Pakistan tempted to play Saeed Ajmal

Pakistan are seriously pondering the prospect of playing two spinners against Australia in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG. Much of the pre-series focus has centred on Pakistan's impressive pace trio of Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Aamer and Umar Gul, but swayed by what they feel may be a responsive surface, Mohammad Yousuf and the team management may drop one of the three, in favour of Saeed Ajmal.

Ajmal has had success against Australia in limited-overs matches in the UAE and South Africa, with his doosra proving particularly troublesome, but Test conditions provide a different framework. Since making his Test debut earlier this year, Ajmal has contributed well with 16 wickets in four Tests, though he was dropped after a quiet first Test against New Zealand in Dunedin.

The issue is not yet settled, however, because of an injury to Danish Kaneria's fourth finger on his spinning hand. The legspinner picked it up initially in New Zealand, attempting a return catch from Daniel Vettori during the third Test in Napier. He hurt it again in fielding practice on Thursday and bowled in the nets on Friday with the finger bandaged, albeit in a little discomfort, though Yousuf said it wasn't serious enough to prevent him from playing.

Kaneria has taken 20 wickets in his last three Tests, in response to being dropped for the first time in four years - to be replaced by Ajmal - earlier this year in Sri Lanka. He was also Pakistan's highest wicket-taker on their last tour to Australia in 2004-05.

An injury to Gul has also necessitated the surprise call-up of Mohammad Sami for the Tests. Pakistan has worried about the burden on their effective but fragile pace trio, who bowled well over 400 overs between them in New Zealand recently, for 34 wickets.

Yousuf, however, said Gul was "fully fit" though he didn't reveal much about the playing XI. "We haven't yet decided on our XI. We'll only do that after having a look at the surface."

Pakistan though, will take note of their distinct lack of success when playing two spinners in a Test. They couldn't force a win in Colombo earlier this year, despite a strong last day position when Kaneria and Ajmal first bowled in tandem for nearly 80 overs between them. And in 2007-08, they lost a series at home to South Africa in which they relied heavily on a two-spinner attack - left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman and Kaneria - in both Tests.

Traditionally Pakistan have been served best by one spinner operating alongside three pacemen; Abdul Qadir in the age of Imran Khan, Mushtaq Ahmed and Saqlain Mushtaq alongside bowlers such as Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Aaqib Javed and Shoaib Akhtar.