IF we take into account the first two days of this first Test then realistically it can be said that Pakistan having shoved their Asia Cup jinx and lack of application in that one-day tournament behind them to play the game as it should be played by offering a positive face in their approach.

This certainly is different brand of cricket and certainly a lot more demanding to last the course of the game. Which is only possible if the capacity to keep the opposition in search of space.

Pakistan having kept the Austr­alians for almost two days in the field of this opening Test and must have gained a lot to boost up the­ir dwindling confidence which fai­led them recently in the Asia Cup.

It surely has more to do with the decision that they made in taking first use of the pitch which seems as smooth and easy going as could one expect it to be.

A fifth-wicket partnership of 150 between Asad Shafiq and Haris Sohail who scored his maiden Test century to add to Mohammad Hafeez’ hundred on the first day has now left the Australians with no option but to make sure that they too come out with a similar display to match Pakistan’s first innings total.

This Australian team, without the experience of former captain Steve Smith and David Warner, could find themselves in a state of bother unless they really dig in to make sizeable scores from at least by a couple of frontline batsmen.

The pitch is not any different of what we witnessed on the first day but as is the reputation here it does tend to change in its character as the match progresses. A second-day pitch may not be the same today because already I have noticed an odd delivery keeping low and also popping up from the rough as was the case when Asad Shafiq was caught at the wicket having played a sound knock of 80.

What will be most worrying for the Aussie batsmen would be the threat of leg-spinner Yasir Shah, who when brought up to bowl in only the sixth over of the innings posed a problem or two for the openers.

This obviously is a plus point as far as Sarfraz Ahmed and his men are concerned. Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Marsh, his brother Shaun and debutants Aaron Finch and Travis Head have all a kind of challenge to stay at the crease to negotiate Yasir, Hafeez and the debutant off-spinner Bilal Asif who can also spin the ball.

To bat on low bounce pitches is not to the liking of the Australian batsmen and this has been proved time and again on Indian and Pakistan pitches or even on Sri Lankan tracks. In UAE too their outing here was insignificant as they lost the series, the last time they played here in 2014.

I personally feel that Pakistan after being 410-4 should have gone to make at least 550 as is often the case the late middle order gives in without grinding the opposition into submission. Pakistan’s last six wickets produced only 70 runs, and thus failing to get past the 500 mark.

But that does not take away the credit from Asad and Haris who batted sensibly and with a purpose to grab every opportunity to score and in the process even dashing down the wicket against spinners, Nathan Lyon and Jon Holland, and hoisting them over the fence.

Their footwork, concentration and choice of forceful drives straight and wide of mid-on was timed with perfection and that is what was pleasing for the eyes if you love watching batsmen on just doing that.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2018