Aust didn't let Pakistan off hook: Warner

Dave Warner has denied Australia lack a ruthless streak after Pakistan's stirring fightback in the first Test at the Gabba.

The Australian vice-captain said he found it "bizarre" skipper Steve Smith had been criticised after Pakistan stormed back into the contest in the second innings, scoring 450 runs as they chased a target of 490.

Warner dismissed suggestions Pakistan would take momentum into the Boxing Day Test at the MCG on the back of their late heroics in Brisbane.

"We won the game at the end of the day so, if they can take confidence out of losing ... I don't know," Warner told reporters on Saturday.

"We won the game and it's a red ball now. Does the pink ball not stay hard enough? The red ball might have stayed harder for 40 or 50 overs. There are so many variables there.

"They played well but we know that Test match cricket comes down to that last day, that last hour.

"We've just got to let that one go and move on to Boxing Day. It's a red ball and it's a different game."

The Australian quicks carried a heavy workload as they attempted to close out the match and selectors must decide whether to bring in allrounder Hilton Cartwright to help out.

No.6 batsman Nic Maddinson is most at risk of making way, if Cartwright is to debut, after failing in his first three Test innings.

Warner's own form with the bat at Test level hasn't matched his blazing limited-overs output of late, but the opener isn't fazed.

"It's just a little bit of a cycle, I think," he said.

"I go out to try and put as many runs as I can on the board as I can. Same mindset, same process I go through with training (but), at the moment, I'm hitting them well in the nets but not making enough in the middle.

"The tide will change. Many players before have experienced the same thing. I've just got to keep a level head, a cool head, and make sure that I watch every ball as hard and as closely as I can."