ISLAMABAD: Former English cricketer Michael Vaughan believed that Pakistani all-rounder Shadab Khan should be played in place of batsman Fawad Alam in the third Test against England.
He said, green-shirts would have an extra spin option for the game to be played at the ageas Bowl in Southampton from Friday (August 21).
“Pakistan team has surprised me this week by getting that score in the first innings. Realistically they should have been bowled out for 150 or 170. Rizwan played beautifully, reading the conditions nicely. Babar Azam is in a decent run of form and Abid Ali got a nice 60 at the top of the order,” Vaughan said in a Cricbuzz interview as quoted by cricketpakistan.com.pk.
“I would just make one change and bring Shadab in for Fawad, just because we saw some spin in the last match. Also, I think they will use the same pitch, as the last Test match, because of lack of time to prepare a new one due to bad weather. So, you would want that extra spinning option and a player who has shown that he can bat in these English conditions,” he said.
Vaughan said Pakistani pacer Mohammad Abbas was a major threat because of his phenomenal record in English conditions.
“He loves bowling with the Dukes ball. You can look to his record when he played for Leicestershire in the county championship. He has a phenomenal record. England were trying to play him by walking out and getting the pads outside off stump.
They were trying to take out the LBW and bowled options with that. He still had the outside edge to aim for. He is a wonderful bowler. You can tell when an opposition team has meetings on how to play him, you know he is a real threat,” he said.
The former cricketer also praised the bowling attacks of both sides heading into the third Test, while claiming that a classic was on the cards due to the talent involved.
“I think in the Pakistan attack Shaheen Shah Afridi did not bowl a great deal but he bowled a few bouncers which was nice to see. Naseem Shah bowled ok. He wasn’t quite his best, the way he bowled at Manchester. I think we are going to see in the third Test two teams that can get 20 wickets, so it comes down to which batting unit can play with more skills and attrition. They might have to play with a little flamboyancy at times and take a few risks. There is a high-class seam attack on both sides. I think we are in for an absolute classic,” he said.
