Adam Hollioake named Pakistan's batting coach ahead of Test tour of Australia
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed former England player Adam Hollioake as the batting coach for the upcoming tour of Australia. According to BBC, the 52-year-old will join the new-look coaching side for the grueling tour Down Under.
Following the men's team's failure to reach the 2023 World Cup final, PCB triggered wholesale changes to their coaching staff. Captain Babar Azam stepped down voluntarily, and Shan Masood was appointed as the skipper for the Test side. Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal have been roped in as fast-bowling and spin-bowling coaches, respectively.
Meanwhile, Hollioake played for England from 1996-1999, representing the national team in 4 Tests and 35 ODIs, but the all-rounder didn't enjoy enormous success in either of the formats. Born in Australia, the 52-year-old has held coaching roles with Sussex, Essex, Hong Kong, Afghanistan, and England Lions.
Pakistan haven't won a Test in Australia since 1995
Pakistan's current form makes it a daunting challenge for them to upstage Pat Cummins' side in the Test series, beginning on December 14 in Perth. However, the Men in Green haven't won a Test on Aussie soil since 1995, when Wasim Akram-led tourists beat Australia by 74 runs in Sydney.
The 2019 series in Australia proved to be a forgettable one for Pakistan as the hosts steamrolled them 2-0, with David Warner's unbeaten 335* in Adelaide standing out. With Warner likely to retire from Test cricket after the series, he will prove to be further dangerous for the visiting side.
Their most recent Test series was against Sri Lanka as Babar Azam's men convincingly won 2-0. Australia, meanwhile, were consigned to a 2-2 draw in the Ashes series in England
Pakistan's Test squad for Australia tour: Shan Masood (C), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Agha Salman, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi.