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Arthur wary of rebounding Aussies

Australian cricket was at a low ebb after Hobart, but a turnaround in fortunes has put caution into Pakistan's planning

Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur has backed Australia to continue their rebound from the nadir of the Hobart Test that begun in Adelaide.

Arthur was in charge of the Australian team the last time they hit rock-bottom, going down 4-0 to India in 2013 amid player unrest over suspensions for missed 'homework' assignments.

That tour, and the subsequent Champions Trophy in England, brought to an abrupt end Arthur's time as the national coach.

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However he said the most recent troubles, where Australia lost five straight Tests and just as many players were dropped after the Hobart defeat to South Africa were just a natural part of international cricket.

"Every team has got a cycle so it happens to every team," he said.

"They'll be fine, they're a good cricket team and it's a great cricket country.

"It's an exciting time for Australian cricket. We've seen a lot of the younger players coming through the system."

Pakistan got their tour off to a winning way against an inexperienced Cricket Australia XI in Cairns this week, defeating them by 201 runs in the three-day match.

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Despite the dramas which surrounded his exit, Arthur's family still resides in Western Australia and he maintains he has no added motivation ahead of this summer's three-Test series.

"We just want to win every Test series we play," he said.

However he doesn't believe a Test win in Australia will be an easy task.

Instead, if anything, the recent issues may have made his job of securing a win even harder.

Pakistan – or any team from the subcontinent – have never won a series in the country, and Arthur believes the recent criticism will have only reinvigorated the Australian team ahead of next week's first Test in Brisbane.

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"They'll be as hungry as ever," he said.

"We're going to have to play exceptionally well."

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