England vs Pakistan 2016: 5 player battles to watch out for

#2 Joe Root vs Yasir Shah

Root’s abilities against spin bowling would be put to a stern test when he faces Yasir Shah

By popular yet debatable opinion, the best Test batsman and the best leg spinner in Tests would be featuring in this series and may provide for an enticing contest. Considered as one of the better players of spin in the England lineup, Joe Root, would face an opponent who has taken giant strides in international cricket within a very short span of time. Pitching Root’s 3493 runs from 42 Tests at 52 against Yasir Shah’s 76 wickets from 12 Tests would give us an idea of the class that these two cricketers possess.

While in Yasir’s case it can argued that all of his wickets have come either in the subcontinent or in his country’s adopted home, the UAE, Root has scored all over the world, with the exceptions of Australia and New Zealand. However, it would be the first time since his debut Test, that against India at Nagpur in 2012 - wherein he faced Pragyan Ojha, Ravindra Jadeja and Piyush Chawla on a rank turner – that the 25-year-old would be facing a spinner of Shah’s class and calibre. The 30-year-old Pakistani’s ability to spin the ball away from the right-hander, as well as, mix things up with the flipper, the quicker ball, and the deadly googly, would put Root’s abilities to a tough test, provided that the English pitches assist spin and bounce.

Many have failed to pick Yasir’s variations over the course of 12 Tests that the Pakistani has played, but in England, it will be a whole different affair. With little help expected from the pitches, it will be interesting to see whether Shah can bowl the containing line of spin bowling apart from the attacking one.