Conditions in Australia demand different bowling approach, all-round discipline, feels Misbah

Pakistan's last Test win in Australia dates back to November 1995, when they emerged victorious by 74 runs in the third and final Test, a dead rubber with the tourists 2-0 down in the series. On their four tours since, they have been white-washed in Tests on each occasion, losing 12 straight Tests in the country. Misbah, who was the captain on the previous tour in 2016/17, reflected on how to overcome challenges on bouncy wickets in Australia.

"The conditions are totally different than when you play in all other parts of the world," Misbah told reporters in Sydney. "So you need to adjust to that pace and bounce especially in the batting unit and obviously when you're bowling, because in Asian conditions your biggest strength is your spinners.

"You have to bowl slightly differently here, the lengths are different, even the lines are different for the pacers here. So these are the challenges we are looking at ahead of this series. We want to address those and the kind of talent we have, if we can be disciplined in all departments, I think we can produce good results."

Pakistan saw significant changes in their setup, including leadership roles, after their recent 0-3 loss in the home T20Is against Sri Lanka. Azhar Ali has been given the Test captaincy, while Babar Azam, the top-ranked batsman in the MRF Tyres ICC T20I Rankings takes over in the shortest format.

"Sometimes it's a challenge for the captains," said Misbah. "Azhar has already captained in Australia. He's a bit experienced, he knows, and he's played a lot of Test cricket. Babar is new, and so it will be really important for me to pass on advice. The team also needs to support him and execute plans."

The other notable inclusion was that of young leg-spinner Usman Qadir, son of famous Pakistan leggie Abdul, in the T20I squad. He has played for Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League as a non-overseas player previously but is committed to Pakistan and is now seen as a back-up for the experienced Shadab Khan with the ICC T20 World Cup 2020 in sight.

"We picked Usman because he has experience playing in Australia, knows the conditions and with his height, especially, gets little bit more bounce also," Misbha said on the 26-year old. "I think his variations, the flipper and the googly for example, gave him a bit of an advantage. That was the reason behind his selection. We need to develop someone in that department, so that we have a back-up for Shadab, especially before the World Cup."

The Test squad features three teenage seamers in Naseem Shah, Muhammad Musa and Shaheen Afridi. Misbah praised the 16-year old Naseem, who he feels could be a surprise package.

"The good thing about him is he's bowling well in all spells. He's now playing his fourth first-class game of the [Quaid-e-Azam trophy] back home, and in all spells he's bowling quick. His control with the ball is also good. I'm looking forward to him bowling here in Australia where the conditions will also give him some assistance in getting pace and bounce. Everybody is excited to get him in the team.

"There is always the surprise that plays a part in selection but again you need to bowl well in Australian conditions. At Under-19 levels he bowled really well with the new ball and the old ball and he's doing that in first-class cricket, too. Looking forward, if he can just put the ball in the right areas at that pace, it could be a surprise package."

The three-match T20I series begins with the first game in Sydney on Sunday, 3 November, folowed by two Tests in Brisbane and Adelaide respectively.