Pakistan have been dealt a major injury blow ahead of their first Test against Australia which gets underway in Dubai on Sunday.
Leg-spinner Shadab Khan is facing a race against time to be fit for the Test and according to a report by ESPNCricinfo, has been all but ruled out of the clash.
The 20-year-old Pakistan star is said to be still recovering from a groin injury he picked up during the side’s campaign in the recently concluded Asia Cup. He has so far played four Tests in his still fledgling career in which he has picked up eight scalps while also registering three half-centuries with the bat.
If Shadab is indeed unfit come Sunday, it will put pay to Pakistan hopes of unleashing a twin leg-spin attack against the vulnerable Aussies.
Senior leg-spinner Yasir Shah is expected to lead the spin contingent which could now feature Bilal Asif instead of Shadab. Bilal provides Pakistan with a varied option with his off-spin and could be particularly effective against an Australia batting card which includes three left-handers in the top six batsmen.
Yasir Shah will lead Pakistan’s spin attack against the Aussies.
The 33-year-old off-spinner has been capped three times by Pakistan in the ODI format but is yet to make his Test debut.
While Shadab’s injury could open the doors for a Bilal debut, it could also strengthen Mohammad Hafeez’s case for an inclusion in the playing XI.
The veteran all-rounder was a late addition to the Test squad for the series and his off-spin abilities could be a handy option for skipper Sarfraz Ahmed to turn to against the Aussies.
It has been over two years now that Hafeez has featured in the format with his last appearance coming in August 2016 in a Test against England at Birmingham.
