RAWALPINDI
\nEngland head coach Brendon McCullum said on Monday that England would be trying to play an aggressive brand of cricket against Pakistan in the three-match Test series to entertain people.
\nThe England team arrived in Pakistan on Saturday after their Test camp at the Abu Dhabi Cricket and Sports Hub. This is England\u2019s first visit to Pakistan in 17 years to play a Test series. The first Test starts in Rawalpindi on Thursday.
\n\u201cOne of the things we try and do is to respect the conditions but at the same time if we are given the opportunity to try and play aggressive and attacking cricket then we\u2019ll try and take that option,\u201d he told media here at a news conference. \u201cIt\u2019s authentic to the line-up that we\u2019ve. That\u2019s how the guys who are in our squad play and that is what gives them the most freedom and best opportunity to perform at the highest level.
\nWe know it might not be as prominent aggressive cricket as we\u2019ve seen in the past but there will be opportunities to try and play positively. I expect our guys to take on those opportunities.
\nHe noted that Test cricket was not as popular as it used to be in the past hence it was necessary to make red-ball cricket entertaining and exciting.
\n\u201cWe see an obligation that if people turn on the TV anywhere around the world or they pay their money to come and watch you play that they head away somewhat entertained. For us it\u2019s about trying to play that style. We know it is not always going to be successful. What we have seen over a short period of time is it can unlock your skill.
\n\u201cIf we\u2019re trying to put a positive slant on the style of play then it allows the talent to come out. That is what we believe. We have had some success in the recent history with it. I expect us to still play positively given the opportunities.\u201dAccording to McCullum, winning away from home was the biggest accomplishment one could achieve as a Test player and as a Test team.
\n\u201cWe understand the size of the challenge in front of us. But that\u2019s great. That\u2019s why you want to play the game. You don\u2019t want easy challenges, you want to take on the best in their own conditions and you want to try and test where you\u2019re at as a side. I\u2019m really excited.
\n\u201cThe boys [too] have already said they\u2019re pretty excited about playing in front of a full house here. That\u2019s what we want from red-ball cricket all around the world, stadiums packed out and fans getting behind their local team.\u201dTo a question about Pakistan pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, was ruled out due to a knee injury, he said his absence was a big loss for Pakistan.
\n\u201cI know him pretty well. I played many years in the PSL [Pakistan Super League] with Shaheen as well. He\u2019s a wonderful bowler and he\u2019s turned into a fine leader as well. He\u2019s a big loss, no doubt.
\n\u201cBut one thing when you play against Pakistan, you look at their team and you see talent. And you see some that might not be developed talent but it\u2019s talent. You need to respect that and you need to find a way to be able to be well-researched and well-planned about what\u2019s going to come at you, but also try and find out a way to put that talent under pressure and see how it responds.\u201d
\nHe said Pakistan was a very good squad it would be tough challenge to face it. \u201cIt\u2019s well-rounded. It\u2019s got some experience and some youth, in both batting and bowling\u2026.We know we\u2019ll have to play well if we are going to be successful.\u201d
\nHe said Pakistan was a great country to visit and its people were really hospitable. \u201cThis is obviously a great place to tour. It\u2019s been starved of international cricket for a long period of time.
\nWe understand how passionate people are here in Pakistan about this form of cricket and we understand the obligation that we have as an England side and we are looking forward to coming over here and playing an entertaining style of cricket which hopefully ends up in results, whether that\u2019s in our favour or in Pakistan\u2019s favour. Meanwhile, both teams took part in batting, bowling and fielding sessions at the Pindi Cricket Stadium.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
RAWALPINDI England head coach Brendon McCullum said on Monday that England would be trying to play an aggressive brand of cricket against Pakistan in the three-match Test series to entertain people. The England team arrived in Pakistan on Saturday after their Test camp at the Abu Dhabi Cricket and Sports Hub. This is England\u2019s first […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-298102","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n