Bilal Asif's addition to boost Pakistan spin attack

Asif is being allowed to play before his results come out

Offspinner Bilal Asif is ready to get back on the field, after he took a bowling test in Chennai on Monday. Asif was reported because of a suspect bowling action against Zimbabwe in Harare, a couple of weeks ago. He will be joining his squad in the UAE, to lend a much needed spinning expertise to a team that is struggling with just a pace attack, as reported by ESPN Cricinfo.

Asif got this chance because of Pakistan’s need for spin cover, what with Yasir Shah’s back spasm that caused him to miss the first Test against England. Without spin, Pakistan had no option but to mount a pace attack in Abu Dhabi. Responsibility rested heavy on Zulfiqar Babar’s shoulders, who was the only specialist spinner. In fact, skipper Misbah-ul-Haq vocally expressed his disappointment at the lack of a proper spin attack.

Yasir is expected to be fit for the second Test, but Asif's presence will give the much-needed spin option to the team.

Asif’s test results won’t be out for at least two weeks, but he is allowed to bowl till then. Asif has to take another bowling test starting November 22 before he can be fully cleared.

May happen that the suspect bowler plays a match before his test results are out: ICC

The General Manager of the ICC said that efforts were being made to make sure that the results of the bowling test of the player are presented as soon as possible after the reporting for suspect action is done, and that hopefully the time period between the two will decrease considerably.

"We are trying to get the turnaround times on reports a lot faster. We have shortened the time that the player has to be tested by and that the report has to be presented," Allardice said. "Yes, it may mean they play a match in between - certainly at an ICC event we can be quick as the players are all in the same place - but it's a trade-off of having the scientific validity versus the turnaround time. At this stage, in-match testing I don't think it will happen in a hurry - our testing centres will deal with it in the short to medium term."

Pakistan will also miss Azhar Ali in the second Test, as he had to return home owing to the death of his mother-in-law. Azhar had missed the first Test too because of his toe injury which he had sustained on the Zimbabwe tour.

Azhar is expected to be back for the third Test in Sharjah.