"We are always optimists, but just that winning is a second priority now. We are well-placed barring that last wicket. The pitch is playing well, and it is up to us to play well on this pitch," Lawson said.

"First task is to avoid follow-on and that will save the game. Yes, it is a challenge, and the guys are geared up to take the challenge and that is what Test cricket is all about. It is a test for us and we hope to come through it," the Australian added.

Despite the ardent nature of the task ahead, Lawson sounded confident that they can avoid follow-on.
"We have to play well, and of course, we need some amount of luck as well. 417 needed to score, but some good batsmen to come. So we are confident we can do it (avoid follow on)," he said.

The heaving pounding that his bowlers received on the second day notwithstanding, Lawson refused to blame them.

"We bowled poorly on occasions and well on other occasions, and this pitch is an absolute batting paradise. Kaneria was outstanding, bowling 47 overs with not too many bad balls, and he was a bit unlucky as well. With a bit more luck he could have added couple of more (wickets)…. He had Ganguly early on. Luck was not going on his way. The bowlers had to just keep going. Mohammad Sami too did keep going. He kept it tight and still people criticise him for lack of wickets, and sometimes his shouts were given not out. We look it at a learning process," he said.

Lawson also criticised the docile nature of the pitch. "You play Test cricket on different surfaces. But the bowlers should have a chance of bowling the opposition out. Cricket's all about the balance between bat and ball. On pitches like this there's no balance at all. It's all in favour of the batsmen." 

On Shoaib Akhtar's inclusion in the team, Lawson said, "The guy is ill. We had a tough choice to make yesterday with the replacement (Arafat) not at the ground yet. We decided to go with Shoaib and he was keen to play. We got 24 overs out of him. Of course, we'd have liked him fully fit. But how do you think he'd have gone on that batting pitch anyway?"

Malik’s injury woes
Injured Pakistan captain Shoiab Malik, who missed the ongoing second Test opposite India, is still not out of the woods with the doctor putting the ankle under plaster as it was not healing fast.

“The injury was not healing fast. So the doctor advised that the foot be plastered for about a week,” Pakistan media manager Ehsan Malik said.

Asked whether the skipper was uncertain for the third Test beginning in Bangalore from December 8, Malik said: “We will know on December 6 when the plaster will be cut”.