Pakistan chase their own David Warner

Since the departure of batting icons Aamir Sohail and Saeed Anwar, Pakistan have struggled to find the perfect opening combination.

After Mohammad Hafeez and Taufeeq Umar brought a little stability at the top between 2010 and 2012, Pakistan's opening positions have been a revolving door of players, including the likes of Ahmed Shehzad, Khurram Manzoor, Shan Masood, Nasir Jamshed and Imran Farhat.

In bid to solve the opening woes, Pakistan have also tinkered with their established middle-order and last year asked Azhar Ali to open the innings, a move that has worked wonders.

The right-hander has justified the promotion by scoring 1040 runs at a whopping average of 80.00, but he hasn't received much support from the other end.

It's a trend that has continued in Australia this summer; Azhar and Sami Aslam failed as a pair in four innings over the first two Tests, even though they have scored 912 runs overall at an impressive average of 53.64.

In Sydney, team management decided to bring in debutant Sharjeel Khan for Aslam, chiefly to give them some impetus at the start of the innings, which Aslam and Azhar have struggled to do.

Sharjeel has a reputation as a dashing opening batsman; he holds the record for the fastest double-hundred ever scored in Pakistan’s domestic cricket and has an ability to score at a fast rate, much like David Warner has done with aplomb in the past two Tests.

Day 2: Pakistan steady, Australia in control

But unfortunately for Pakistan's debutant, the move didn't pay off on Wednesday.

"We had to try to do something so we let Sharjeel loose," coach Mickey Arthur said after the opener fell to a loose shot for just 4 on day two of the third Test.

"If Sharjeel comes off, plays really well and gets us the momentum up front much like David Warner gives to Australia, then he can set a tone for us. So that was the idea behind it.

"Sami Aslam is certainly not out of the picture and I think he has a bright future as an opening batsman for Pakistan. He is technically very good. Since the third Test in England he has developed significantly and has come off really well.

"We just thought we had it change it up somehow. We would like to play an attacking brand of cricket and I make no secret of that.

"We would like our rates to get bigger and to score a little bit quicker."

Apart from the opening batsmen, Pakistan’s other worry on this tour has been the form of Yasir Shah and Mohammad Amir, who were meant to be their main strike bowlers but are probably having the worst series of their respective careers.

Yasir has not just struggled to take wickets on tour; he's also conceded 548 runs in the series at an economy rate of 4.08 and is suffering from a left hamstring strain that forced him off the ground today.

Arthur believes the leggie will be fit to bowl in the second innings, adding his star player has struggled on tour because of the unfamiliar conditions.

"He will learn from it," Arthur said.

"He's played a lot of cricket in the subcontinent. He is a gun there, he dominates.

"This is his second tour outside of those sort of conditions. He’s struggled here.

"I remember when I was coach of Australia, (India spinner) Ravi Ashwin saying this was hardest place for him to bowl. It is a tough place for spinners to learn their craft. Australia played him very, very well.

Quick Single: Handscomb cut short with rare dismissal

"As soon as Yasir comes on, they take him down and they’ve done it consistently.

"He’ll grow from it, he will be better. He is still our diamond."

Amir, the normally potent left-armer, has now bowled more than 60 overs in the series without claiming a wicket. His last wicket was that of Warner in the second innings in Brisbane and he's looking to avoid going wicketless in consecutive Tests for the first time.

The Pakistan coach admitted his star quick has been off colour in this Test, but has backed him to come good.

"When he gets wickets he is going to get them in bucket loads," Arthur said.

"I think he was outstanding in Melbourne. He bowled really very well in Melbourne.

"He is little bit off here, and by his own admission last night he was off.

"We as a bowling unit just have been not able to create pressure. Simple as that. We have not bowled enough in partnerships.

"We sit and talk every morning and yesterday we went through a period of five overs where we restricted Australia to five runs and created two opportunities. That’s what happens when you have control of the game.

"We have not been able to bowl consistently enough in the right areas to control (them) and that has been the disappointing part of it.

"But I am not worried about Aamir at all. He is a quality bowler and will get lot of wickets down the line."