Australian cricket team in Pakistan 1982-83

The Australian cricket team toured Pakistan in the 1982–83 season to play a three-match Test series against Pakistan. Pakistan won the test series 3–0, and one day series 2–0. Australia failed to win a single game on the entire tour.

In the words of Wisden, "The Australians proved ill-equipped to cope with a Pakistan side beginning to exert its international authority under the leadership of Imran Khan... For Pakistan it was the country's finest cricketing hour. Their three-nil Test victory was unprecedented in a short series there... It all amounted to a tour to rank among the most dismal ever made by an Australian side."

Australia's wicketkeeper on the tour, Rod Marsh, later wrote that "the more you think of the 1982 Australian cricket tour of Pakistan the more you want to forget it."

Australia had just defeated Pakistan 2–1 at home during the 1981–82 summer season and several of the players had previously toured Pakistan.

Captain Greg Chappell and fast bowlers Dennis Lillee and Len Pascoe who had all just toured New Zealand were all unavailable for selection on the tour. Chappell was replaced as captain by Kim Hughes, his vice-captain, despite the fact that many observers felt the more experienced Rod Marsh should have gotten the job. Hughes had led Australia to defeat on tours of India (1979) and England (1981).

The Australian squad announced on 26 March 1982 was:

Rick Darling was overlooked despite having scored over 1,000 first class runs that summer. However Ritchie had made 836 runs at 59.5 and Phillips had scored 857 runs at 47.6. John Inverarity and Bob Holland had been more successful spinners than Sleep or Bright at first class level that summer but were not taken. Ian Callen had not toured with Australia since he went to the West Indies in 1978 but had taken 31 wickets over the 1981-82 summer.

Rod Marsh refused to serve as vice captain under Kim Hughes, saying he wanted "to give a younger player the experience of being vice-captain." He was replaced by Border.

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Wikipedia