Australia vs Pakistan 2016: 5 players to watch out for in the Test series

The Test series between Australia and Pakistan promises to be an entertaining one as both the teams are looking to get back into winning ways. Australia will look to start on a fresh note after the defeat against South Africa while Pakistan will try to move up the Test rankings after they dropped from the first place to the fourth place after the New Zealand series.

Pakistan’s coach Mickey Arthur would also be looking forward to facing his former team. The build-up to this series has been interesting with both Arthur and the Australian players exchanging words in the media.

Both teams have named unchanged squads for this series. We take a look at the top 5 players to watch out for in this series and their statistics this year:

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#5 David Warner

Warner is having an incredible season in the shorter format having scored a record-breaking seven centuries this year. After having a brilliant one-day series against New Zealand in which he scored two centuries in three matches, Warner will look to carry his form into the longer format in which he has not enjoyed much success this year. This series would be a perfect opportunity for him to get some big scores in the longer format as well.

Considered as one of the most explosive batsmen in the world, Pakistan would be aware of the threat that he possesses and will look to get him out quickly. He will try to get amongst the runs once again after having an average series against South Africa.

Fans of the sport would especially be looking forward to his face-off with Mohammad Amir. The pocket rocket will try to be at his explosive best against the Pakistani seamer in what promises to be a mouthwatering contest. If he gets going, it will surely be an uphill task for the Pakistanis.

David Warner in 2016

Innings	16
Runs	560
Average	37.3
50s	2
100s	1

#4 Yasir Shah

Can Yasir spin a web around the Aussies?

Yasir Shah has been Pakistan’s best bowler this season. Currently, he is considered as the best leg-spinner in the world. He is the only Pakistani bowler in the list of top 10 Test bowlers and has picked up 40 wickets in just 8 matches this year. He had a lacklustre series against New Zealand in which he went wicketless but he would be looking to get back in form and Pakistan will once again be relying on him to get wickets.

Shah will be up against the likes of Smith and Khawaja who are in tremendous form. Although the Australian pitches will not favour him as the UAE pitches did, the Aussies can’t ignore the threat that he possesses considering his form this year.

He will be one of Pakistan’s strike bowlers in this series along with Mohammad Amir and will have to perform well if Pakistan want to win the series. Currently recovering from an injury, he is expected to be fit before the first match. Misbah will be hoping for him to recover quickly and get back to full fitness as Pakistan’s fortunes are entirely dependent on his ability to pick wickets.

Yasir Shah in 2016

Matches	8
Overs	444.1
Wickets	40
BBI	6/72

#3 Steven Smith

Smith will look to maintain his spot at the top of the Test rankings

Steven Smith is Australia’s leading run-scorer in Tests this year amassing 721 runs at an average of 55.5. He has been excellent across all the three formats. Smith has also been brilliant in the field, taking some stunning catches in the one-day series against New Zealand. Pakistan’s batsmen will find it difficult to score runs with him patrolling the green.

The Australian skipper will be looking to lead his team from the front and get a string of big scores. Pakistan, meanwhile, will look to get him out early and expose Australia’s inexperienced middle-order. Smith is the backbone of an Australian batting line-up still in its rebuilding phase and with Virat Kohli taking giant strides towards Smith’s No.1 Test batsman spot, Smith will be looking to cement his top spot further in this series.

The 27-year old would be looking to end this season on a high note and help turn around the fortunes of his team.

Steven Smith in 2016

Innings	15
Runs	721
Average	55.46
50s	4
100s	2

#2 Azhar Ali

Azhar Ali will have to be Pakistan’s rock at the top

Azhar Ali has been a standout performer for Pakistan this season. He became only the fourth Pakistan player to score a triple century when he scored an unbeaten 302 against the West Indies earlier this year. He became the first player to score a hundred, a double hundred and a triple hundred in day-night Tests.

While the other Pakistan batsmen have struggled for consistency, Ali has scored 874 runs at an average of 54.5. He has been Pakistan’s main batsman this season providing some consistency to their shaky batting line-up. He will surely like to break some more records in the upcoming series.

Against the pace duo of Starc and Hazlewood, the 31-year-old will have to be at his best to guide his team to a respectable total.

Azhar Ali in 2016

Innings	18
Runs	874
Average	54.6
50s	3
100s	2

#1 Babar Azam

Pakistan’s new star

Azam has had a great start to his cricketing career averaging more than 45 in all the three formats. Pakistan’s coach Mickey Arthur compared him with Virat Kohli after the New Zealand series, which was a big statement from Arthur as Azam had just three Test matches under his belt.

There will be a lot of pressure on this talented youngster to live up to his coach’s high expectations and he will be keen to get some big scores in this series to prove that he truly belongs at the highest level.

It will be interesting to watch how he plays the Australian seamers who are amongst the best in the world. This series is going to be an important one for the young Pakistan batsman with the whole cricketing world watching him closely.

Take a look at Babar Azam’s record in the three matches that he has played so far:

Innings	6
Runs	232
Average	46.4
50s	2
100s	0