When Pakistan landed in New Zealand for their two-match Test series earlier this month, they were the favourites to win, because of their bowling variety and experienced batting.

But New Zealand showed dominance from day one as Pakistani batsmen struggled against the green top seam-friendly strip and the Kiwis won the first Test by 8 wickets at Christchurch.

Pakistan were bowled out for just 133 and 171 runs. No batsman managed a fifty in the two innings.

It was the first occasion in a Test in New Zealand that all 30 wickets in the first three innings were taken by fast bowlers. It was also the first time that leg-spinner Yasir Shah remained wicket-less in a Test.

Winning and losing is part of the game, but the way Pakistani batsmen threw their wickets was disappointing. They got out mostly behind the stumps. Handling short balls was also very tough for them.

Pakistan’s Azhar Ali termed the Hagley Oval pitch the most seam-friendly strip he has ever played on. Pakistani players should not blame conditions for the loss at Christchurch. The pitch did not behave unexpectedly. Professional cricketers should be ready to face every challenge.

Pakistan coach Micky Arthur was unhappy with the batsmen’s defensive style. He wants aggressive approach from all the players. He says Pakistani batsmen are playing an outdated style of cricket.

Playing a large number of dot balls hurts the team. Our players lack the art of rotating the strike. They can either hit the ball or block it, Arthur says.

Openers Azhar and Sami Aslam put up a 21-run opening stand in 21 overs -- an extraordinary work. Azhar played 173 balls for his 31, while Sami scored 7 off 57 balls. This put a lot of pressure on the middle and lower order.

Pakistan Chief Selector Inzamam-ul Haq also realised the problem. "Our batsmen are used to playing on slow, dry tracks of the UAE. They need to tour more often countries like Australia and New Zealand to get used to the conditions," he says.

But the question is who will provide green top pitches to our players. The board and management are more responsible for this situation than players themselves. What can a player do when he is not used to the conditions he faces at the international level?

The board never provides the opportunity to domestic players to play their trophy matches on fast and grassy tracks.

In the domestic matches, the batsmen score tons of runs as they face little bounce and hardly any movement.

Every country prepares its pitches according to their own team’s strength, but Pakistan is most unfortunate in this. Pakistan has had the services of the world’s most lethal fast bowlers -- Wasim  Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar -- and has Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Khan, Rahat Ali and Junaid Khan at present, but the PCB hasn’t taken advantage of this.

In the second innings of the first Test against New Zealand, Younis Khan, Babar Azam and Misbah-ul-Haq fell to short-pitched deliveries. In that part of the world, Pakistani batsmen should expect that.

Pakistan cricket team’s next assignment is in Australia where conditions will not be much different from New Zealand. Pakistani batsmen, especially the top order, must be ready to face short balls from the Aussie pacers.

After being beaten by South Africa at home, Australian cricket team is under pressure. It is the best time for Pakistan to beat Australia on their soil.

Pakistan players should improve their performance and also overcome their weakness against short-pitched deliveries.