Pakistan will miss Yousuf and Younis - Hussey

Michael Hussey believes Pakistan's batting depth will be seriously tested in the absence of Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan for the upcoming series against Australia. However, Hussey is wary of an "outstanding" attack that is likely to determine the fortunes of the side six months after they lost 3-0 in Australia.

Younis did not play in that series but has been one of their most reliable Test players in the past couple of years. Both he and Yousuf, the captain during the visit to Australia, average over 50 in Test cricket and in their absence, the only member of the top six who averages above 40 is Umar Akmal, who has played only six Tests.

"I think their depth is going to be tested," Hussey said. "You take Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf out of that team and you're losing two outstanding, classy players. That's going to be a big loss, particularly in the Test match arena. It's going to be very hard to find those runs that those guys consistently score in Test match cricket.

"But their bowling attack looks outstanding. They're very well balanced and they cover all bases very well. Run-making for us is going to be tough, but hopefully if we can bowl well and keep them under pressure, I'm hoping we can bowl them out for less runs than us."

Although Pakistan might enter the series with some confidence left over from their two Twenty20 victories in Birmingham, history is against them, as they haven't beaten Australia in a Test since November 1995. During the most recent series in Australia, Salman Butt was the only Pakistan player to score a Test century, and only he and Umar Akmal averaged above 30.

For the Australians, five men posted hundreds and averaged 50-plus including Hussey, whose 134 in Sydney helped Australia to a famous victory from what seemed an unwinnable position. He enters Tuesday's Lord's Test in fine form, having cruised to a century in the warm-up game in Derby, but he knows the challenge will be far greater against Mohammad Aamer, Mohammad Asif, Umar Gul and Danish Kaneria.

"I feel like I'm seeing the ball well, but it doesn't really matter in a practice game," he said. "I'd give all those runs back for a hundred at Lord's in a Test match, that's for sure. The Pakistanis have an excellent attack, it's going to be a lot better than the attack we faced up in Derby. It's going to be a huge challenge."

At 35, Hussey is one of the old men in an unusually inexperienced Australian squad . Five of the 14 members are yet to make their Test debut, although Steven Smith and Tim Paine will wear the baggy green for the first time at Lord's. Hussey said the youth in the group helped create genuine excitement ahead of a rare neutral Test.

"In our team we've got a great mix," he said. "All the guys love playing for Australia and you can really see it in their faces. Even Ricky Ponting at the moment, I think he's loving being captain of the team at the moment. It's a new team, it's fresh, he wants to have an input on how these young guys develop as cricketers and there's a real enthusiasm around the team."