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There will be a lot of talk this week about the second Test in Multan being played on the same pitch as the first. But let's be honest: Test cricket cannot afford another match like the one we played last week.
Yes, it ended in a memorable win for England and the partnership between Joe Root and Harry Brook was exceptional. But for me, the ends don't justify the means. It was a bad road: the days of 500 plays 500, or in this case 550 plays 820, are over.
There must be a balance between bat and ball, and this means that the pitch must offer something to the bowlers at both ends of the game: movement for the seamers at the beginning, turn for the spinners at the end. Instead, we had a pitch that offered nothing to anyone for four-and-a-bit days, and that wasn't good for the game.
I know Pakistan collapsed on the fourth night, but it had nothing to do with the pitch: it was good bowling and the Pakistani was feeling dizzy after spending so long chasing the ball in the heat during England's first innings. Old weaknesses in the third rounds cost them.
So if we make a more interesting game again using the same pitch, I have no problem with that. The only thing they need to be careful about is that the cracks that started to appear towards the end of the first Test don't turn this game into a lottery on, say, day three.
Test cricket cannot afford a repeat of England's extraordinary victory over Pakistan
The surface offered nothing for four-and-a-bit days, and the 500-play 500 time had passed
As a hitter, your skills can be tested by swing, seam or spin, and that's how it should be. However, if batting becomes a lottery, with one ball flying on the ground and the next ball bouncing a distance, then skill is removed from the game.
That said, there's a good chance we'll score another flat: that's the nature of the pitches here in Multan.
If this happens, it could play to England's advantage as they can drop Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir for long spells and feel more comfortable bringing Ben Stokes back as a third player as he can be used in shorter bursts.
However, in the event of a draw, Stokes would have to return as one of four players, which would leave England with a selection dilemma.
As for Pakistan, which has Babar Azam left out of its new selection committee, I don't think it will bother England at all.
There's nothing left to say at this point, but guys like him usually find a way to score when the pressure is on.
However, the second Test in Multan will be played on the same pitch as the first (pictured)
The ball is in Pakistan's court and England can take a breather due to the absence of Babar Azam
If I were England, I would be quite relaxed if I turned up on Tuesday and found the Pakistan team without their main batsman.
The bottom line, however, is that Pakistan simply need to play better this week. It didn't look like they took 10 wickets in the first Test, let alone 20.
The ball is in their court. We are about to find out if they are good enough to stop England from winning the series with one match to spare.
