'I think they've slightly lost the plot' - Nasser Hussain underscores England's struggles bowling to tail-enders

With Pakistan having lost the in-form Salman Agha with their score at 155 for the loss of six wickets, it seemed highly unlikely that they would come anywhere close to England's total. This was before Lunch had been taken on the second day of the third and final Test of the series in Rawalpindi.

Former English skipper, Nasser Hussain, elaborated on England's chronic hassle when it came to cleaning up the tail. He attributed it to them resorting to a one-dimensional blueprint which has failed time-and-again.

"England's struggles against the tail repeated themselves. It's not just today or in this series, but in the last two or three years, they have struggled to get through tailenders. Even when England have had pace, I think they've slightly lost the plot and gone just for the bouncer ploy. I'm not talking about here [in Rawalpindi] in these conditions, but even when they've had Mark Wood," stated Wood, as quoted by Sky Sports.

Hussain furthered the same argument and admitted to England skipper, Ben Stokes, in need of a bit of help. 

"Sometimes, they will bowl beautifully to the top-order, and then, as soon as the tailenders comes in, it's bouncers rightaway, and they get hit everywhere. They do lose the plot a little bit. Stokes maybe puts so much energy into his captaincy, into the week of captaincy, he may just need a bit of help when Pakistan are seven or eight down," noted Hussain.

I'd have gone with the wrist spinner against the tail-enders: Hussain

Hussain expressed his bewilderment on Rehan getting introduced into the attack during the post-Lunch session only after eight overs had been sent down.

"There aren't many senior bowlers around in this side, he may just need someone to drag him to one side and explain his reasoning. I was amazed Rehan Ahmed didn't start after Lunch. A wrist spinner who'd just got a three-for before Lunch. I'd have gone with the wrist spinner against the lower-order," he added.

Meanwhile, Pakistan have gone on to clinch the series with a commanding nine-wicket victory within less than three-and-a-half days of the third Test, with this being only the second instance of Pakistan winning a three-match series after losing the first Test of the series. It is also a monumental occasion for Pakistan, who won their first home series since 2021.