Ahead of the first Test between England and Pakistan, starting on Wednesday at Emirates Old Trafford, four Wisden India writers give their view on how the visitors should line up.

Pakistan named a 20-strong squad for the Tests, comprising a mix of youth and experience. There are a few questions to be answered though, especially with the coach’s hints in the build-up, and with that in mind, four Wisden India writers had a pop at team selection.

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Manoj Narayan, Wisden India editor

Abid Ali
Shan Masood
Azhar Ali
Babar Azam
Asad Shafiq
Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
Shadab Khan
Yasir Shah
Naseem Shah
Shaheen Shah Afridi
Mohammad Abbas

It was a tricky decision on Imam-ul-Haq. He spent some time in the middle in the intra-squad matches, but his Test numbers on the whole haven’t been great, and England’s no place for a batsman you’re unsure of. Abid Ali and Shan Masood, despite the relative inexperience at the top level, have impressed in the format recently, and get the nod over him. The rest of the batting line-up is straightforward – you play your solid batsman at No.3 (Azhar Ali) and your best at No.4 (Babar Azam). Asad Shafiq and Mohammad Rizwan make up the rest of the middle order.

Misbah stating openly that Pakistan were considering two spinners means Shadab Khan and Yasir Shah are slotted in – unless it was a bluff? The exciting pace trio of Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Abbas make up the attack – if youth doesn’t flourish, there’s experience waiting in the wings in the form of Wahab Riaz for the second Test.

Aadya Sharma, Wisden India staff writer

Shan Masood
Abid Ali
Azhar Ali
Babar Azam
Asad Shafiq
Shadab Khan
Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
Yasir Shah
Naseem Shah
Shaheen Shah Afridi
Mohammad Abbas

Abid Ali gets the nod ahead of Imam for his strong entry into the Test team, despite moderate returns in the intra-squad matches. Masood has a poor record against England, and Anderson in particular, but his most recent Test scores give him a spot over Imam, who’s yet to find his mojo in Tests. Azhar Ali at No.3 – it’s a pivotal role, and he’s been on three tours to England. His solidity is their best bet at one down.

That means Babar can bat at four – his best spot – followed by Shafiq and Rizwan, who seems to have the edge over former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed. With Misbah indicating that Pakistan might play two spinners – drier conditions, heat is forecast – I’d go for Shadab Khan, with his leg breaks. He strengthens their batting as well.

Yasir had a key role to play on the 2016 tour of England, and even though his form has fizzled since, his leg-spin will make for quite a contest against England batsmen who haven’t faced too much quality wrist-spin in Tests. Naseem and Afridi make for an interesting combo, but Abbas, who isn’t as flashy as the others, boasts a solid Test record, and more importantly, great numbers in county cricket.

Sankalp Srivastava, Wisden India staff writer

Shan Masood
Abid Ali
Azhar Ali
Babar Azam
Asad Shafiq
Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
Shadab Khan
Yasir Shah
Naseem Shah
Shaheen Afridi
Mohammad Abbas

Misbah hinted that Pakistan could opt for an extra spinner, saying the Old Trafford pitch had something in it for the tweakers. That in mind, I’d go with Shadab. Fawad Alam, who last played a Test in 2009, would provide solidity in the batting department, but the all-rounder gives them the extra spinning option.

The top five batsmen pick themselves, that apart, and Rizwan’s recent form puts him above former captain Sarfaraz in the pecking order. Sohail Khan was probably their best fast-bowling exponent in the intra-squad matches, but the trio of Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi haven’t done anything to be left out of the first XI.

Roshan Gede, Wisden India staff writer

Imam-ul-Haq
Shan Masood
Azhar Ali
Babar Azam
Asad Shafiq
Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
Shadab Khan
Shaheen Afridi
Mohammad Abbas
Sohail Khan
Naseem Shah

Imam’s yet to discover himself in the Test arena, but spent a fair amount of time in the middle in a few low-scoring innings in the practice games. As Dom Sibley proved against West Indies, grittiness at the top can be of great benefit in testing conditions, and Imam could be that man for Pakistan. Masood over Abid Ali for me on experience and recent form, while Rizwan wins the battle of wickekeepers with an unbeaten fifty and hundred in the first intra-squad match. Shadab’s superior batting skills means he’d offer more solidity over Faheem Ashraf at No.7.

As for the pace attack, Abbas, despite not being at his best recently, gets the nod – he’s an ideal fit in English conditions, as he demonstrated at Lord’s in 2018. Naseem and Sohail are the definite highlights in the pace attack – a wide age gap between them, but nothing of the sort in terms of intent and promise. Among the left-armers, Shaheen Shah Afridi trumps Usman Shinwari and Wahab.

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