Pace duo hold key for Aussies: Haddin

Former Australia wicketkeeper Brad Haddin believes the home side’s potent pace duo may be too hot to handle for Pakistan but has warned Australia not to underestimate their unpredictable opponents.

Spearhead Mitchell Starc returned 14 wickets from three Tests against South Africa after making his return from injury and warned on Sunday he still had “still got some way to come” to rediscover his best.

Josh Hazlewood was his team’s leading bowler against the Proteas with 17 wickets and sits in fifth spot on the ICC Test bowling rankings, while Starc is eighth.

Haddin said the ability of Pakistan’s batsmen to stand up against the pair would be key in what is shaping as a mouth-watering contest.

“What are they going to bring? I think that’s the question you ask every time Pakistan come out to these shores. You actually have no idea what they’re going to play like,” Haddin said on Sky Sports Radio ahead of the series opener in Brisbane.

“If they bring their A-game, they can definitely get 20 wickets and I think they’ve got the bowlers to worry us.

“Whether they can get enough runs on the board, it’s going to rely a lot on their old guys to see if they can stand up to the pace of Starc and the consistency of Hazlewood.

“It could be a great series to watch, but I think they’re going to struggle with Starc, to be honest.”

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Pakistan’s pace attack is led by Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Amir, while they also boast the world’s best leg-spinner in Yasir Shah.

Starc said on Sunday Pakistan, who briefly claimed the world number one Test ranking in August after a 2-2 series result in England, were vulnerable on the road.

"They've struggled in New Zealand and probably struggle a little more away from home – they're really comfortable in the UAE," Starc said.

"So it's a good opportunity for us in this Test match to assert our dominance first up, make an impression in the first Test of the series, which we all know goes a long way to working out the final result.

"(But) they've got a good bowling attack as well, so (their batsmen) would've faced pace or swing for a long time in the nets ... they've played some really good cricket over the last year-and-a-half to fight to the top of the world rankings."

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Former Australia coach Mickey Arthur will lead Pakistan, with ex-fielding coach Steve Rixon his assistant.

“Those guys, no matter what they say, they’re going to have something deep down in their stomach that it will be personal because they were both moved on from Cricket Australia,” Haddin said.

“They’ll want to beat the Aussies more than anyone.”

Meanwhile, Haddin heaped praise on Matthew Renshaw for his performance on debut against South Africa in Adelaide.

The burly left-hander made 10 and 34 not out as Australia claimed a seven-wicket victory to avoid a series whitewash.

While some former players were critical of Renshaw, who faced 137 balls in the second innings, Haddin said the Queenslander had displayed “good character”.

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“I think what we were crying out for was someone to really put a price on their wicket, and that’s what he did,” he said.

“He played and missed a lot, he didn’t get flustered by it, he just moved on to the next ball.

“But the thing that impressed me the most was he was there at the end and won the game – he didn’t leave it up to anyone else. It was touch condition to bat and he got 30-odd and won the game for Australia.”

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