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England have been thrown a curve-ball ahead of their second Test in Pakistan, with the hosts ready to re-use the same pitch in Multan rather than a fresh surface.
It is rare for Tests to be played back-to-back at the same venue and unheard of for the same pitch to be used twice in succession but, after losing the series opener by an innings and 47 runs, it appears the hosts have sought a left-field solution.
The track was stubbornly flat for the first Test, with first-innings totals of 556 and 823-7 and just 13 wickets in the first three days.
Now, Pakistan are seemingly ready to gamble that a worn wicket that saw 353.3 overs of action in the past week offers greater balance between bat and ball than a pristine one.
The first indication of the unexpected move came when both teams arrived for training on Sunday morning, with large industrial fans placed at either end of the original pitch to speed the drying process.
Alternative wickets were also being prepared on either side but it was the central one that was attracting most attention.
It was hard to tell what Pakistan’s recently-installed head coach Jason Gillespie made of developments, with the Australian studying conditions for over half an hour and enjoying several animated conversations.
It is not yet impossible, then, that there could be a late change of heart. While there was minimal deterioration in the first Test, there were visible cracks opening up and the occasional sign of variable bounce.
If things do begin to break up, it could prove a very different experience to last week’s run-fest.
England were prepared for Pakistan to make a sharp change of approach after going 1-0 down, with Chris Woakes saying after the match: “The ball is firmly in their court. When it’s a home series, it’s only three matches and you lose the first you’d like to think that the next two are going to be result wickets. Whether that be green pitches or turners, we’ll see.”
Former England captain Kevin Pietersen labelled the Multan pitch a “bowlers’ graveyard” on X during the opening Test and even suggested playing on it for a second time, though he appeared to be making a tongue-in-cheek barb rather than a serious suggestion.
