Testing times

Just days after celebrating the end of a three-year away Test drought, the Pakistan cricket team has delivered a sobering reminder of where it actually stands. England's innings-and-103-run thrashing at Headingley, Leeds laid bare every structural flaw that has plagued Pakistan cricket for a generation. One of the most telling stats was the fact that both of Pakistan's innings only lasted for a total of 86 overs. We were bowled out twice in the equivalent of less than a day's play. If not for the rain on the second day, the match could have ended in just two days. Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue shredded the Pakistan line-up, taking 16 wickets between them. The massive defeat also wipes away all the optimism generated earlier this month, when we broke an eight-test losing streak at the end of the tour of the West Indies. At the time, we had noted that even in victory, Team Pakistan had shown inconsistency, carelessness and recklessness – traits that were readily on display at Leeds. But while the victory in the Caribbean saw the team's raw talent paper over some of the negatives, the implosion last week exposed them. The absence of recently reinstated captain Babar Azam was certainly felt, but his presence alone would not have been enough. Even at our worst, the Pakistan teams of the past were feared for their ability to make magic. Unfortunately, with 17 losses in our last 20 tests, the wizards of the past seem to have been replaced by failed street magicians. The disaster has been coming for a long time. Though we were the world's top-ranked test team about a decade ago under Misbahul Haq, it was despite the flaws in our domestic cricket structure. Tournament structures change from year to year. Domestic team managements seems disinterested in developing players. Players don't play enough first-class cricket as everyone is trying to make a quick buck off T20 competitions. To fix the team, we must fix the system. But to fix the system, the PCB needs to be a meritocracy, run by people who care about the game and want to do their jobs full time.