Imran Farhat giving confidence to Ponting (weird or stupid)

Pakistan batsman Imran Farhat has dismissed suggestions Ricky Ponting might be getting more susceptible to the short ball, saying the Australian captain was still a "fantastic" player.

Ponting, who suffered tendon damage when struck on the elbow from a brutish delivery by Windies quick Kemar Roach last week, will undergo a fitness Test on Wednesday to determine whether he'll be fit to play in the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan.

Phillip Hughes is on standby should Ponting be unavailable but regardless Farhat didn't think the Tasmanian's capabilities were on the wane.

"I don't think he is getting weak on this point," Farhat said.

"I think he is a fantastic batsman and he has a lot of achievements.

"So don't I agree he is becoming a weak player, because he has injured elbow, so maybe that was bothering him. Otherwise he is fantastic player."

Farhat admitted he hadn't seen much of Hughes.

"Obviously he (Hughes) is an experienced player and if some new player comes in to replace Ricky Ponting it will be pressure for that person," Farhat said.

"It will be good for us in many ways, but I hope he (Ponting) will get better because he is dangerous."

The often erratic Pakistan are primed for a strong first-up display against Australia after their bowlers and batsmen impressed in the warm-up match against Tasmania.

"Everybody is very focused on the match," Farhat told reporters in Hobart on Tuesday before departing for Melbourne.

"All the players are very good at the moment.

"We are hoping that we will be able to deliver 100 per cent.

"And because there is not much Test match cricket going on for us we are looking forward to the series and we are totally focused on winning the match for our country."

While on-field behaviour issues won't go away for Australia, Farhat said the Pakistan players are under orders to behave.

Though he did concede sometimes it was difficult to keep emotions in check.

"When you get excited like that you don't know what you are doing sometimes. It's hard to control yourself," he said.

"But we try to be good ambassadors here and not do these sort of things.

"We've been told by management that we have to behave and just come and play cricket and entertain the people and after that they remember us in a good way."