Pakistan need quick switch from T20 to Test mode

KARACHI: Pakistani cricketers will get less than a week to switch to the Test mode after several weeks of non-stop twenty20 games as the opening Test against South Africa gets underway here at the National Stadium from next Monday.Skipper Shoaib Malik is urging his players to make the switch as soon as possible in a bid to give a solid showing in the two-match Test series against one of the world’s best teams.The South Africans, too, will find it hard to get in the Test mode but for them the harder task would be to adapt to the hot conditions here. They arrive here this morning (Wednesday) and after a single practice session, they would get down to work right away with a three-day warm-up game against a Patron’s XI here at the NBP Sports Complex from tomorrow (Thursday).Led by Graeme Smith, the South Africans will also be playing five one-dayers in Pakistan during the tour that concludes with the final ODI in Karachi on October 29.Most of the players in the South Africa squad have the experience of playing in Pakistan but even then it would take some extra effort from them to give their best in what would be really demanding conditions.For Pakistan, however, weather is not a cause of concern. They trained for the World Twenty20 in extreme conditions in Karachi and Lahore during a big part of the summer.For them, the biggest worry is whether their players would be able to shrug off the T20 mode in time to make a winning start to the Test series.Team coach Geoff Lawson has admitted that it would be a tough task but is confident that his players will give their best in the impending home series.Pakistan are yet to announce their Test squad but are expected to name their 15 men during the three-day match to be played from September 27-29.South African Test squad: Graeme Smith (captain), Hashim Amla, Mark Boucher (wk), AB de Villiers, Jean-Paul Duminy, Herschelle Gibbs, Paul Harris, Jacques Kallis, Morne Morkel, Andre Nel, Makhaya Ntini, Shaun Pollock, Ashwell Prince, Dale Steyn.Tour schedule: Sept 27-29 Three-day game (SA v Patron’s XI) at NBP Sports Complex Karachi. Oct 1-5 First Test at Karachi. Oct 8-12 Second Test at Lahore. Oct 16 Limited overs warm-up at Lahore. Oct 18 First ODI at Lahore. Oct 20 Second ODI at Lahore. Oct 23 Third ODI at Faisalabad. Oct 26 Fourth ODI at Multan. Oct 29 Fifth ODI at Karachi