Misbah wants better planning for tours of Australia

KARACHI: Pakistan’s Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq Saturday urged the country’s cricket authorities to plan extensively for future tours to Australia to end a long losing streak.

The Pakistanis were beaten 3-0 in a Test series last week, their fourth successive whitewash in Australia since 1999.

The defeat prompted former Australia captain Ian Chappell to advise Cricket Australia (CA) to consider before inviting Pakistan again on future tours.

“CA have got to start saying ‘listen if things don’t improve we will stop with the invites. You can’t bowl, have conservative field placings and field sloppily and expect to play decent cricket in Australia,” Chappell said.

Misbah stressed that Pakistan should prepare their teams before tough tours to Australia.

“The most important thing is to prepare a good team for the Australia tour, which is always tough,” Misbah said. “We go there after five or six years and most of the players are not used to it, which is tough on them.”

Pakistan were drubbed 3-0 in Australia in 1999, 2004 and 2010. On their last tour they also lost five one-day matches and a Twenty20 International.

They are again facing the prospect of another all-defeat tour after going down by 92 runs in the first of five One-day Internationals on Friday.

Misbah said the Pakistan Cricket Board should send teams to Australia on a regular basis.

“Tours to Australia, South Africa and England need proper planning, like we did before the England tour and results were good,” said Misbah of his team’s 2-2 drawn series in England last year.

That result briefly lifted Pakistan to the world number one spot in Test rankings.

Misbah said scheduling was also important before each tour Down Under.

“Like we went to England some 20 days before, the same should be done for the Australia tour, we must play two to three side games so that we can understand what combinations should be played and how to play in those conditions.”

Misbah said he does not fear any backlash from CA.

“What (Ian) Chappell said was unwarranted and uncalled for and doesn’t suit a cricketer of his stature,” he said.

“Australia get whitewashed on the subcontinent on a regular basis, then they should also not travel there?” he added.