PAK vs AUS | 2nd Test - Alex Carey masterclass agonises Pakistan on Day 2

It was another agonising day for the fans and well wishers of Pakistan as the home team were made to toil on second day in a row at National Stadium, Karachi.

Sunday did not bring any changes in the home team’s fortune as Usman Khawaja started from where he left off on Day 1 and kept accumulating runs. He was ably supported by nightwatchman Nathan Lyon, who played very well for his 38 off 62 before getting bowled by pacer Faheem Ashraf. 

Post Lyon’s wicket, Australia built small partnerships with both Travis Head (23 off 48) and Cameron Green (28 off 73) getting starts but neither were able to capitalise to convert that into a really big score. Green looked much more comfortable than Head, using his feet well against the spinners. Head on the other hand tried to reach every ball with a long stride and employ the sweep shot. His ability to play very strong shots in the square region was visible against the pacers from very early in his innings, but against spin, Head’s long stride became a problem and he eventually perished against Sajid Khan, plumb in front of the wickets.

After their dismissal, Alex Carey came into the picture. Carey’s position in the Test team has been a point of debate with many believing that the talent is there, but the execution not quite.

Carey has only one fifty in from his previous six Test matches, a record that is starkly different from his outings in the Big Bash League and other white ball formats.

Carey however, turned the debate on its head handling the innings with real maturity after the departure of Usman Khawaja in the 131st over when the scoreboard read 360.

Before we go into what Carey did, Usman Khawaja’s innings needs a special mention as he absolutely drained the Pakistan attack, playing 369 balls of the 130 overs played at that point and helping Australia post such a massive total. He was looking set to go bigger but it was once again Sajid Khan who found that one particular spot in the pitch which turned the ball just enough to sneak through the defence of the left hander, crashing into his off stump.

Sajid Khan was the best bowler for Pakistan on the day and picked two wickets.

Now coming to Carey.

Playing with Mitchell Starc, which essentially is where Australia’s tail starts, Carey built his innings slowly before going into all out attack with his partner in the crease. Starc’s exceptional outing (28 off 95) on the other end really helped Carey open up and he did not for once look bothered or under pressure.

It became a sweep fest at a point when Carey kept employing the shot on both sides of the outfield, frustrating the Pakistan bowlers. He hit seven boundaries and two sixes in his innings to mark his place in the Australian squad.

Just before the day’s end he was denied a well deserved century by - wait for it - Babar Azam, who doubled his wicket’s tally by sneaking through Carey’s defence with a ball that kept low.

That marked the end of events for the day and meant that Australia were going to see this innings through with all of their batters getting a shy at Pakistan. At the end of day’s play, the visiting team were batting at 505-8, with captain Pat Cummins (0 off 10) accompanying Starc.

Questions were once again raised against both team’s tactics on the day. Pundits especially wondered what Australia were thinking using up so many overs on what clearly felt like a batting wicket. At a time it was presumed that the Pat Cummins team will declare at 450, but it is possible that plans changed with Alex Carey nearing century.

Speaking after the game, Carey stated that he was gutted for not making the century but was very happy with what he did today. He stated that the pitch had started to break and the Australian pacers would further deteriorate it tomorrow owing to their footmarks.

Day 3 would be an interesting proposition for Australia in terms of when exactly does the declaration come and how they approach their bowling attack. They have two specialist spinners in their ranks this time around with leggie Mitchell Swepson debuting. At 505/8 Australia would hope that they can skittle Pakistan out early with the help from the pitch and then put up rapid runs on Day 4, before giving Pakistan a crack at the chase on the final day of the Test match.