Pakistan were bowling with two and a half seamers: Arthur

Pakistan’s former Head Coach Mickey Arthur has claimed that the Men in Green did not have the adequate firepower in the bowling department to face the challenge of Australia’s batsmen, after their dismal performance on the first day of the second and last Test at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide.

Arthur believed that the visitors’ current side were incapable of taking 20 wickets in these conditions.

“They were bowling with two and a half seamers to be honest and their gun bowler in Yasir Shah didn't get it right. That meant that they had to bowl part timers, and they aren't going to get you wickets,” Arthur said during a show in a local TV Channel. “This is Test cricket, this is why I keep harping on that they have to play five bowlers. Otherwise you're going to get exposed in these conditions. To win Tests, you need to take 20 wickets otherwise you won't win. I can't see Pakistan getting 20 wickets in these conditions.”

WATCH: Shaheen's comical fielding will leave you in splits

The former head coach lamented Pakistan’s lack of options in the bowling department as well which helps to build pressure on the opposition.

“I thought Pakistan were ragged in the field, your third and fourth bowler have gone for 170 in 27 overs when you've picked only four bowlers. They didn't exert any control and never built any pressure, it was a poor day all around for Pakistan,” he said.

Arthur praised fast-bowlers Shaheen Shah and Mohammad Abbas for their performance but was critical of debutant fast-bowler Musa Khan and leg-spinner Yasir Shah.

“Shaheen Shah Afridi looked good. Abbas has gone at under three giving an element of control, but he didn't look like getting a wicket and didn't attack the stumps, but he controlled the game to a point. Musa, disappointing,” he said. “He's 19 so it's a learning curve but it's tough to learn in Test cricket, there nowhere to hide. Yasir was disappointing; his plans were wrong, bowling at Warner's pads with men back. He never applied any pressure and took LBW and bowled out of the equation. It was just so disjointed.”

The former head coach was baffled by the strategies applied by the Men in Green in their encounter against Australia.

“I was bemused that Pakistan would have even thought of bowling first, luckily they didn't win the toss. You can’t think about bowling first at Adelaide, I can't believe that crossed their minds,” he concluded.