PITCH AND CONDITIONS

A little bit of cloud cover and some wind will be the only weather factors of any concern in Brisbane this week, with conditions expected to be perfect otherwise.

The Gabba tends to produce hard, fast wickets for the first test of the Australian summer – lending itself to batsmen but also offering some zip for the pace bowlers.

AUSTRALIA

• James Pattinson will be suspended for the first test after being found guilty of using abusive language while playing for Victoria in the Sheffield Shield.
• With Peter Siddle also left out, it means the pace attack will be Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, alongside Mitchell Starc who found himself out of favor during the Ashes.
• Joe Burns is set to open the batting with David Warner.
• This is Australia’s first test series since the Ashes when they drew 2-2 with England and retained the urn.
• Steve Smith was in outstanding batting form, scoring 774 runs across four matches, but defeat in the final test having also lost a thriller in Smith’s absence in the third test meant the two teams shared the World Test Championship points on offer.

• Pakistan has overhauled the bowling line-up from their most recent test series, with no place for Mohammad Amir or Shadab Khan and Hasan Ali out injured.
• Shaheen Afridi, Yasir Shah and Imran Khan all come into the squad, while it has been confirmed 16-year-old quick Naseem Shah will make his test debut.
• With Sarfaraz Ahmed not selected to tour, Azhar Ali will captain the team and Mohammad Rizwan will keep wicket.
• Pakistan has not played a test match since their 3-0 series defeat to South Africa at the turn of the year.
• Pakistan scored 181, 190, 177, 294, 185 and 273 in their six innings, falling short on too many occasions as they suffered their three relatively heavy defeats.

PROBABLE PLAYING XI OF PAKISTAN

Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Azhar Ali (c), Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Iftikhar Ahmed, Shaheen Afridi, Yasir Shah, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Abbas

OUR FANTASY LEAGUE PICKS FOR AUSTRALIA VS PAKISTAN 1st Test IN PAKISTAN TOUR OF AUSTRALIA, 2019 ARE MENTIONED BELOW:

1. David Warner
2. Iftikhar Ahmed
3. Mohammad Rizwan
4. Pat Cummins (VC)
5. Steve Smith (C)
6. Mitchell Starc
7. Babar Azam
8. Josh Hazlewood
9. Asad Shafiq
10. Nathan Lyon
11. Naseem Shah

Click Here for Match Prediction.

*Disclaimer: A team here is picked based on the perception, analysis, and gut feeling of the author. When you select your team, analyze the points mentioned to arrive at your own decision.*