Pakistan has a rich history and a formidable reputation in Test cricket and is considered one of the most formidable Asian competitors against SENA countries.
However, the national red-ball setup faced challenges in the recently concluded ICC Test Championship cycle 2021-23, despite having several series at home.
The Babar Azam-led side, which was a strong contender for the final, ended the Championship cycle in seventh place on the point table with no wins in the last two series.
During the 2021-23 cycle, Pakistan played 14 Test matches, winning only four games and losing six. Four matches ended in a draw, all of them at home last year.
| M/S | M | W | L | D |
| Matches | 14 | 4 | 6 | 4 |
| Series | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Bowling Department Not Meeting Expectations
Pakistan has been renowned for producing excellent fast and spin bowlers. However, in the last Test Championship cycle, the of performance the bowling unit was below par.
The injury of Shaheen Afridi in Sri Lanka exposed the national fast bowling unit in Test cricket, and fans witnessed numerous injuries to fast bowlers in the last two series.
None of the fast bowlers made it to the top 10 wicket-takers in the cycle, with Shaheen Afridi being the leading wicket-taker for Pakistan, taking 41 wickets in eight matches.
The fate of spinners was no different from that of fast bowlers, as no Pakistani spinners were among even the top 25 wicket-takers, despite playing on spin-friendly pitches.
| Bowlers | Matches | Wickets | Number in List of Leading Wicket-Takers |
| Shaheen Shah Afridi | 8 | 41 | 15 |
| Abrar Ahmed | 4 | 28 | 29 |
| Naseem Shah | 6 | 22 | 39 |
| Hasan Ali | 9 | 21 | 43 |
| Nauman Ali | 5 | 20 | 45 |
Middle Order Woes
The middle order has remained one of the key issues for the national team in red-ball cricket, despite having many experienced players in the squad.
Apart from Babar Azam, no other Pakistani batter was able to consistently perform and deliver their best at crucial stages of the games, even when playing at home.
With the exception of Babar Azam and the opening batters, Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique, no Pakistani batter was among the top 35 run scorers in the cycle.
Babar finished the cycle with 1,527 runs at an average of 51.08, while Imam scored 932 runs at an average of 54.82, and Abdullah scored 992 runs at an average of 47.23.
| Batters | Matches | Runs | Number in List of Leading Run-Scorers |
| Babar Azam | 14 | 1527 | 4 |
| Saud Shakeel | 5 | 580 | 39 |
| Azhar Ali | 10 | 563 | 40 |
| Mohammad Rizwan | 12 | 553 | 41 |
Flat Surfaces Not the Way to Go
In Test cricket, playing for a draw is sometimes necessary, but ending three out of six series in a draw is not the style Pakistan should have adopted in the last cycle.
There were many factors that affected the performance of the national team in Test cricket, particularly in the second half of the cycle, which took place in home conditions.
PCB provided flat surfaces for the eight matches Pakistan played against Australia, England, and New Zealand last year, making it difficult to turn the game in a decisive manner.
Aggressive Captaincy
Aggressive captaincy, smart field placements, and proactive decision-making are all crucial in cultivating a winning mindset and achieving success in Test matches.
| Match/Series | Draw at Home | Draw away |
| Series | 1 | 2 |
| Matches | 4 | 0 |
