Australia and Pakistan enter the three-match Test series with their own sets of issues so it is tough to say if either team has a distinct advantage at the start of the day-night Test in Brisbane on Thursday.
A lot has happened over the past month or so to make it difficult to gauge where both teams stand. The Australians had fallen to new depths in the longest format, crashing to five straight defeats that included the abject surrender to the Proteas in Hobart where they were bowled out for 85 and 161 during in innings defeat.
That setback prompted a complete revamp of the Australian team, with six changes made for the final Test of the series in Adelaide. It followed the resignation of selection chairman Rod Marsh and marked a turning point in Australian cricket, with a fresh set of personnel earmarked to take the team forward. And it worked.
In the final Test, which was a pink ball affair, the Australians played with no fear of failure and pulled off what was a comfortable win in the end. No doubt they were helped a great deal by South Africa captain Faf du Plessis’ surprise declaration on 259 for nine on Day One but they did everything right on their part and tasted success.
That positivity permeated to the one-day team as well, with the Aussies crushing New Zealand 3-0 at home, with two wins by margins in excess of 100 runs. That makes for exciting times ahead but in no way masks the lack of experience in the side which can be exposed by a seasoned, albeit under pressure, Pakistan side.
The great Mr. Cricket previews the first #AUSvPAK Test at the Gabba! pic.twitter.com/kw7bslUMUP
— cricket.com.au Video (@CricketVideo) December 15, 2016
Misbah ul Haq’s Pakistan had reached the top of the table in Tests on the back of successive seasons of consistent cricket, which included a run of two years without a series defeat.
Banking on the ageing but strong shoulders of Misbah and Younis Khan and backed by a mean pace attack and a wily spinner in Yasir Shah, Pakistan became one of the most consistent sides in the format. However, that dream run came to an abrupt end in the two-Test series against New Zealand.
After being stunned by the gentle swing of debutant all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme in the first Test, Pakistan put up a better fight in the second Test but somehow managed to lose nine wickets in the final session on the last day to go down 2-0. Years of hard work undone in one session.
However, this doesn’t mean Australia are on the rise or that Pakistan’s fall has started. At least not yet. The three Test series that began on Thursday will provide a better picture of what lies ahead for both teams.
For Australia, it will be an opportunity to see if youngsters like Peter Hanscomb and Matt Renshaw who helped pull off a surprise win against South Africa, when there was hardly any pressure, will maintain their intensity when the equations change against a resilient Pakistan side which has some of the finest fast bowlers going around.
Mark Taylor and @ShaneWarne go to the @Windows 10 Analyser for a look at Pakistan's star leggie Yasir Shah #AUSvPAK https://t.co/vihbXSRFuo
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) December 15, 2016
For the visitors, it’s a critical juncture in their Test journey as well. It is likely to be one of the final few series featuring the iconic Misbah, with the 39-year-old Younis also unlikely to play much longer. The time has come for Pakistan to accept that their star batsmen won’t be around forever and it is imperative for them to stop relying on them for runs.
While there is lack of clarity regarding various aspects in both teams, there is one certainty. There will be some high quality pace bowling on offer. The hosts will be eager to unleash left arm ace Mitchell Starc and the ever reliable Josh Hazlewood.
However, the Pakistanis too have the dangerous left-arm duo of Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Amir. Since the first Test is played under lights at the Gabba, it might accentuate some of the strengths and weaknesses of both teams, with the wicket expected to offer a lot of help to the quicker bowlers.
However, we should know by the end of the three Test series whether the new-look Australian team has what it takes to challenge the more established teams and also whether Pakistan’s series defeat against New Zealand was a blip or an ominous sign of the perils ahead.
