Australia vs Pakistan 2016: 1st Test - 5 focus areas for Pakistan

Pakistan have had a great time in Test cricket in recent times, with a brief stint as the World's No.1 side before slipping below their neighbouring country, India. That said, most of their victories have come in their adopted home.

They are on the back of an unimpressive series against the Kiwis in their backyard and are now faced with the daunting task of facing the Aussies Down Under. The sheer weight of the task before them has got lighter given Australia’s terrible form in Test match cricket.

The first Test at Brisbane is a day-night affair and Pakistan will be playing under lights with the pink ball for the second time in international cricket. The warm up against CA XI was not so ideal as the Pakistani batsmen found the prodigious swing and seam generated from Australia's second string pacers difficult to handle.

The encouraging factor is that their own bowlers did a fine job with the ball and helped them win the Test. That said they will have to bat way better than they did against a better attack to have any chance of beating Australia.

Have a look at the focus points for team Pakistan ahead of the Brisbane Test.

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#5 Posting totals above 250

Misbah-ul-Haq and co. will have to post competitive totals for the bowlers to work their magic

It is imperative that Pakistan’s batsmen summon their inner spirits and find some formidable form with the willow. They need a total of 250 and above to put Australia under any sort of pressure.

With the likes of Starc, Hazlewood and Bird running in and Lyon finding some form in Australia's last Test, their task is cut out. The Pakistani batsmen struggled to cope with the swing generated by Kiwi newbie, Colin de Grandhomme, last month, and facing the searing pace and late swing from Starc seems daunting at the moment.

For Pakistan to run Australia close, they need totals that put their batsmen under pressure when facing Mohammad Amir and co. Unless they put up good totals they can't expect to win Test matches in this part of the World.

#4 The worrying middle order

Babar Azam has been likened to a young Virat Kohli

Pakistan's middle order is one of the most experienced in World Cricket. Yet they have failed to be consistent as the 38-year-old Younis Khan and 42-year-old Misbah-ul-Haq struggled for form.

The inclusion of the young and dynamic Babar Azam has helped Pakistan as he adds a bit of flair to the middle order. His important half-century in New Zealand prompted coach Mickey Arthur to compare him to a younger version of Virat Kohli. Azam needs to continue his good start in Tests.

Pakistan need their middle order to fight against Starc and co. If they can post something in the range of 300-320, it will give their bowlers a real chance against an Australian batting line-up in search of consistency themselves.

#3 Yasir Shah's injury

Yasir Shah’s injury has caused worry in the Pakistani camp

Yasir Shah missed the warm-up game due to a back injury and this forced the selectors to rush in 17-year-old Mohammad Asghar from home. It raises the question if Pakistan will have to play the opening Test without their best Test bowler in recent times.

Shah had been a phenomenal factor in Pakistan's surge to the top of the Test rankings. In a day-night Test, with the pink ball believed to aid the wrist spinners, Pakistan will hate to miss their wicket churning machine. Given that Australia have struggled against spinners of late, his miss will be felt even greater and Pakistani fans would hope and pray that Yasir is back.

In case Yasir is unavailable, Pakistan may call upon Mohammad Nawaz, the left-arm spinner, who had a good game against CA XI with the pink ball. It should also lengthen the batting line-up as Nawaz is a decent batsman too.

#2 How the openers tackle Starc and Hazlewood

The two openers have a tough task at hand against the Australian bowling attack

Sami Aslam and Azhar Ali have formed a strong opening pair but the pair are yet to click in complete unison and they will be hoping to do so here in Australia.

Their task is, however, cut out against the likes of Starc and Hazlewood, who are some of the best opening bowlers going around in Test cricket these days. With Starc capable of swinging the ball late into the right-handers and Hazlewood's ability to make the ball seam off the surface, the openers will have a hard time.

Elgar and Cook got individual centuries for the Proteas, but there was hardly an opening partnership worth noting. Aslam and Ali will need to back themselves against the deadly duo and shield the middle order from being exposed too early.

#1 Mohammad Amir's form

Amir is Pakistan’s most important player currently

Pakistan can bat well and field well but they need their strike bowler to fire if they are to win the Test. Amir is in fine form of late and has been swinging the ball, albeit lesser than when he was 18. In the warm-up game, he tore through CA XI's top order under lights.

He revelled the last time he was in Australia but that came before his ban. It has been a few years but he is shaping back to his best but he would be encouraged to bowl against a vulnerable Aussie batting line-up. If Amir finds his self-confidence, Australia will have a hard time coping with his late swing.

The Pakistani bowler has able support this time with the likes of Sohail Khan and Rahat Ali among the wickets in New Zealand. He would hope Yasir is fit too, as the pace bowler-spinner combination works wonders in Australia. He would do well to take a leaf out of Starc's bowling off late. If he can replicate anything near that, there will be no stopping Pakistan.