Australia have named an unchanged team for the second Test against Pakistan starting on Friday, after captain Tim Paine said there is no reason to change the side that trounced the tourists by an innings and five runs in the first Test in Brisbane.
“Obviously we thought we played a pretty good game of cricket last week,” Paine said. Our [bowling] attack is all feeling good and fresh and they have all got great pink ball records so no need to change.”
The Australians will keep Michael Neser in Adelaide as a standby while releasing batsman Cameron Bancroft and paceman James Pattinson to Sheffield Shield games. Paine was content that Bancroft could be summoned if Australia required a batting concussion substitute.
“Bangers is a couple of hours away on a plane so if anything does happen, we will be able to get him back pretty quickly,” he said. “I think you have got 24, 36 hours to replace a concussed player so we will have plenty of time to get someone back whether it be a batter or a bowler.”
Australian bowlers Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon are all in the world’s top five wicket-takers in day-night Tests while Pat Cummins is the world’s too-ranked bowler.
“That [Adelaide] wicket looks a little bit perhaps drier than it was for the last pink ball Test we played here against England,” Paine said. “But as we know, the pink ball always offers enough. Our fast bowlers certainly enjoy bowling with it, particularly under the lights and the games tend to go quite quickly.
“So I think the bowlers are excited to be back in Adelaide The wicket, for a drop-in wicket, is probably the best drop-in wicket in the world so it offers the fast bowlers something which is very rare for a drop-in wicket.”