Pak skipper Yousuf says Test battle against Aussies will require patience

Melbourne, Dec. 25 (ANI): Pakistan cricket captain Mohammad Yousuf will remind his team that brilliance alone won't be enough to beat Australia in the first Test at the MCG, starting on Saturday.

Yousuf said he was happy with the way his young side performed throughout the recent drawn series in New Zealand, and took consolation knowing Australia's attack is not the same as last time Pakistan toured, when Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath ran riot.

According to Fox Sports, he said the tourists had to string together good sessions if they were any chance of winning their first Test in Australia since 1995.

"We have to play good cricket for five days. This is not Twenty20 cricket, it is five-day cricket, at least 30 hours playing good cricket against any team ... we will try to play very good cricket, hard cricket," he said.

Pakistan's chances of causing an upset will largely rest with their bowling attack, as Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Aamer and Umar Gul have formed a formidable pace unit to complement leg-spinner Danish Kaneria.

"Yes, we have a very good bowling side we can take 20 wickets in a Test," Yousuf said.

Yousuf said he would aim to repeat his performance at the MCG from last time, when he scored an impressive century.

But he doubted his opposite number Ricky Ponting would have too many troubles against the short ball, a theory claimed by West Indies skipper Chris Gayle recently.

"He has made 25,000 runs in both cricket ... he's the best player," Yousuf said of Ponting. (ANI)