This will be the 18th Test between the two sides since the series started way back in 1956.

Mark Taylor, the Australian captain, in his Press talk at Rawalpindi on Wednesday stated that the pressure would be more on the Pakistani side to maintain their record. He was referring to Pakistan's record of not losing a Test to Australia at home for the last 39 years. Last time it was Richie Benaud squad which stunned Pakistan 2-0 during the 1959-60 series.

However, Pakistan skipper Aamir Sohail said whoever would exploit the conditions on the given day would take the lead. Although he maintained that the pressure of performing well was always there.

He said that the advantage of home wicket always lies with the hosts and cited examples of playing on bouncy tracks while in Australia and England after playing on slow wickets at home.

Aamir said that the game required team work for any positive result and that was exactly what his team would be aiming for during the games against Australia in the three-Test series.

The left-handed opening batsman, with an average of 37.01, stated that captaincy was just an added responsibility and in a professional sport like cricket one tries to do the best possible job.

Aamir praised the opponents as highly talented and said that a tough game was on the cards.

The Pakistan playing eleven will be announced on the morning of the Test. However, with the wicket, predicted to assist the spinners, Pakistan would definitely be playing both world class bowlers Mushtaq Ahmed, 160 wickets at the rate of 27.66 in 38 games, and Saqlain Mushtaq, 58 wickets at 33.75 in 15 tests. The inclusion of third spinner, Mohammad Hussain was ruled out since both Mushtaq and Saqlain can bowl long spells. If needed Aamir and Salim Malik can also bowl. Hussain was also hit under the right eye with a ball while later he cut his hand opening a bottle.

The pace attack is expected to be packed with top seamer Wasim Akram, Shoaib Aktar while Azhar Mehmood will be the third pacer. Aqib Javed who has not played a test since 1995 series against Sri Lanka, is likely to be left out. Waqar who is travelling with the side was not included in the probable list for the first Test.

``We have kept him with the side in order to help him get back into rhythm,'' Wasim Bari chairman selection committee said who added that final team will be announced after consultation with all the concerned members. Other selectors M. Salauddin and Shafiq Ahmed ``Papa'' were also present at the venue.

In batting there will be a tie between local hero Mohammad Wasim, who has played in 10 games with an average of 38.50 and Yousuf Youhanna who has represented Pakistan in three Tests with 31.83 average.

Taylor who made his debut as a captain of Australian team four years ago from the Pakistan tour, only to become the most successful Australian captain with 22 wins out of the 42 games, termed his experience a great one with the Pakistani side proving a formidable opponent.

The current Pakistan side was termed an equally tough blend which had the strength and depth both in bowling and batting. He gave both sides a 50-50 chance in the game.

Both the teams had a look at the pitch on Wednesday and termed it a flat track that would break a lot as the Test would progress.

However, Australian skipper Mark Taylor did not hide his astonishment over the condition of the pitch from a day before. ``There is certainly a lot lesser grass than what we saw a day before but I don't think it would break up because it looks pretty hard,'' he said.

Taylor added that they were discussing different combinations since there was a possible that the behaviour of the wicket may change in the next 24 hours. He maintained that this was the reason why they delayed the announcement of the team since they had to see what the pitch looked like at the start of the game.

In response, the Pakistan coach Javed Miandad lashed out at the foreign teams for criticising the preparation of wicket.

``We have played all over the world. They prepare the wickets which suit them. We have never criticised them,'' Miandad said.

Miandad was hopeful that the Pakistan team would blend into a winning combination after a fine start in the Sahara Cup against India.

``But, the team will have to work hard to get tuned up to the challenges of Test cricket which is totally different from the one-day game.''

Both the sides played down the boiling issue of match-fixing and betting on the eve of the first Test.

Basically, it is a little distracting for Mark Waugh whose name has repeatedly figured in the controversy, but we are here to play and enjoy cricket, Mark Taylor said.

He denied that there was any pressure on the team because of inquiries currently going on in Pakistan.

AUSTRALIA NAME TEAM: Australia are to play three spinners, with Colin Miller making his Test debut, in the Rawalpindi Test against Pakistan starting Thursday, according to AFP.

Off-spinner Gavin Robertson, batsman Ricky Ponting and paceman Michael Kasprowicz - who all played against India in the three-match series earlier in the year - are dropped.

The 34-year-old Miller bowls fastish off-breaks and earned a place in the Australian squad after taking 63 wickets for Tasmania in the Australian season.

Pakistan are also likely to play three spinners - leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed, off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq and left arm orthodox Mohammad Hussain.

Justin Langer, who hit an unbeaten century in the match against Karachi, gets the nod over Ponting.

AUSTRALIA: Mark Taylor (captain), Steve Waugh (vice captain), Michael Slater, Justin Langer, Mark Waugh, Darren Lehmann, Ian Healy, Damien Fleming, Stuart MacGill, Glenn McGrath and Colin Miller.

PAKISTAN: Aamir Sohail, Saeed Anwar, Saleem Malik, Inzimamul Haq, Yosuf Youhana, Moin Khan, Azhar Mehmood, Wasim Akram, Mushtaq Ahmed, Saqlain Mushtaq, Shoaib Ahktar.

MATCH REFEREE: Peter Vander Merwe (South Africa).

UMPIRES: Peter Willey (England), Javed Akhtar (Pakistan).