Cricket: Pakistan address 'mental failings'

Pakistan batsman Faisal Iqbal says his team-mates need to "sort themselves out" mentally for today's second cricket test against Australia at the SCG.

The tourists were bowled out twice for less than 260 in losing the first test in Melbourne by 170 runs.

Skipper Mohammad Yousuf says the dominance of Twenty20 cricket in Pakistan is leaving his players poorly prepared for five-day matches.

However Iqbal says it's time for the Pakistan batsmen to focus on grinding out long innings and getting through the difficult periods of a day's play.

"What I feel is that you need to think yourself about the games ... and sort yourself out quickly whichever form of the game you are playing," the No.3 batsman said at the SCG.

"At the end of day we're all professionals and we have to play all forms of cricket, even the shortest form.

"You have to try your best to settle in. Definitely if you play the shorter form of the game, you need to learn about other forms - you need to change, be quick for short forms and patient for Tests."

Iqbal says building partnerships was a key failing of his side in Melbourne.

"They need to learn from their mistakes. Hopefully they are preparing mentally for it and will try their best," he said.

Iqbal also says Pakistan are working hard on their fielding after dropping several vital chances in Melbourne.

"We'll do more on it now and tomorrow. We're doing our best for it," he said.

The Pakistan board has made certain of at least one change to the side for today's match by sending home paceman Abdur Rauf and middle-order batsman Fawad Alam, trimming their touring party to 15.

Rauf took 1-86 and 0-33, and was also the unfortunate player to drop Shane Watson at backward point on 99, allowing the opener to jog through for a single to reach his maiden hundred.

Fast bowler Umar Gul is set to return and Danish Kaneria is also a likely inclusion following a finger injury which kept the leg-spinner out of the Melbourne test.

Iqbal said the Melbourne test had been a good learning experience, leaving the tourists 1-0 down in a three-match series.

"Definitely we can bounce back. Whenever we lose a test, we go hard in the next test and that is how the team works," he said.

- AAP