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Approach to Select a Test Side

© Ahmad Nawaz

Australia has two different sides, one for ODIs and other one for test matches. Now there is not much difference between the two sides but once they even had different captains. Taylor was the captain of the ODI side and Steve Waugh captain of test squad. Now there is not much difference but still the batting is a lot different as Slater, Blewett and Langer are members of test side and Beaven and some all-rounders take their place in ODIs. This idea was adopted by some other teams as well and seems to be working for if not all then at least for Australia.

For batting in ODI aggression and quickness are the important factors while in tests one needs to be patient, aggressive when needed and generally calm and composed. There is need of some solid players in tests while in ODIs Jaysuria, Afridi and GilChrist type of players are famous. These players have performed well at test level but certainly when you take test matches everyone will prefer Attapatu against Jaysuria, Mohammad Wasim against Afridi and Langer against GilChrist. I've chosen these names considering the experience and agility of these players.

Incase of bowling in test matches, the try is to get the batsman out with a particular plan like 4-5 men will stand all the day in the slip cordon for the whole day waiting for an edge. In ODIs bowlers bowl a good line, just stop the flow of the runs and wickets will come to their way. In tests, the bowlers really have to get good and patient batsmen out. So, the bowler should be more consistent with their line and length and above all determined and aggressive for test matches.

Apart from that, there is also a problem to select which combination, five batsmen and five genuine bowlers. Five batsmen, an all-rounder and four genuine bowlers and other possible combination. One thing is understood that now each and every cricket team selects a batting wicket keeper.

All this combination depends upon the pitch condition. If there is a batting paradise, I'll take five batsmen with an all-rounder, which makes a total of seven batsmen and my strength will be batting. On a good bouncy and swinging track I might prefer five batsman and five bowlers. Out of these five bowlers I'll take four pace bowlers and a spinner. So, the combination depends upon the pitch conditions.

Now there are a lot of all-rounders. Counting good all-rounders Klusener, Cairns, Azhar, Abdul Razzaq, Shane Lee and many others. Some can be rated as all-rounders like Wasim Akram, Heath Streak, and Damien Martyn, which I think are the key players and their "odd" performance can affect the match greatly as they are mainly playing as a regular batsman or bowler.

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