Alex Doolan scored only five runs in the first Test against Pakistan but the Australia No.3 batsman could be set to turn things around in a big hurry, his skipper Michael Clarke says.

Clarke says Doolan’s century less than a fortnight ago in the four-day game against Pakistan A is an indication of what could be just around the corner in Thursday’s second Test in Abu Dhabi.

“I’m certainly not going to sit here and say that he can be out of form,” Clarke said.

“He just made an unbelievable hundred in the tour game.

“Dools will be fine. He’s a very good player.

“He knows his game really well. He’s showed he can bat in these conditions.

“You don’t lose class overnight.

“I’m confident that come this second Test he’ll probably make another hundred.”

Doolan averages 23.87 in his four-Test career.

Tailender and 60-Test veteran Mitchell Johnson is catching up fast with a career mark of 22.82 following his 37 and 61 Australia’s 221-run in Sunday’s Dubai Test.

Doolan’s methods of dismissal in Dubai — run out and plumb LBW — were not encouraging signs.

And dropping a catch at short leg didn’t help either when Asad Shafiq was on nine and went on to score 89 in Pakistan’s first innings.

Chris Rogers grassed a first-innings chance at point when Azhar Ali was on 22, on his way to 53.

“When you lose the toss on a very flat wicket you can’t afford to drop catches, in Pakistan’s first innings especially,” Clarke said.

Opener Rogers applied himself well and scored 38 and 43, batting for over five-and-a-half hours.

He says early in his Australian domestic career spinning decks were more common.

“I remember playing (Stuart) MacGill in Sydney when I first started and that was a challenge,” Rogers said.

“We don’t have them any more which is a bit of a shame.

“We have to adapt. We had a couple of weeks here practising before the first Test and it is different and it is very difficult.

“We have to learn and learn quickly.”