Australia Test captain Tim Paine wants his side to “grind it out” during the two-Test series against Pakistan, starting 7 October in Dubai.
On the slow and dry pitches of the United Arab Emirates, things can be long and dour for the first few days of a Test match before getting frantic on the last couple of days.
“I think games traditionally in the UAE take a long time so we are going to have to be really patient,” Paine said before leaving for the tour. “We have spoken about partnerships and patience and pressure, which is going to be a real key over there.
“We are going to have to play really hard, tough cricket particularly from the batting side. And then in the heat over there, it’s the same for our bowlers; it’s going to be about patience, trying to wear them down and being in a position late in the game where we can make a move.”
“We have to be really careful with all our quicks over there,” Paine said. “It’s going to be over 40 degrees and really high humidity so we’re going to have to be clever about how we use our bowlers.
“Starcy [Mitchell Starc], in particular, who is a strike weapon – I expect him to be bowling short spells and as fast as he can. We’re hopeful – no, we’re sure – Starcy will have a really big series, and if he does, it will go a long way towards winning it for us.”
