Cricket

Pakistan's recent Test series against England has been a tale of dramatic twists and turns, with the home side orchestrating a remarkable turnaround after a disastrous start. The key to their resurgence lies in a controversial decision to reuse a heavily spin-friendly pitch from the first Test in Multan, a move that has sparked both praise and criticism.After a humiliating defeat in the first Test, Pakistan's selection panel, led by former fast bowler Aleem Dar, devised a plan to create conditions that would favor their spinners. They consulted with Aaqib Javed, a former coach and current selector, who became the driving force behind the decision to reuse the Multan pitch.Despite objections from captain Shan Masood and head coach Jason Gillespie, the selectors pressed ahead with their plan. They recalled veteran spinner Sajid Khan and brought in Noman Ali, a left-arm spinner who had been out of the national team for several years.The pitch preparation was meticulous, with giant fans and heaters used to dry out the surface and induce spin. The result was a pitch that resembled a "sheet of glass," according to Dar.The gamble paid off as Sajid and Noman ripped through England's batting lineup, taking 10 wickets between them in the second innings of the second Test. The series turned on a dime, and Pakistan went on to win the third Test in Rawalpindi, where they again prepared a heavily spin-friendly pitch.The decision to reuse the Multan pitch has been met with mixed reactions. Some have praised the selectors for their bold move, while others have criticized it as unfair to England. However, the results speak for themselves: Pakistan has won two consecutive Tests and is now level in the series.The turnaround has also highlighted the growing influence of Aaqib Javed, who has emerged as the de facto leader of Pakistan cricket. He has resigned from his role at Lahore Qalandars to focus on his new responsibilities as a selector and coach.Pakistan's success has been built on the individual brilliance of players like Sajid and Noman, but it has also been a team effort. The batters have shown resilience in difficult conditions, and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan has been outstanding.The series has been played in a positive spirit, with England refraining from complaining about the pitches. However, the controversy surrounding the Multan pitch is likely to continue as the series reaches its conclusion.

India's dominance over Sri Lanka in bilateral series has been a long-standing tradition, with India remaining undefeated since 1997. However, the recent two-match series has thrown a curveball, with Sri Lanka emerging victorious in both encounters.Despite India's recent dominance, their batting performance in this series has been underwhelming. The middle order, in particular, has struggled, with no batter at positions 3, 4, 5, or 6 accumulating even 40 runs.Rohit Sharma's aggressive approach in the powerplay and Axar Patel's contributions from No. 7 have been the saving graces for India's batting. However, Washington Sundar, an India player, has defended his team's batting prowess, attributing their struggles to the challenging spin-friendly pitches."We're quality players of spin," Sundar asserted. "We've always played on these kinds of pitches, even at home, even in Test matches. In domestic cricket, we play a lot of games on such wickets."Sri Lanka's lower-middle order batters, particularly Dunith Wellalage, have played a crucial role in their victories, forming vital partnerships in the last 10 overs. India's inability to prevent these partnerships has been a major factor in their downfall."We'd love to get them out for 200 or less than that," Sundar said. "We had them in that situation in both matches. With big tournaments coming up, we'll be in similar situations, and it's an opportunity for us to find a way to get the job done in crunch situations."India's batting has also faced challenges against Sri Lanka's unusual bowling attack, which includes a finger spinner who can bowl with either arm and a mystery spinner who bowls a mix of offbreaks, googlies, and legbreaks. India has attempted to counter this by maintaining a left-right combination at the crease, but the strategy has yet to fully succeed.Coach Gautam Gambhir has been actively involved in helping the team develop their strategy against spin. "There's been a lot of inputs from [Gambhir]," Sundar said. "He's a high-quality player of spin. We've always seen him putting up great performances on such wickets, especially against quality spin-bowling."As India prepares for the Champions Trophy, where they may face similar spin-friendly conditions, the team is determined to improve their performance and regain their dominance over Sri Lanka.