It has not been a memorable return to the dry and lifeless pitches of Asia for Australia, who, apart from a four-over burst at the start of the match, have been outplayed by their unfancied rivals.

Honours had been even entering the second day of the first Test, but Pakistan batted themselves into a powerful position thanks to a dashing century from wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed.

The 27-year-old's second Test ton was reminiscent of the type of knock Adam Gilchrist used to play, extinguishing any hope Australia had of avoiding an imposing run chase.

Pakistan were able to make 454 thanks to Sarfraz's 109 off 105 balls. His explosive contribution came after the foundation was laid by Younis Khan's dogged century on day one and useful contributions from Misbah-ul-Haq and Asad Shafiq - the pair blunting the second new ball which Australia had felt would be crucial.

David Warner's unbeaten 75 off 77 balls - his sixth consecutive Test score in excess of 50 - carried Australia to 0-113 at stumps.

But the visitors will have to overcome their frailties against spin if they are to make a fist of the game, especially as they will have to bat last on a pitch expected to take more turn late.

They have been helped by the absence of banned spinner Saeed Ajmal, whose mysterious spin would have proved difficult to combat on a wearing third-day pitch.

Fortunately for Australia, Pakistan's two specialist slow bowlers - left-armer Zulfiqar Babar and leggie Yasir Shah - both turn the ball away from the right-hander, minimising the impact of the deepening foot marks.

Warner's counter-attack will have encouraged Australia's batsmen though scoring is expected to become more difficult as the ball softens.

But Rogers, not out on 31, found the going more difficult. He was put down on 13 by Younis Khan at first slip after misjudging Babar's lack of turn.

The Australian attack paid dearly for their lack of penetration from their spin duo Nathan Lyon and Stephen O'Keefe.

From the fourth over of the game until midway through the middle session of day two, Pakistan amassed 408 runs for the loss of just three wickets.

Although Lyon bowled better than his figures of 2-148 suggest, he failed to collect a wicket until his 37th over and the final ball before tea on the second day.

Things may have been different for the off-spinner had Alex Doolan held on to a relatively straightforward chance off Shafiq when on nine.

It cost Australia dearly as the Pakistan No.6 made 89 and shared crucial stands with his captain Misbah and the belligerent Sarfraz.

It also denied Lyon the chance to bowl at the lower order at a time when the ball was new and his confidence up.

O'Keefe claimed the consolation wickets of Shafiq and Yasir, after Pakistan had passed their goal of 400, though there were real concerns he would emerge wicketless in his first Test innings.

In fact, Australia's frontline spin duo did not strike until their 61st over - a sobering fact considering part-timer Steve Smith struck in his fifth over with his trash or treasure brand of leg-spin.

Despite the pitch not suiting, Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle were clearly Australia's most threatening bowlers.

Survival was the name of the game for Pakistan when Johnson had the ball in his hand. Although the left-armer was wicketless on Thursday, he proved extremely difficult to score from as his figures of 3-38 from 30 overs would attest.

Australia did not break through until the 23rd over of the day when Smith struck after enticing Misbah to play an unruly swipe to Johnson in the deep.

Although Misbah, who batted for four-and-a-quarter hours, met an ugly demise, his preparedness to hit over the top against spin had been a key to his innings.

His willingness to attack Lyon early on Thursday came at a time when the off-spinner threatened to crack the game open.