Though 312 is not a safe total on this wicket, Pakistan would want to bank on the good showing of the pace attack in Australia to break through the Indian top order.

After the moisture vaporised 90 minutes from start of play, the ball came onto the bat easily making for comfortable stroke play but Pakistan had lost one wicket too many - openers Salman Butt, Taufiq Umar and vice-captain Younis Khan were gone before lunch.

Irfan Pathan appeared rusty after a long lay-off but made Yousuf Youhana appear hunted - and haunted - at the crease before finding his edge. That left Inzamam fighting a lone battle.

The arrival of Kamal to the wicket stabilised things for the tourists. With Inzamam comfortable at one end, Kamal at the other end batted industriously with his deft touches and well-placed singles. All the bowlers could do was stay patient.

That paid off when leggie Anil Kumble trapped Inzamam in front and at 156-5 with half the quota of overs yet to be bowled, it seemed the match was a ‘goner’ for Pakistan.

But there is a resoluteness to this Pakistan team that was missing for much of the series last year. Kamal led the way, digging in deep to carve a knock under pressure with half the side back in the pavilion. He also offered further proof that a specialist batsman is always a better bet than an all-rounder at the crucial number six position.

Batting with a calm beyond the number of Test innings that he has played, Kamal got Pakistan closer to the 300-run mark. And surely he earned the sympathy of all when he missed out on his maiden Test century for the third time after Balaji bowled him nine short of the hundred-mark.

Pakistan's lack of match practise and fragile middle order was thoroughly exposed by the Indian seamers. They probably will not appreciate it now but there was an irony in their chaotic innings, coming as it did in India's best-planned city.