5 current bowlers who struggle away from home in Tests

4. Umar Gul

Umar Gul had emerged as a promising talent back in 2003, but couldn’t perform consistently for Pakistan

Pakistan have had a history that has been rich with quality fast bowlers that the nation has produced over the years. One such fast bowler, who had impressed one and all when he had appeared on the international stage for the first time in 2003, and who slowly faded away with time, mainly due to his lack of penetration in unhelpful conditions has been Umar Gul. With 163 wickets from 47 matches, Gul has been one of the better Test bowlers for Pakistan, but the contrast between his performances in Pakistan and those outside his home country give ample reasons behind him not being a regular feature in the Pakistani Test side.

In 11 home Tests, Gul has picked up 52 wickets at a good bowling average of 27.17 and a decent strike rate of 48.0. However, whenever he has ventured away from the Pakistani soil, he has not been able to emulate similar performances. After Pakistan were forced to shift their home matches to the UAE in the wake of the terror attacks on the Sri Lankan cricket team in 2009, Gul played 10 games across different venues in the UAE, but his performances saw a slight decline. The 32-year-old has picked up 37 wickets from 10 Test matches in the UAE at 30.10, and his strike rate has also shot up to 55.4.

These stats deteriorate even further if we take into consideration his performances away from either of Pakistan’s cricketing homes. In 26 away Test matches – far greater in number than his home Tests across countries combined – Gul has accounted for 74 scalps at 40.89 and a strike rate of 68.2. Clearly, his edge with the ball, as well as his penetration skills have declined in overseas conditions and he hasn’t been able to provide Pakistan with wickets at crucial junctures.