BRISBANE, Australia (AP) As much as he wanted to stick with the players who helped him halt a so-called crisis in Australian cricket, Steve Smith couldn't commit to taking an unchanged XI into the series-opening test against Pakistan.
Not when he considered the green tinge of the wicket, the pink ball used in the day-night format, the lights, and the expected cloud cover and humidity at the Gabba, which all combined to fuel speculation that Australia will take a four-pronged pace battery into the Brisbane test.
That's not unusual speculation at the Gabba, because of the bounce and climate, but it's a notion that Nathan Lyon dismissed earlier in the week. That's not surprising, considering the offspinner could lose his spot to uncapped fast bowler Chadd Sayers despite taking 24 of his 217 test wickets at the ground.
It's customary for Smith to reveal his starting lineup on the eve of a test, but he didn't want to do that on Wednesday.
''I'm not sure yet,'' the Australia captain responded to questions about his XI. ''I need to have another look at the wicket to determine how much grass is on the wicket and things like that.
''Traditionally, subcontinent sides that come over to Australia don't handle the pace and bounce, or aren't as comfortable with the pace and bounce,'' Smith said. ''So you need to try and find ways to exploit that as much as possible.''
Sayers remains a chance of joining Mitch Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Jackson Bird in the attack.
Australia ended a five-test losing streak with a resounding win over South Africa last month to close the margin to 2-1 in a losing series. The heavy defeats in Perth and Hobart stirred hostile backlash from fans in Australia, though, and put administrators and players on notice.
Usman Khawaja, who was born in Islamabad and raised in Australia, was the only batsman to score a century for the hosts in the series.
He's expected to play an important role at his adopted home ground at the Gabba, where Australia is unbeaten since 1988, playing against Pakistan for the first time in a test. He'll turn 30 on Sunday, scheduled day four of the match, and join opener and vice-captain David Warner as the only player in the squad who isn't in his 20s.
Australia slumped from the top ranking to No. 4 during its losing streak, and gambled on its youngest squad in three decades to stop the run of defeats. Having been at the crease when the winning runs were scored in Adelaide - also a day-night test - 20-year-old opener Matt Renshaw and Peter Handscomb retained their spots. And Nic Maddinson was given another chance at No. 6 in the batting order.
Since the Adelaide win, Australia swept New Zealand 3-0 in a limited-overs series and enters its second home test series of the season in a confident mood.
Pakistan briefly held the No. 1 test ranking as Australia slid this year but is coming off a series defeat in New Zealand and has dropped to No. 4, one spot behind the Australians. Pakistan has lost nine consecutive tests in Australia, where it hasn't won since 1995 and where it has only won four tests dating back to 1964.
Captain Misbah-ul-Haq isn't concerned about either of those statistics, saying his lineup has the experience and a quality bowling attack to trouble the young Australian lineup.
''In test cricket, experience can play a big role, because you have been in those situations before and you know how to control the game,'' said the 42-year-old Misbah, who missed Pakistan's last test against New Zealand.
Misbah said legspinner Yasir Shah was expected to overcome a back problem to play in Brisbane and complement the left-arm pace and swing of Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz.
Shah took seven wickets in his test debut in 2014 against Australia - including Smith in both innings in Dubai - and enters the series with 116 from 20 tests.
''He's a wonderful bowler ... who can make his impact in any sort of conditions, especially in Australia where bounce can play a big role,'' Misbah said.
