bowling and playing spin on practice pitches that had been overtly 'roughed up' to try and replicate the sort of surfaces often seen on the subcontinent.

Steve Smith, whose batting average of 48 in Tests in Asia makes him the squad's only member to average above 35 in the region, spent a typically lengthy session getting used to the spin-friendly surface as part of his preparation.

Cummins is hopeful the attempt to re-create a measure of subcontinent conditions in south-eastern Australia might help mitigate the reduced acclimatisation time available to his squad, who arrive in Islamabad just days before the first Test starts in nearby Rawalpindi next Friday.

"Normally you fly in, and you have a couple of weeks in a place, which has its pros but it also has its cons," Cummins said of the tight playing schedule.

"I think here, being able to spend a bit more time in Australia, we'll be able to fly in, we'll be fresh and if we can replicate similar conditions to what we might expect over there, we can literally land and in a couple of days we'll be up to speed for the Test match.

"We had a spin-bowling net today (at the MCG), and we practiced a lot of reverse-swing bowling which can come into it over there in Pakistan.

"The way you've got to play spin and face reverse-swing bowling, it can be quite different to what you might experience in a traditional Australian summer.

"It's a bit of fun as well.

"We're seeing new things and trying new things, so it adds an extra element to training."

In addition to his unquestioned batting credentials, Smith will also provide invaluable experience and counsel as vice-captain to Australia's recently installed Test skipper given he has played significantly more first-class cricket in subcontinent conditions than Cummins.

Having led Australia on Test tours to Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh, Smith not only boasts a broader knowledge of Asian conditions than his current captain, who has played just four Tests on the subcontinent, he also holds insights into how a skipper marshals multiple spinners.

So far in his five-game captaincy career, Cummins has overseen a four-man pace attack supplemented by Nathan Lyon but there remains a strong chance Australia will deploy two spinners in at least one of the Pakistan Tests, even if they are not anticipating dry, dusty pitches.

"We're not expecting to have the spin-friendly subcontinent conditions we've experienced in past Indian or Sri Lankan tours," Cummins said today.

"It seems like the pace bowlers have done quite well and they (Pakistan) have got a really strong bowling pace bowling line-up.

"I feel like I'm lucky to have someone like Smithy, who's not only captained in India but also played quite a bit in the subcontinent.

"It's a new thing for me, captaining spin over there, but I don't think I'll be a deer in the headlights."

Should Australia opt for multiple spinners, with interim coach Andrew McDonald already indicating allrounder Cameron Green was a "definite option" to play as a third seamer under that scenario, they will be forced to omit a front-line quick like Starc, Hazlewood or Boland.

Green could be used as a third seamer on Pakistan tour

Cummins is confident auxiliary spinners Mitchell Swepson and Ashton Agar are ready to step into the starting XI despite their lack of Test experience – Swepson is uncapped and the most recent of Agar's four Tests came in Bangladesh in 2017.

And he believes the strong squad ethos developed during Australia's 4-0 Ashes triumph over England will help ameliorate any resentment that might be felt by a big-name bowler being squeezed out of the starting line-up.

"It's an unfortunate reality of having a really, really strong squad – a couple of people are going to miss out on every Test match," Cummins said.

"Sweppo (Swepson) has spent a lot of time around the Test side, so even though he might not have played a lot of red-ball cricket he's been bowling lots and lots and lots in the nets.

"And the same for Ash (Agar), he's been playing quite a lot of international cricket the last couple of years so while it's a different format and different feel, I'm really confident that either of those will be able to slot straight in.

"In terms of the fast bowlers, Scotty Boland's just had a fantastic summer, Joshy Hazlewood and Starc are superstars so already one of those are going to miss for the first Test, you would expect.

"I think everyone realises there's going to be some tough calls."

Qantas Tour of Pakistan 2022

Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan, Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Zahid Mahmood. Reserves: Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner. On standby: Sean Abbott, Brendan Doggett, Nic Maddinson, Matthew Renshaw

March 4-8: First Test, Rawalpindi

March 12-16: Second Test, Karachi

March 21-25: Third Test, Lahore

Australia ODI and T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Ben McDermott, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

March 29: First ODI, Rawalpindi

March 31: Second ODI, Rawalpindi

April 2: Third ODI, Rawalpindi

April 5: Only T20I, Rawalpindi

All matches to be broadcast in Australia on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports