Pakistan
Pedantically speaking, Pakistan do not go anywhere from here. New Zealand are already in the country and, next Sunday, Pakistan meet them in the first of three Tests.
In the bigger picture, they move up to third in the rankings and, in the biggest picture, they have made all kinds of history. A first series win over Australia in 20 years; a first series win in nearly three years; biggest Test win in terms of runs and many others.
So with the rollercoaster that is Pakistan cricket sitting comfortably at the top of the curve at present, there is some expectation they will lose to New Zealand.
Still, five years on from moving out of Pakistan and despite all the doomsayer predictions, this is as emphatic a reminder as any that the perception of Pakistan remains that they are cricket’s most compelling and confounding team.
The nature of the bowling attack that led them here not only pushes it into the territory of their greatest series triumph, but it reaffirms some truths about Pakistan’s domestic cricket.
Zulfiqar Babar, Yasir Shah (26 wickets between them), Imran Khan and Rahat Ali may be fresh at Test level, but they are domestic stalwarts. Each of them are bona fide products of the scene and if this is what they can do, then domestic cricket cannot be that bad there. Certainly not as bad as many ex-cricketers make out.
As for the two grand old men of this side, Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq, no one has done more in the past four years to sustain Pakistan and enable them to thrive.
Much is made of the camaraderie and value of Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara for Sri Lanka, but these two stand as Pakistan’s equivalent. We will only know how much they have meant once they are gone.
Australia
As for Australia, their record in Asia, since 2008, reads 10 losses, one win and four draws.
Their past six Tests in Asia have been lost by eight wickets, an innings, six wickets, six wickets, 221 runs and 356 runs.
Australia return home to face India and will probably win that Test series. Asia then beckons again when they play Bangladesh next year – a series that it must be imagined should pose them no problems.
Their first serious Test challenge in Asia again will be against Sri Lanka in 2016 and then India the following year. By then this loss will probably have been forgotten amid an Ashes series or two, and a World Cup.
But if Australia is to be a great Test side, they will have to break the vogue of the modern age (South Africa apart) and ensure that winning in Asia becomes as much a priority as any victories they may have elsewhere.
For that their batsmen will have to become better at playing on slower, lower wickets and their fast bowlers more adaptable to the lengths that succeed here (reverse swing will always help).
Above all, finding a spinner who, even if he is not taking wickets, can keep the runs down from one end, will be priceless. Nathan Lyon bowled well only in small spells here, but Pakistan were able to work him away for runs when the pressure was on and be brutal when it was not.
Otherwise, this region will remain a blind spot.
osamiuddin@thenational.ae
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