Pakistan vs England: Alastair Cook happy for his team to be underdogs again

Captain upbeat ahead of Test series in UAE, but admits four days’ acclimatisation is not enough

Alastair Cook tries attack as the best form of defence in the nets on Monday (Getty)

It may be recalled that before last summer’s Ashes series, England did not have a prayer. They have come to the UAE to play three Tests against Pakistan with marginally less expectation of victory, say a snowball’s chance in hell, in the constantly oppressive heat of the desert emirates.

If they manage to prevail here as they did so thrillingly against Australia it should be considered a still greater achievement. They will also have to play much more uniform and disciplined cricket.

“We’re as ready as we can be,” said England’s captain, Alastair Cook. “Everyone’s thrown everything into practice. With these modern tours, four days of acclimatisation in the middle never seems enough, but that’s the way it is.

“We’re probably underdogs, but that’s a great position for this side to be in. Not too many people are giving us too much of a chance – quite similar to another series we’ve just played. With the talent and the character of the dressing room, yes, we’ve got to play some amazing cricket over the next 15 days to put Pakistan under pressure, we realise that, but I’m very confident in those guys.”

Liam Plunkett, left, and Mark Wood come face to face with an alternative roast lunch of goat before taking on Pakistan in the first Test

Cook had every right to be sanguine about his side’s prospects. When Australia arrived in England last June, there was, by general consensus, only one possible winner. After the fourth match of the rubber, England had turned that prognosis on its head with three outstanding performances as full of collective conviction as they were of magnificent individual contributions.

But it was hardly seamless. England won overwhelmingly three times but were defeated quite as convincingly in two other matches. There will be no room here for such variations in form. They have to stay close and try to work an opening.

Pakistan have not lost any of the seven Test series they have played here since they adopted, reluctantly, the UAE as their international home in 2010 and Misbah-ul-Haq became their captain.

However, England may be heartened by the fact the home side have been held to draws in three of the last four, with South Africa, Sri Lanka and New Zealand all managing Test victories. Only Australia were easily swept aside last autumn.

England’s task would be eased by the absence of Yasir Shah, who suffered a back spasm during nets. Yasir’s leg-spin has been hugely significant for Pakistan since the enforced absence of Saeed Ajmal, whose action was deemed illegal last year by the ICC, and he is averaging more than six wickets a Test.

There is nothing if not audacity about England’s selection – that, too, born of the shift in approach which was so apparent during their summer’s exploits. Moeen Ali was confirmed as Cook’s new opening partner and Adil Rashid was also selected for his first Test, the latest in a line of leg-spinners which has been decidedly underpopulated for most of the past 60 years.

Only five men have opened before in a Test for England without having done it previously in a first-class match. They are all lost in the mists of time: Jim Smith and Ken Farnes in Bridgetown in 1935; George Macaulay in Durban in 1923; Ciss Parkin at Manchester in 1921; and John Hartley in Johannesburg in 1906. None ever did the job again. There are high hopes that Moeen will be more durable, but there is a reason that opening is a specialist position.

Rashid deserves his opportunity and England can be quite clear about what he will bring to their team. More than most, he needs the fillip of knowing it is going well. An early wicket might transform the nature of his Test career.

“It’s going to be interesting,” mused Cook. “Adil’s made really good strides since the West Indies tour – his one-day experience, feeling a bit more comfortable around the group. It’s a tough art to master, but he’s got well over 300 first-class wickets, so he can definitely bowl. I know he’s looking forward to his opportunity. Yes, there can be some bad balls along the way, but he can also bowl some jaffas.”

Steve Finn will not be among England’s number. He would probably not have been selected, but a stress injury to his left foot made it certain. In this heat, with matches close together, England will be anxious for his quick recovery.

The tourists must be shrewd and find skills they do not know they possess. Above all, they must be patient. That does not mean stagnation, but if they are tempted to try to blast their way to victory, they will lose. Pakistan’s batsmen have occasionally proved vulnerable and their middle order engine room of Misbah and Younis Khan has a combined age of 78. Not in their dotage, but not in the first flush. Pakistan should win this, England can make it hard.

Abu Dhabi details: First Test

Probable teams:

Pakistan Misbah ul-Haq (capt), Shan Masood, Mohammed Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Younis Khan, Asad Rafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Wahab Riaz, Yasir Shah, Rahat Ali, Zulfiqar Babar.

England A N Cook (capt), M M Ali, I R Bell, J E Root, J M Bairstow, B A Stokes, J C Buttler (wk), A U Rashid, S C J Broad, M A Wood, J M Anderson.

Umpires B Oxenford (Aus) & P Reiffel (Aus).

Weather Staying hot and sunny all day. Max temp: 34C.

Television 6.30am-3pm BST, Sky Sports 2.