Saim Ayub has been called-up by Pakistan for their Test tour to Australia next month, after breaking into international consciousness for his blistering performances on the franchise circuit and in domestic cricket over the last year. Here’s how he could fit into their starting XI.

At 21 years old, Ayub is an exciting prospect to bolster Pakistan’s batting lineup. He scored 341 runs across the 2023 PSL, which earned him a maiden international white-ball call-up against Afghanistan in March 2023. In his T20I debut at Sharjah, he scored 17 runs off 15 balls, before putting in his best international performance to date in the final match of the series, hitting 49 off 40 balls. His first-class performances, however, are what have secured him a Test call-up.

Pakistan Test squad for Australia: Shan Masood (c), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Agha Salman, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi

From 14 first-class games to date, Ayub has scored 1,069 runs at an average of 46.47. In his most recent match in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final, Ayub scored 203 and 109 to help Karachi win the title. He finished the competition in the top ten run scorers with an average of 79.00 and three centuries.

His inclusion in Pakistan’s Test squad for Australia is not Ayub’s first in a Test playing group. He was included in the squad for Pakistan’s second Test match against New Zealand last year, with then-interim chief selector Shahid Afridi citing giving Ayub experience alongside more established players as his reasoning.

However, with the Pakistan side going through a widespread reset following their disappointing 2023 World Cup, there could be room for Ayub to make his Test debut.

Ayub plays as an opener for Karachi in domestic cricket, but he could find himself with limited opportunity to do so internationally at least for the start of the Australia tour. Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq have both been named in the squad and are currently in possession of the opener slots. Shafique scored a double-century in his most recent Test innings against Sri Lanka and has four hundreds from 14 matches in his Test career so far. Imam is also well placed to keep his spot for at least the start of the series, having passed 50 four times in his last eight Test innings, though the fact that he lost his ODI opening spot during the World Cup may indicate that his position could weaken with some low scores.

Shan Masood has been appointed Pakistan’s new Test captain and is the current occupier of the No.3 spot. His place, made secure by his new role rather than his previous performances, means there is no room for Ayub at the top of the order barring injury or a dramatic loss of form.

Babar Azam will continue to take up the No.4 slot, free from the burden of captaincy, with one of Mohammad Rizwan or Sarfaraz Ahmed required in the middle order to keep wicket. Pakistan will also be likely to field Saud Shakeel at No.5 given the incredible Test batting record he’s wracked up early in his career. That leaves the No.6 spot, but even there the competition is stiff, with Salman Ali Agha making a century in his most recent innings, and the temptation to field both Sarfaraz and Rizwan in the same team, with one playing as a specialist batter.

Given this, Ayub’s route into the side looks limited. However, Pakistan have a woeful Test record in Australia, having lost their last 14 consecutive matches there. Since 2010, only India have a better win percentage (7.5) in home Test matches than Australia (4.272). Despite a fresh start with a new captain and management structure in place, all the signs point towards this as likely to be a challenging assignment for Pakistan. For Ayub, down as the spare specialist batter in the squad, that could bring opportunity.

He also has the added bonus of being able to slot in anywhere in Pakistan’s order. While he plays domestic first-class cricket as an opener, his white-ball skills give him the ability to bat in pretty much any position. Should any of the batters falter, Ayub will be waiting in the wings to claim their place.

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