Daily Times

LAHORE: Coach Brendon McCullum said Monday that England would play aggressive and attacking cricket in Pakistan ahead of the three-match Test series in which he hoped his players would experience “the greatest accomplishment” of winning overseas. England’s first Test tour of Pakistan in 17 years is also a first assignment abroad for the McCullum-Ben Stokes revolution that took the home summer by storm. Six victories in seven Tests jump-started interest in the longest format in England, earning plenty of admirers along the way. Now, with the team in unfamiliar conditions — only James Anderson has toured Pakistan previously — McCullum has urged a similar approach, and is willing to take defeat in his stride provided the intent remains. He even posited that Stokes, as captain, will do his utmost to ensure none of the three Tests, the first starting on Thursday in Rawalpindi, will end in a draw. “To win away from home is the greatest accomplishment you can achieve as a Test player and as a Test side,” McCullum said in England’s first press conference since arriving into the county on Sunday morning.

England were due to visit Pakistan last year but pulled out a week after New Zealand abandoned their limited-over series on security grounds minutes before the first match. They then re-scheduled the tour in two phases, having visited Pakistan for a Twenty20 series two months ago. McCullum, who took over as England coach last year, admitted Pakistan would be strong at home. “It’s a very good Pakistan squad, it’s well-rounded,” said McCullum, under who England have won six out of seven Tests. “Theys got some experience and some youth —with both batting and bowling —and they’ll be a tough challenge. We know we’ll have to play well if we’re going to be successful.” The second Test is in Multan (December 9-13) and the third in Karachi (December 17-21).

“The absence through injury of fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi is a big loss to Pakistan McCullum added. The lanky left-arm pacer —- Pakistan’s main wicket-taker in all three formats — was left out of the series following a knee injury sustained during the Twenty20 World Cup final in Australia earlier this month. The 22-year-old also had his appendix removed earlier this month. England practised for the first time at Rawalpindi stadium on Monday, a day after arriving in Pakistan on their first Test tour since 2005.

McCullum said Shaheen had made huge progress since he played with and then coached the fast bowler during the first two editions of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in 2016 and 2017. “I know him pretty well. He’s a wonderful bowler and he’s turned into a fine leader for Pakistani cricket. Shaheen’s obviously a big loss.” In his absence, Pakistan will rely on young Naseem Shah as well as Mohammad Wasim Junior and Haris Rauf —who haven’t played at Test level. But McCullum praised Pakistan’s fast-bowling talent. “You look at their team sheet and you see talent… you see some that might not be developed talent, but it’s talent. You need to respect that, and you need to find a way to be able to be well-researched and well-planned about what’s going to come at you.”

McCullum said his team understood the size of the challenge in front of them. “But that’s great — that’s why you want to play the game. You don’t want easy challenges, you want to take on the best in their own conditions and you want to try and test where you’re at as a side. I’m really excited. I don’t know if we’re going to win the series. I can almost guarantee when the skipper comes in here in 48 hours time he’ll say there’ll be no draws in the series.” He said his team would certainly be pushing for results because it was their obligation to try and ensure that people walk away entertained. “And if we get beat, Pakistan, we know, will have played well. I expect us to play well and if we get outplayed, that’s okay too. Looking forward to the opportunity, looking forward to the challenge and looking forward to the hospitality. And hopefully in a few weeks time everyone will say this has been an amazing series,” he concluded.