Pakistan vs England 2nd Test at Dubai: Yasir Shah vs Alastair Cook and other key battles

The second Test between England and Pakistan will be played at Dubai where acute spin and slight reverse swing is likely to be the theme. After the visiting side were narrowly denied a remarkable last minute victory to fading light, the competition will get fierce. Pakistan were favourites ahead of the series but England skipper Alastair Cook led the way in showing how his team’s batsmen were to tackle the Pakistan spin attack without the services of Yasir Shah. Shoaib Malik‘s double-ton showed that he still possesses the ability to fire at the top level in the five-day format. England’s boost in confidence after having Pakistan’s backs to the wall will be counter-balanced with the likely return of their biggest threat in Shah. Dynamics of the encounter will witness severe change if the leg-spinner returns. Let’s take a look at the key battles for the second Test. SCORECARD: Pakistan vs England 2015, 2nd Test at Dubai

James Anderson vs Pakistan top order: He may not be an ideal pick for the spin-friendly tracks of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The only assistance fast bowlers receive there once the ball undergoes its rapid ageing is reverse swing, which Anderson never quite has managed to cash in on. But in the brief assistance he receives with the new ball he has shown he can create high volumes of trouble for the top order. In both games he got rid of Shan Masood early, and was a constant threat to the Pakistan top-order through the course of his first spell. It is likely Masood will be dropped after his dual failures for Ahmed Shehzad. Anderson will have new targets, but the recipe shall remain the same. ALSO READ: Alastair Cook’s 263: Analysis and records

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Yasir Shah vs Alastair Cook: Going by the latest reports, Yasir is likely to be declared fit for the second Test. The hosts will pounce on any opportunity to pick Yasir, who is the fastest Pakistani cricketer to reach the 50-wicket milestone. Cook was the backbone of England’s batting order in the first innings of the first Test with a resilient 262. Yasir, on return, will know who his prime target will be. Given his current form, Cook will almost certainly see off the new-ball bowlers. The battle is almost inevitable and could well be the defining moment should Yasir get picked. ALSO READ: Shoaib Malik’s 245: Resurrection of a talented batsman?

Adil Rashid vs Pak middle order: Rashid had highly disparate outings in the two innings of his debut Test. He paid the price for ridiculous levels of inaccuracy and went wicket-less in his 34 overs while conceding 163 runs at an economy of 4.79 in the first innings. However, he was primarily responsible for turning a dull Test on its head in the second try. In less than 19 overs, he took five wickets to dismantle Pakistan’s middle order. He has found his groove and it will be an exciting prospect to watch how the Pakistan middle order deal with his leg-spin threat.

England spinners vs Shoaib Malik: Malik had a fairytale comeback in the first Test at Abu Dhabi when he took account of some shoddy spin bowling by Rashid and Moeen Ali to reach his double ton with little effort. The only chances he offered were off the pacers, including a no-ball dismissal against Stuart Broad. In the second innings he was dismissed by Anderson for a duck and was denied an opportunity to face off with a much improved spin attack. The battle will be revealing of Malik’s real standing.

Wahab Riaz vs Moeen Ali: Moeen Ali and Wahab Riaz are both aggressive characters in the disciplines of batting and bowling respectively. Moeen was a bit wary when playing in the first innings owing to the match-situation and curbed his natural instincts but was not very steady at the crease. In the second innings his job was to go hammer and tongs as England were set with a low target in a race against the setting sun to try and claim victory. Ali however, was dismissed for a mere 11 runs after a mishit off Zulfiqur Babar. The prospect of Wahab Riaz’s fury with the ball meeting Moeen’s flamboyance with the bat is an exciting one.

(Rishad D’Souza, a reporter with CricketCountry, gave up hopes of playing Test cricket after a poor gully-cricket career. He now reports on the sport. You can follow @RDcric on Twitter)