Aussies hint at pace preference as Test pitch remains a mystery

Having cited 24 years between Test tours as justifiable rationale for not knowing what sort of pitches to expect in Pakistan, Australia is pointing to a 24-hour delay in training as reason not to finalise their starting line-up for tomorrow's series opener in Rawalpindi.

Despite skipper Pat Cummins indicating he's "99 per cent sure" of the type of pitch that awaits, and claiming a similar scale of certainty as to the make-up of his team, Australia will wait until tomorrow morning's coin toss to confirm their XI.

The caution has been prompted by overnight and early morning rain in Pakistan's capital Islamabad where both teams are housed, and at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium (around 15km away), which caused match eve training sessions for Australia and Pakistan to be cancelled.

And while the home team continues to grapple with the fall-out of COVID-19 infections that have ruled out uncapped fast bowler Haris Rauf and heightened doubt about the availability of other squad members, Australia's dilemma is based purely on deployment of resources.

"We're pretty sure (on the final XI) but we just want to have another look at the wicket, and we probably won't get the chance today so we'll have a think late this arvo to work out the eleven, or tomorrow morning," Cummins told reporters from Islamabad today.

"We've got a fair idea what we want to do, but don't want to make the call too early without fully knowing what the wicket is.

"Not being able to get down there today means it's probably two days without seeing the wicket between the toss and yesterday's training session."

Pakistan captain Babar Azam didn't give too much away either, telling reporters on Thursday the host's team also wasn't finalised and they would wait for another look at the pitch to decide.

"The pitch at Rawalpindi favours pace, there is no doubt on this, but spinners do have a major role as well. There will be a combined attack from both the spinners and fast bowlers," he said.

While reluctant to give away too much of his pre-game thinking, despite the rival squads training on either side of the Rawalpindi centre wicket block earlier this week, Cummins suggested the hint to how Australia lines up might reside in history.

"Stats seem to favour fast bowlers here," he said of the venue where Australia's most recent visit in 1998 yielded victory by an innings with leg-spinner Stuart MacGill (nine wickets) dominating.

"I don't think it's going to be seaming or swinging all over the place, but I think there will be enough there.

"Bowling on the practice wickets next to the (Test) wicket, it's been nice to bowl on so hopefully it's much the same in the middle.

"Not a heap of grass on it but enough to keep it together.

"We've turned up to subcontinent grounds before and seen really, really spin-friendly wickets.

"Looking at this one, I think it will spin but not the morning of day one like we've seen in the past."

If statistical history and initial assessment of the Rawalpindi pitch – which remained under covers today having been protected from elements during yesterday's major practice sessions – provide a reliable guide, the visitors will opt for three specialist quicks plus spinner Nathan Lyon.

Interim coach Andrew McDonald gave a clear indication those three fast-bowler roles would be filled by Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc when he spoke about auxiliary seamer Scott Boland in a radio interview broadcast in Melbourne earlier today.

"We've got a vital option in Scott Boland who is almost forcing the hand of the selectors to say pick me, but the three unfortunately ahead of him have got sensational records and probably get the first ticket,” McDonald told SEN.

"Reverse swing will be a factor and Mitchell Starc is one of the best exponents of reverse swing.

"That's just based upon the abrasive look of that surface that we saw yesterday."

Cummins conceded the other, seemingly less likely option for Australia was to play two quicks plus seam-bowling all-rounder Cameron Green alongside two spinners.

However, when pressed on that likelihood Cummins said he was not prepared to divulge which of the back-up spinners in the 18-player squad – leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson or left-arm orthodox Ashton Agar – might be preferred because "I probably prefer to keep it quiet".

McDonald had earlier confirmed the historical view that Rawalpindi – which Lyon yesterday described as a pitch closely resembling tracks prepared in the UAE – would offer more to quicks than spinners with slow bowlers likely to play a greater role in subsequent Tests at Karachi and Lahore.

If the removal of covers prior to tomorrow's coin toss at 9.30am local time (3.30pm AEDT) reveals a pitch vastly different to what Australia's brains trust expect, then the past nature of Rawalpindi pitches might favour Swepson should two spinners be the final selection call.

"How we see the surface evolving over the five days will change the judgement on a wrist spinner and a finger spinner," McDonald said when asked if there was an established pecking order for the auxiliary spinners.

"If the surface was to get really, really slow it makes it difficult for leg-spin and sometimes the finger spin is a better option to fire the ball in.

"But here (Rawalpindi) pace and spin seem to be equal, with more spin as you head further south (to Karachi and Lahore)."

While today's rain – which is forecast to clear overnight with clear skies and a maximum around 21C expected tomorrow – denied both teams a chance to check the pitch on Test eve, Cummins claimed it was not a further setback to Australia's already truncated preparation.

Having arrived in Islamabad last Sunday for their first Test tour to Pakistan since 1998, Cummins' 18-player squad has effectively been reduced to two days training prior to the start of a match schedule which sees three Tests of the Qantas Tour squeezed into as many weeks.

"Today was going to be an optional training session where probably at least half the squad were going to stay back at the hotel anyway, so not a lot lost there," he said of today's cancelled practice.

"I'm sure the batters would have liked to go down and have another hit, but the last two days have been really good, long training sessions.

"So everyone's ready to go.

"Obviously tomorrow morning before the game is another chance for batters to have a hit."

If Australia's pre-game focus has been on acclimatising to conditions in which none of their touring party have previously played Test cricket and on their first overseas campaign since 2019, then Pakistan's issues have centred around personnel.

Not only has Rauf been sidelined after returning a positive COVID test earlier this week, his proximity to key fast bowling teammate Shaheed Shah Afridi during victory celebrations for last weekend's Pakistan Super League final win ensured uncertainty surrounds the home team's final line-up.

McDonald indicated today that might result in Pakistan drafting additional fast bowling stocks to their squad, noting that 31-year-old seamer Mohammad Abbas – who claimed 17 wickets at 10.58 in two Tests against Australia in the UAE in 2018 – could be considered as a late addition.

But despite the COVID scare and the loss of all-rounder Faheem Ashraf (hamstring) and fast bowler Hasan Ali (adductor) to injuries, Cummins parried suggestions his number-one-ranked Test team would enter the three-game series as favourites.

"I'm sure they will be big losses, but it gives an opportunity for other players to step up," he said of Pakistan's last-minute setbacks.

"I think you saw that in Australia throughout the summer, you saw someone like Josh Hazlewood missed and we were able to have Scotty Boland come in and debut and perform fantastically.

"I'm sure it's a loss to the Pakistan side but there's always another guy that can step up."

Qantas Tour of Pakistan 2022

Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (vc), Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Zahid Mahmood.

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner. On standby: Sean Abbott, Brendan Doggett, Nic Maddinson, Matthew Renshaw

March 4-8: First Test, Rawalpindi

March 12-16: Second Test, Karachi

March 21-25: Third Test, Lahore

Australia ODI and T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Ben McDermott, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

March 29: First ODI, Rawalpindi

March 31: Second ODI, Rawalpindi

April 2: Third ODI, Rawalpindi

April 5: Only T20I, Rawalpindi

All matches to be broadcast in Australia on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports