Khawaja dismisses momentum talk

Melbourne - Australia batsman Usman Khawaja doesn't put much stock in talk of Pakistan having all the momentum heading in to the second Test in Melbourne on Boxing Day.

The left-hander insists Australia are confident and in good shape to put themselves 2-0 up in the three match series after winning the first Test by 39 runs in Brisbane.

When asked about Pakistan's momentum Khawaja replied: "I don't think that matters - it's a different ground, different conditions, and you can't really measure momentum, can you? I'm not sure if it exists."

Khawaja admitted that the team have addressed the way the Brisbane Test ended and will look to close games out better in future but also insisted that they don't mind winning ugly.

The batsman went on: "There are always things we can do better, no matter what game, but ... we still won.

 "It doesn't matter what you win by - you don't get any more points for winning earlier, later, even though it's nicer to win earlier.

"If you gave me the same result in this game, I'd take it."

Khawaja did however give props to Pakistan for the way they fought back and ran Australia close in Brisbane.

The Pakistan-born Baggy Green added: "We weren't playing at our best and they were playing very well, that's what it's all about.

"We led the game the whole way through, we sort of controlled it the whole way through."

After naming an unchanged squad for the Boxing Day Test the selectors added Hilton Cartwright to the mix a few days later with the hope of perhaps taking the load off some of the bowlers.

Khawaja was on the fence about Cartwright's inclusion but was content to leave his inclusion or exclusion from the XI up to the selectors.

He would add: "I can see where they're going with it.

 "I don't know - there's so much that goes into it in terms of how the bowlers are feeling, what's happening, whether they are 100 per cent.

"Fast bowlers never seem like they're 100 percent because their bodies go through so much.

"It will be up to the selectors, that's why they get paid the big bucks."