Younis leads Pakistan fightback vs Australia with 25th ton

Younis Khan led Pakistan's fightback with a dogged century after the hosts made a terrible start to the first Test against Australia in Dubai on Wednesday.

After opting to bat first, Pakistan put up 219 for four wickets at stumps on the first day, with captain Misbah-ul-haq (34) and Asad Shafiq (9) at the crease.

- Scorecard

The 36-year-old Younis fell on 106, leg before to Australia pace spearhead Mitchell Johnson's second delivery with the second new ball.

He walked in at number four with Pakistan having lost both their openers before the total had reached double figures.

The stylish right-hander propped his side up with a 108-run stand for the third wicket with Azhar Ali (53) and then added 83 for the next with Misbah.

He hit 10 fours during his 223-ball knock and got to his 25th Test hundred with a huge six off spinner Nathan Lyon over mid-wicket.

Azhar gave his senior batsman able support before he drove Johnson in the air and was caught by Alex Doolan at cover for Australia's only success in the second session.

Australia captain Michael Clarke used Johnson (three for 22) in short spells and the left-armer bowled with pace and venom to trouble the batsmen on the slow pitch at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Johnson also struck in the first over of the match -- hitting the toe of Mohammad Hafeez with a fast, in-swinging yorker to dismiss the right-handed batsman for a duck.

Hafeez, returning from a hand injury that ruled him out of the one-day international series against the same opponents, reviewed the umpire's decision but was unsuccessful.

Peter Siddle, back in the Australian team after being dropped in South Africa earlier this year, then struck with the first delivery of his second over, and the fourth of the morning, when he bowled out Ahmed Shehzad for three.

Shehzad walked too far across his stumps as the ball crashed into his leg stump, reducing Pakistan to seven for two before Azhar and Younis started the recovery .

Pakistan, without banned off-spinner Saeed Ajmal, handed Test debuts to fast bowler Imran Khan and leg-spinner Yasir Shah in a new-look bowling attack.

Australia also handed first caps to fast-bowling all-rounder Mitchell Marsh and left-arm bowler Steve O'Keefe, who paired up with Nathan Lyon in a two-pronged spin attack.

Australia will reclaim the world number one Test ranking from South Africa with a 2-0 win over Pakistan, who host matches in the United Arab Emirates due to security concerns back home.