Subcontinent tours generally leave sides preparing hard against spin. The longer the Test goes the tougher batting gets. The story in Pakistan though is tougher. Historically, swing and pace play a role in the nation while spin takes control as the game progresses. Batting tends to get easier which is why teams look to keep themselves in for as long as possible, but at the same time know of the challenge that is ahead as spin plays a role in the latter stages of the Test.

Australia though, did not have it as tough. The tracks they faced were rather good for batting with some high scores throughout the series. In the final Test they had a traditional track that took spin as the game went on. England come into Pakistan in a bid to test their style of play. They are approaching Test Cricket with a lot of positivity. The style worked in England but there are questions regarding its use overseas. Going by the tracks used against Australia, there is a chance of England’s style working, if the pitches remain just as flat.

An issue though will be with their bowling. While the batting will be able to take advantage of the docile surfaces, the bowling attack will have a huge challenge of having to take 20 wickets. A lot will depend on how much assistance Jack Leach gets from the track. He can get some rip if there is turn but being the only frontline spinner leaves him with a lot of work. His supporting acts are Joe Root and Liam Livingstone, who can do the job, despite bowling not being their primary suit. Pace wise, Ben Stokes is their fastest bowler with Mark Wood injured. James Anderson though will have a huge role to play. Pakistan’s tracks generally help bring reverse swing into play and James Anderson is one of the best at using reverse swing, making him a weapon for certain.

A question still remains though. Can England take twenty wickets on dry and lifeless Pakistan tracks. On the batting front, England should have a good time. In the small sample size of Tests in Pakistan after the gap, batting averages have been high. Infact, the batting average in Pakistan is higher than what is found in other countries. The tracks are nowhere near similar to other subcontinent tracks.

In the pace vs spin battle, pace is a better bet than spin in all of the Pakistan grounds. In both cases, the averages are higher than desired. Comparing both though, pace has taken a higher percent of wickets. Among pacers, the ones using the old ball well are historically known to get more wickets in Pakistan. With reverse swing playing a huge factor, bowlers will get assistance after the 40 over mark of an innings.

In Australia’s case, they were able to hang on for most of the series. They fought hard, and the pacers enjoyed better numbers than Nathan Lyon. Nathan Lyon though still proved to be an asset. His five-for in the Final Test was crucial as he helped bowl out Pakistan on a crumbling track.

For England, there are a lot of uncertainties. For starters, they only have one frontline spinner and will be hoping for some pace in the tracks. There is a lot of work on hand. Rawalpindi has some grass on the track which should tempt James Anderson. However, the lack of Mark Wood for the first Test leaves them short on express pace, as Ben Stokes will have to step up again. Multan on the other hand has not hosted a test since Test Cricket returned to Pakistan. The venue for the Final Test, Karachi, is expected to be the best for spinners, which will test the skill of Joe Root and Liam Livingstone as they support Jack Leach.

Ben Stokes though has already vowed not to change the approach of his side. They are likely to continue coming out hard, and it will be interesting to see how Bazball goes about its business in Pakistan.