Australia are yet to finalise their lineup for Monday night’s deciding game three of the one-day series against Pakistan, with paceman Mitchell Starc nursing chest soreness.
Middle-order batsman David Hussey says Starc is coming along well.
Left-arm quick Starc was a match-winner with 5-42 Australia’s four-wicket victory in game one in Sharjah, which is also the venue for game three.
“I spoke to Mitch this morning. He said he’s feeling fine,” Hussey said on Sunday.
“Hopefully he’s raring to go because he bowled fantastically well first game.
“We desperately need him in the team. He’s one of our key bowlers.
“Hopefully it’s an unchanged team or maybe (spinner) Xavier Doherty comes in. I’m not really sure.”
Australia are considering a more attacking approach to Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal who has claimed 7-62 in the series, Hussey says.
Hussey says Michael Clarke’s men have been watching video tapes of how Sri Lanka’s players took the long handle to the off-spinner in the ODI series in Sri Lanka in June.
Sri Lanka won the five-match series 3-1 and Ajmal took only three wickets at 40.66, compared to his starring role against Australia which has included claiming seven scalps at 8.85.
Hussey has fallen to Ajmal in the first match in Sharjah and Saturday morning’s game two in Abu Dhabi, caught at slip for three and lbw for a duck.
“He’s a fantastic bowler. But we have to change our game plan,” Hussey says.
“We’re defending him a little bit and to our perish.
“Maybe the best form of defence is attacking him.
“We’ve seen the Sri Lankans play him, we’ve seen the Indians play him, and we might think that’s the better route to go.”
Australia’s openers David Warner and Matthew Wade have scored 46 runs between them in two matches and big-hitting Warner played an unusually quiet innings in Abu Dhabi, nudging the ball around for 24 off 68 deliveries.
Hussey is urging the openers to play their natural attacking games.
“I reckon they’ll smack it to all parts,” Hussey said.