Australia declared their first innings on 556 for nine and then skittled out Pakistan for 148 to seize control of the second Test in Karachi on Monday.
India have managed to keep a tight rein on Smith.
Sri Lanka fined 40 percent of match fee for slow-over rate in second T20 against Australia
Captain Joe Root has already plundered an English record 1,630 Test runs in 2021 and has two half-centuries in the Ashes series so far with 89 in Brisbane and 62 in Adelaide as his side slipped to two heavy defeats.
Khawaja and Smith steadied the ship batting through the second session.
Imam-ul-Haq hit a memorable first Test century on Friday and led Pakistan to a commanding 245-1 in its first home Test against Aus in 24 years
India's injury woes deepened on the opening day of the fourth Test against Australia at the Gabba on Friday as pacer Navdeep Saini was forced to come off the field after lunch following an apparent groin issue.
In the longest format of the game, Babar is ranked fifth in the world, behind Australia's Marnus Labuschagne and the 'Big Four' of India's Virat Kohli, England's Joe Root, Australia's Steve Smith and New Zealand's Kane Williamson.
'I'll definitely talk to the likes of Usman Khawaja and Joe Burns to get a gauge of (the Pakistani bowlers') skills and the way they go about their games'.
Images from Day 2 of the third Test between Australia and India, at the SCG, on Friday.
Pat Cummins took a five-wicket haul in a dream start to his Australia captaincy as England were skittled for 147 by tea at the Gabba before rain brought the opening day of the Ashes to an early close.
The 34-year-old took the prized wickets of Imam-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali and Babar Azam to end Pakistan's resistance and finished with figures of 5-83 in Pakistan's second innings.
Ishan Kishan has made a massive jump to enter the top 10 among T20 batters.
The opening match of the series begins in Brisbane on December 8, with Australia playing their first Test since losing to India in January.
Images from Day 1 of the third Test between Australia and India at the SCG, on Thursday.
Concerns that senior players would pull out of the tour due to security issues after both England and New Zealand withdrew from tours of Pakistan late last year have proven unfounded.
Images from the second ODI between England and Australia, at Old Trafford in Manchester, on Sunday
India were 36 for one at stumps, with debutant Shubman Gill 28 not out and Cheteshwar Pujara on seven after the loss of opener Mayank Argarwal for a duck, after dismissing Australia for 195.
Australia's Marnus Labuschagne is bracing for "heaps and heaps of cricket" once the coronavirus pandemic subsides, the prolific top order batsman said on Saturday. The global health crisis has halted international sports, postponing several bilateral cricket series and jeopardising this year's Twenty20 World Cup scheduled in October-November in Australia.
Australia bundled out Sri Lanka for 212 but endured a top order wobble of their own before reaching 98/3 in reply after a frenetic, spin-dominated day one of the opening Test in Galle on Wednesday.
'I think they need to have a good look at how they're playing.'
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson (919) continued to lead the batting charts, with the Australian duo of Steve Smith (891) and Marnus Labuschagne (878) rounding up the top three.
Australia were bowled out for 195 on the opening day of the Test with pacer Jasprit Bumrah and off-spinner R Ashwin sharing seven wickets between them.
Bumrah removed Australia openers Joe Burns and Matthew Wade for eight runs apiece in quick succession before tea, however, and Ashwin (4-55) drove home the advantage after the break.
Azhar Ali hit his fourth Test ton against Australia as Pakistan piled on 476-4 before declaring
Cameron Green suffered a mild concussion after being hit on the head by a shot from Jasprit Bumrah
Rohit Sharma will certainly leave a gaping hole at the top of the order, something that skipper Virat Kohli wouldn't have fancied at the onset of a gruelling two-month tour.
The Hyderabad bowler thanked stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane for 'trusting the youngsters and showing confidence in me.'
Steve Smith was struck by a Jofra Archer bouncer in the first innings at Lords and was replaced by 'concussion sub' Marnus Labuschagne for the second innings.
After left-armer Afridi's two early wickets, Australia could have been in even deeper trouble but Pakistan failed to capitalise on chances offered by Khawaja and Smith.
Images from Day 2 of the second Test between India and Australia, at the Arun Jaitley stadium in Delhi, on Friday.
Images from Day 2 of the first Test between Australia and New Zealand in Perth on Friday
The plan was to vary the pace of his deliveries and create angles, since there was not much turn on offer, said all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja after his four-wicket haul enabled India dismiss Australia for 338 on Day 2 of the third Test, in Sydney, on Friday.
From a lower order batsman to one of Australia's prolific Test run-getters, Marnus Labuschange has carved his spot in the Australian line-up. The highest run-scorer in a calendar year in Test cricket in 2019, 'mind-blowing' Labuschange is now looking to break into the one-day team for the tour of India.
The spinner could not justify his selection and leaked 95 from his 11 overs for the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne.
'We tried to be positive and play our shots. The team needed this knock, so I tried to bat for as long as I could.'
Babar Azam's glorious unbeaten 102 kept Pakistan alive but Australia remained on course for victory in the second Test in Karachi on Tuesday.
Langer said Australia are going with the same playing XI for the second Test unless and until something happens over the next few days.
Australia have named the following 17-man squad for the five-Test Ashes series against England, which begins at Edgbaston on Aug. 1.
Australia batsman Marnus Labuschagne said there has not been any talk about him opening the batting in the first Test against India but he is ready to bat at that slot if the team management asks him to do so.
