Pakistan lost wickets in clusters at the Gabba and gave themselves no chance to get into the game.
Australia will want to press home that advantage and not give Pakistan an opening which they could use to fight their way back into the series.
Photo Copyright – Steve Haag Sports
Second Test | Friday 29 November – Tuesday 3 December | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide | 05:30
To Win
Australia 1/5
Draw 13/2
Pakistan 8/1
Australia
Pakistan didn’t play very well in the first Test but Australia did what they needed to do to get the result led by their dangerous bowling attack.
Mitchell Starc used the opening presented to him by James Pattinson’s ban to regain some form, but he is yet to get back to his absolute best in the Test arena.
Australia will be delighted to put an end, at least momentarily to their batting woes and excessive reliance on the genius of Steve Smith.
There were big hundreds for Marnus Labuchagne and David Warner in the first Test while Joe Burns looks to have established himself as the latter’s opening partner.
Australia have lost just twice this decade at the Adelaide Oval but will be looking to erase the memory of defeat to India at the venue last summer.
Pakistan
Pakistan’s batsman will need to draw some lessons from India’s victory in Adelaide in 2018, particularly the application of Cheteshwar Pujara in the face of aggressive Australian quick bowling.
Pakistan need to try to stretch the game into the fifth day when the surface may take on a nature more suited to their game but to do that they will need improvements in every area.
The tourists must find a way to put pressure on the Australian batting either through big runs of their own or more disciplined bowling while coach Misbah Ul Haq will be hoping it is both.
Asad Shafiq was the only batsman to display any backbone in the first Test after Australia made the initial breakthrough. Of great concern was how quickly Pakistan went from a solid start to being six down.
Misbah has quite the juggling act on his hands as he tries to introduce the next generation of Test players and also be competitive.
Verdict: Australia 1/5
Pakistan needs a miracle to turn this series around and salvage a tie.
Written by James Richardson for Hollywoodbets.
