Shan Masood’s latest incarnation, as Pakistan’s Test captain, is perhaps the most notable in a career full of rebirths and reinventions. His rise as Babar
Azam’s successor was surprising on several levels, not least the fact that he only returned to the Test team last season after a gap of almost two years or that he has only fifty since then. Or that earlier in the year, when he was similarly and surprisingly called up to the ODI side after almost four years away, he came in as vice-captain but was then kept out of the XI for a few games as there was speculation of an uneasy relationship. with the then captain Babar.
Some have seen the appointment as him having drawn the final straw, as he faces the toughest task in Pakistan cricket: leading a tour of Australia, where Pakistan have been whitewashed on each of their last five tours. . With the junta’s future tied to the country’s general election in February, a defeat in Australia and a change of administration could easily sideline Masood.
But less than 24 hours after the team left for Australia, Masood decided not to see himself as that “sacrificial lamb.”
“We see it as an opportunity,” he said, echoing the words of his team manager Mohammad Hafeez on Tuesday. “When you haven’t done something before in your history, then you have the opportunity to go out and try to change it. So that’s what we are trying to do, get a positive result for Pakistan and in this world Test championship.
“And as far as being qurbaani ka bakra (sacrificial lamb), captaincy, playing as a player in the team, these are all temporary things at the end of the day. As long as you are in that place, or seat, “You should savor the opportunity , enjoy it and try to take responsibility and give your best to the team.”
Despite a stop-start international career, Masood has gained some leadership experience along the way. He captained Multan Sultans in the PSL, led Derbyshire in the T20 Blast and, most importantly, led Yorkshire in the County Championship last season.
Yorkshire finished second from bottom in Division Two, although that was the result of a 48-point penalty imposed on them as a result of racism hearings earlier in the year.
All three wins came under Masood’s captaincy and he averaged 60 in the seven matches he played, with two centuries and three half-centuries.
“I am fortunate to have had such opportunities throughout my career. I have said before that when I became captain of Multan Sultans under Andy Flower, it was a big turning point in my career as a person and a player.
“I look back and reflect on it every time I go through ups and downs, as an experience that has helped me as a cricketer. Then in Derbyshire and then in the Yorkshire project, which was quite challenging because of the things that were happening there. , carrying that captaincy, off and on the field, the problems gave me some experience and I hope I can use it for Pakistan.”
Although he is yet to score significantly since his last return to the Test team, he was an important cog in Pakistan’s series victory in Sri Lanka this summer. With one down, he set the pace of attack at which Pakistan batted – the Pakistan Way, as it was called then. That aggression has been clear in the small (and not especially successful) nine-inning showing since his return. He averages less than 25, but catches the eye at almost 78. A strike rate of 77.50 in the County Championship was the highest among the top 50 Division Two runners.
That intention is likely to continue in Australia, with the hope of more substantial scores.
“I played the England home series, and then the New Zealand series, and I personally understood that my game is going in one direction,” he said. “The way I played in first-class and county cricket, I wanted to do that in international cricket. I contributed to the team playing the right way in Sri Lanka. I didn’t score big but if I can take those contributions towards Higher scores then will have more impact.
“Recently, I’ve only played domestic cricket and I’m quite pleased with how my season has gone. I played four matches in September in England, then in Pakistan, also the One Day Cup, so if you look at recent form, that is. what you take away. From there I feel in a good place and I hope to be able to contribute great scores.”
Pakistan will have a revamped backroom staff of 17 traveling to Australia, although two of them are based in Australia. Adam Hollioake is the most notable, as he has taken over as batting coach for the series, and Pakistan will hope to draw on his local knowledge and experience. Simon Helmot, who has worked with several franchises on the T20 circuit, has been hired as a high performance coach.
