Manchester: England are in a spin in more ways than one as they head into the second Test against Pakistan at Old Trafford on Friday looking to level the four-match series at 1-1.
Alastair Cook’s men suffered a 75-run defeat inside four days in last week’s first Test at Lord’s, with Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah taking 10 wickets.
Now England will hope to play Shah better at Old Trafford, where the pitch is likely to offer more turn.
They also have to decide whether to give a home debut to leg-spinner Adil Rashid, either in support of, or as a replacement for, Moeen Ali.
Not only was off-spinner Ali, who has spent the bulk of his career as a top-order batsman, out-bowled by Shah at Lord’s, he also fell to him in the second innings when recklessly charging down the pitch.
England have now called in former Pakistan off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq as a coaching consultant at Old Trafford.
While they will hope he can advise Ali and Rashid, his greatest short-term benefit may lie in tips about how to play spin.
England have been without a specialist spin coach since former Pakistan leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed, now in the tourists’ camp, returned home in 2014.
Having originally picked a 14-man squad — which was Thursday cut to 12, with Steven Finn and Jake Ball dropped — England could field two spinners especially as both all-time leading wicket-taker James Anderson (shoulder) and all-rounder Ben Stokes (knee) have been passed fit after they each missed the first Test.
Cook told reporters at Old Trafford on Thursday: “That means, obviously, Ben Stokes and Jimmy Anderson are back in — and Adil’s going to be in the 12, just depending on what happens to that wicket by tomorrow (Friday).”
Ball took just one wicket on his Test debut while Finn was below his best on his Middlesex home ground, with pace bowling all-rounder Chris Woakes taking 11 wickets in the match.
“It’s tough on Jake and Steven. Jake on debut bowled better than just taking one wicket (suggests),” said Cook.
“But in the overall picture, it’s another person we can call upon and add in competition for places ... and keep people on their toes.”
There was suggestions that Anderson, who will now make his Test return at his Lancashire home ground, had declared himself fit to play at Lord’s.
Cook and England coach Trevor Bayliss reportedly wanted him to play at Lord’s, the first of a four-Test series, but were said to have been over-ruled by the selectors.
Cook, however, defended the decision by saying: “It’s great to have Jimmy back. He’s an outstanding bowler, (and) it’s great to have him fully fit.
“If he’d bowled 30 overs (at Lord’s) and really hurt his shoulder, and was out again, we’d all be sitting here and be disappointed with that decision.
“We probably erred on the side of caution, and have to hope we now have him for three games.”
‘Bounce back’
For all the debate about Anderson, it was England’s batting — particularly their struggles against Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah, who took 10 wickets in the match — that was behind their defeat at Lord’s.
“No one really put their hand up with the bat in that second innings,” said Cook.
“In the first innings, no one went on and got close to that (big) score,” added opener Cook, who led the way for England with 81.
“It would be wrong to sit here saying if you’re 1-0 down you’re in a better place than if you’re 1-0 up.
“But we’ve got some really good cricketers in that team, who will be hungry to bounce back.
“We have lost before, and put in a very good performance a week later.”
