Skipper Michael Clarke says Australia’s 221-run loss to Pakistan wasn’t like India all over again.
Clarke says Australia have made key improvements since their disastrous 4-0 series defeat in India in 2013.
“As a team in general we’ve improved out of sight since that series,” Clarke said.
“Unfortunately the result is the same as what it was in India.”
The scoresheet of the first Test against Pakistan in Dubai tells a tale of poor batting against slow bowlers on a turning pitch.
Pakistan’s debutant leggie Yasir Shah and three-Test spinner Zulfiqar Babar took seven wickets each in the match, which ended an hour after tea on Sunday’s fifth day of play.
Set a world-record target of 438 to win, Australia made 216 in their second innings.
Resuming on 4-59, Australia appeared headed for an early swim in the pool under the Arabian desert sun, slumping to be 7-117 at lunch.
However Steve Smith (55) and tailender Mitchell Johnson (61) added 65 for the eighth wicket in gutsy performances.
Johnson’s stumping by the slimmest of margins, given out by TV umpire Nigel Llong, came at 9-213 and Peter Siddle was out three runs later.
Australia will head to Abu Dhabi for Thursday’s second and final Test of the series with an interest in seeing more video footage of their opponents.
No.3 Alex Doolan and No.4 Clarke contributed five runs each for the match.
Debutant left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe (4-219) and pace spearhead Johnson (3-73) were the only Australia bowlers to take more than two wickets in the match.
“We’ve got to keep trying to find a way to take wickets, keep looking at footage of Pakistan players,” Clarke said.
“I think we can know their players a little bit better.
“We probably didn’t have as much footage on a couple of the players as we would have liked because we hadn’t seen them play before.
“You’ve got to find a way to adjust and adapt once you’re out there.”
Clarke said he was very disappointed with the result which leaves Pakistan within sight of their first Test-series win over Australia since 1994.
“But I’m really impressed with the way Steve Smith and Mitchell Johnson in particular showed a lot of grit today,” Clarke said.
Clarke says the inconsistency of subcontinental wickets poses a challenge.
“You get natural variation off the wicket,” Clarke said.
“You bowl the exact same ball. One ball spins this far and the next ball skids on.
“The longer you bat, the more time you spend there, the easier it gets.”
Pakistan were forced to go to plan B for their spin attack after strike bowler Saeed Ajmal’s chucking ban.
“It’s difficult to rank this win but it is one of the finest victories, you can say, especially in Test cricket,” Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq said.
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