Pakistan’s decision to reuse the same pitch for the second Test against England in Multan has raised eyebrows, but the move is not without precedent. The International Cricket Council (ICC) requires only “the best possible pitch and outfield conditions” for Test matches, with no stipulations that the surface must be fresh or unused.
Pakistan’s decision may be driven by a desire to level the playing field after their innings defeat in the first Test. The pitch in Multan offered little assistance to bowlers, with 1,599 runs scored for the loss of 26 wickets. England’s bowlers were particularly frustrated, with Chris Woakes describing the surface as offering “bugger all.”
By reusing the same pitch, Pakistan may hope to create conditions that favor their spinners. The bowlers’ footmarks from the first Test are dry and cracked, and the fans and harsh sun will further dry them out. This could make it difficult for England’s batsmen to play spin, especially if Ben Stokes is selected as a third seamer.
Stokes has ramped up his bowling workloads over the past week and bowled at full pace in the nets on Sunday morning. His inclusion would give England a potent bowling attack, but it could also backfire if the pitch does not offer enough assistance to spinners.
England, meanwhile, are braced for a lower-scoring match. They will be hoping to take advantage of the dry conditions and exploit any variable bounce that may develop. Kevin Pietersen, the former England captain, described the pitch as a “bowlers’ graveyard” on Twitter and suggested that Pakistan should re-use it for the second Test.
Pakistan’s move is unusual, but it is not without precedent. In 2016, India reused the same pitch for two consecutive Tests against New Zealand in Kanpur. The pitch offered more assistance to spinners in the second Test, and India won by an innings and 115 runs.
Whether Pakistan’s gamble will pay off remains to be seen. The second Test starts on Tuesday, and the conditions will be closely monitored.
