The English Test team is set to depart for Pakistan within the next 48 hours for a three-match Test series. However, England’s interim coach Marcus Trescothick expressed his concerns regarding the difference in weather in both countries. The Three Lions will leave a dark, relatively cold, and wet England to come to Multan where the temperature rises up to 40 degrees. Barring a couple of times, England have always toured Pakistan during fall or winter season. Those too, usually, in relatively cooler parts of the country. This time, however, things will definitely be difficult for England.
Talking in this regard, Trescothick said that flying to Pakistan straight after the conclusion of English summer will make everything more strenuous for the visitors.
“It’s going to be 40 degrees in comparison to being here [in the United Kingdom], and we’ll get stuck into it straight away. Once we get past this period that has a tight amount of cricket, then it does calm down a little bit. Hopefully, we get through this [period] unscathed, and we’ll be OK,” England’s interim coach said.
England team will play the first Test match against Pakistan on October 7, just eight days after the conclusion of the 5th ODI against Australia. This year the English summer ended later than usual due to which the team could not get much time for R&R. The Three Lions have been playing nearly non-stop cricket since the conclusion of the T20 World Cup in June. They have played a total of six Test matches, three T20Is, and five one-day Internationals in the three months following their crashing out of the semi-final against India.
Trescothick said that while the schedule was pre-set but a little break would have ben nicer.
“We all knew what the schedule was. It’s not ideal, of course not, but these things are put in place by those at board level. You’d want a little bit more time and a break before you go away, but it’s not possible.”
Earlier, the news about Ben Stokes’ return for Pakistan tour after recovering from the injury he picked during training sessions for the Hundred was made public, much to the English fans’ glee. Although Ollie Pope did a decent job, winning two out of his three games as a captain, Stokes’ return would blow a new life into the English side. The similar will be for their white-ball counterparts, who will get their skipper Jos Buttler back for the Caribbean tour shortly after the Test series against Pakistan concludes. Though he is unlikely to keep the wickets in order not to relapse of his long-standing calf injury. The interim coach said that the tour against Australia helped Buttler plenty to sit back and meet the coaches and players without the pressure of the game on his mind.
“Around the group, it’s been a great opportunity for him [Jos Buttler], just to step back and not worry about the pressures of playing, but have the opportunity to work with players and coaches, talking, building relationships, understanding what’s going on. Sit back and watch a little bit sometimes and see how the team is operating. When you’re playing, you’re so engrossed in what’s happening so it’s an opportunity to sit back a little bit.”
England have loads of cricket left to play until mid-December, following which they will get a pre-Christmas sabbatical. They will return for an all-format tour against India in late January.
