Daijiworld Media Network

Abu Dhabi, Oct 14: Hello and welcome to the first Test between Pakistan and South Africa. The World No. 1 Test team are back in action after a long time. Most of their players (Smith, Kallis, Amla) were out injured and have not played competitive cricket in a while. They will be looking to get into the groove and set the tone as early as possible. As for Pakistan, they will have to put the Zimbabwe tour behind them and get their A game out if they have to beat this mighty South African team.

Pitch Report: 'It is a dry pitch. There is a bit of grass on the surface. The batsmen will like batting on this wicket. It will start turning from Day 4 onwards. The team winning the toss will like to bat first and put up a big total on board', says Kepler Wessels.

Duminy makes a comeback into the national team after almost a year. His last test was the Gabba Test against Australia in November, 2012 where he injured himself on the first day in the field and South Africa were reduced to a 10-man team for the rest of the match. They did go on to save the Test and won the series with a convincing victory in the decider at Perth.

South Africa have won the toss and have opted to bat

Misbah: 'We would have batted first. We are playing two spinners. We are used to these conditions. We have beaten some top teams here. I am not sure about the surface. It looks like it will slow down as the match progresses, and will increasingly aid the spinners. We need to bat well. It has been one area where we can improve. We have an excellent bowling attack. Two debutants for us today. Shan Masood and Zulfiqar Babar make their debuts. Unfortunately for Abdur Rehman, he is out with a sore back.'

Smith: 'We will bat. The ball might do a bit in the morning session, batting first is the way to go here. We have worked hard on our fitness. A little bit nervous, this is our first Test since a while. We are playing a regulation team. Jacques Kallis looked good at Sharjah in the warm-up encounter. We are all feeling good and ready to go.'

Teams:

Pakistan (Playing XI): Shan Masood, Khurram Manzoor, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq(c), Asad Shafiq, Adnan Akmal(w), Saeed Ajmal, Zulfiqar Babar, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan

South Africa (Playing XI): Graeme Smith(c), Alviro Petersen, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers(w), Jean-Paul Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel

Stat: This is also Morne Morkel's 50th Test. He would like to make it a memorable Test.

It is also Masood's birthday today. A lovely present indeed from the team management.

Masood: 'I feel like I am living a dream. I never expected to make my debut here against the World Champions. I am not worried about facing their pacers. All I need is to concentrate on my batting. We had some good practise sessions in the warm-up game and hopefully that will keep us in good stead.'

Team News: Two debutants for Pakistan. Shan Masood and Zulfiqar Babar will make their Test debuts.

Reminder: Last time these two teams met in South Africa the result was a 3-0 whitewash by the hosts.

Match preview :

South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis cannot wait to get back into Test action as the Proteas gear up for the start of the first Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi on Monday.

The 37-year-old has not featured in a Test since February - also against Pakistan - and has not been involved in international limited-overs cricket since early 2012 after making himself unavailable for the Champions Trophy in England and the one-day series in Sri Lanka.

He looked as though he had never been away, however, as he scored an impressive 70 in the three-day warm-up match against Pakistan A at Sharjah, and will head into his 163rd Test refreshed and raring to go.

'It's probably what I needed,' he said of his break.

'After the Indian Premier League (in May) I felt I needed some time to get away from the game.

'It was after some 17 or 18 years that I felt I needed a good three months away and it was a pleasurable period where I could refresh and get little niggles sorted out.

'I got to do what most people do on weekends - spend time with friends, play some golf, catch up doing some stuff at home.

'But I did not watch any cricket.'

And Kallis, who has racked up six Test centuries against Pakistan, clearly feels his game has benefited from the rest.

'I spent a lot of time doing fitness work and two weeks hitting the ball and also bowling,' he said, quoted on www.iol.co.za.

'I'm probably hitting the ball better than I ever did. I think I'm back to playing the best cricket of my life.

'From that point it's been two weeks of good work and I feel I'm in a good space. It gives me a lot of confidence going into the Test match.

'I got into the groove quite nicely and quickly.

'I'm feeling good. There's no stiffness and I'm really looking forward to the challenges that lay ahead.'

Meanwhile, Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal will be hoping history repeats itself when he pits himself against the world's top-ranked Test team having wreaked havoc against England when they held that title last year.

'I will try my best and want to be the number one Test bowler,' Ajmal was quoted as saying on www.thenews.com.pk.

Ajmal's 24-wicket haul against England took him briefly to the summit of the bowling rankings, but he has since slipped to fourth.

'Every day is a new day for me and every match is a new match,' said Ajmal, who turns 36 on Monday.

'I try my best in every match and want to perform in the same manner as I did in the last one without taking on extra pressure.'

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq believes Ajmal will have to raise his game to gain the same sort of results against South Africa as he managed against England.
'I think it will be a big challenge for Ajmal,' Misbah said at the unveiling of the series trophy on Saturday.

'He was new to England and that's why they struggled against him. South Africans have played him more, so it's a big challenge for Ajmal and he will have to lift his bowling because he is up against a team who plays him well.'

The two-Test series concludes in Dubai from October 23, after which the teams will contest five one-day and two Twenty20 internationals.