Paine happy with Abbas sitting out Brisbane Test

Australia captain Tim Paine admitted that he was delighted to see Pakistan seamer Mohammad Abbas not feature in the playing XI of the visitors for the first Test at the Gabba, Brisbane.

While speaking at the press conference after the match, Paine described how the 29-year-old tormented them when they last toured United Arab Emirates (UAE) for a two-match Test series against Pakistan in 2018.

“I was pretty happy [Abbas] didn’t play if I’m being totally honest,” said Paine. “In the UAE on wickets that offered him absolutely nothing he somehow made it move.”

“They said he may have been under an injury cloud. I’m sure he will be looked at pretty closely for the next Test match. Our guys know how good he is,” he added.

The Australians went one up in their two-Test series when they won the opening match at the Brisbane fortress by an innings and five runs late on the fourth day for their 29th consecutive Test victory at the venue dating back to 1988.

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The Australia skipper said he would prefer all home Test series to begin at the Gabba.

"We like playing here and we've done well here for a long time, so we'd like to start here against anyone," Paine said when asked whether India should open next year's Test tour in Brisbane, the traditional start to an Australian summer.

Pakistan were left chasing the match once they were bowled out for 240 in their first innings having won the toss and elected to bat.

Australia replied with 580 on the back of big centuries by man-of-the match Marnus Labuschagne and opener David Warner.

Australia's top three of Joe Burns (97), Warner (154) and Labuschagne (185) scored 436 runs, with Paine saying the team now had the benefit of stability at the top of the order.

"We've known Burnsie's a top-quality opening bat for a long time and it's great having him back in the side opening with Davey (Warner)," Paine said.

"It's been hard to have stability because we haven't been performing as we'd like ... but I think we've got a pretty good group at the moment and can still get a lot better as well."

After beginning their second innings 340 runs behind Australia and then losing three cheap wickets in the afternoon session on Saturday, the Pakistanis put up stern resistance Sunday before finally succumbing late in the final session.

Babar Azam scored a magnificent century and Mohammad Rizwan fell five runs short of his first as Pakistan were dismissed for 335 late on the fourth day.

But there was to be no denying an Australian attack on Sunday which probed and struck at vital moments, whenever Pakistan seemed to be getting the upper hand.

Pakistan captain Azhar Ali said his team had been on the back foot early and not been able to recover.

"When we won the toss, we wanted to score big in the first innings, but I think on the first day we won two sessions but we lost one very badly," said Azhar. "I think if you lose one session very badly in Test matches it is always very hard to come back from that, especially in Australia."

But he said he was proud of the way they had fought back.

"I'd have to say the way we batted in the second innings, particularly the way Babar and Rizwan batted, they really showed great fight," he said.