“The objective is to help my team, and the style is to play hard.” -Photo by AFP

Pakistan’s emerging batting talent Nasir Jamshed has termed the tour of South Africa his first real test and says he is ‘desperate’ to face the best bowling attack in cricket.

Jamshed, largely seen as an ODI specialist, earned a spot in Pakistan’s Test line up after a brilliant run in the T20 and ODI series against India recently, his ability to hold fort in those high-pressure fixtures giving the selectors hope that the 23-year-old will replicate his form in the five-day game.

Taking confidence from those performances, Jamshed feels he’s ready for the challenge of Test cricket, if and when the opportunity comes.

“Test cricket is what every player dreams about. I have done well in limited-overs cricket so far, and I'm ready for the Test challenge. As a batsman, adapting to a lengthy format isn't a big thing. I have all the strokes and am working on my defence to make it more sound. Test cricket requires a lot of mental strength and fitness. I can't claim to have achieved these but I am improving,” Jamshed said in an interview with ESPNCricinfo.

“In India, where conditions are never easy, my target was to stay at the crease throughout the 50 overs. It tested my temperament and fitness, but when you have settled, you start enjoying it. Now I can easily shift gears to Test cricket.”

If picked ahead of regular Test opener Taufeeq Umar, Jamshed will not only face the challenge of the top fast bowling attack in the world but also completely alien conditions. The bulky left-hander, never one to run away from a contest, is, however, relishing the upcoming battle.

“There is a big gap between an average player and a world-class player. A world-class player can adapt himself to any condition within no time. I haven't played outside the subcontinent so far in my career, so I am yet to face a tough bowler. The South Africa series, without a doubt, will be my first real test. I am prepared to face the world-class bowlers in their backyard. They are the No. 1 team, have the best fast bowlers, and I am desperate to face them.”

Jamshed’s addition in the Test side will give captain Misbah-ul-Haq and the team management some selection headaches with the Pakistan line up boasting of Taufiq Umar, Mohammad Hafeez, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq and Asad Shafiq in the batting order. Whether the solid youngster finds a slot in the playing XI it remains to be seen but he is confident about his prospects whenever the opportunity comes to don the whites.

“It took time, but I am now an improved batsman, and the process of learning never stops…As an opener my role is clear: to score runs. The objective is to help my team, and the style is to play hard.”