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Pakistan have received a boost on day two of the second Test against Australia with skipper and wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed overcoming an elbow injury.

Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed has shrugged off injury concerns and retained the wicketkeeping gloves on day two of the second Test against Australia.

Sarfraz had been in serious doubt to continue in Abu Dhabi after a Mitchell Starc bouncer left him with bruising and swelling on his left elbow.

A serious injury such as a fracture had not been ruled out on Tuesday night with Sarfraz conceding his elbow was too swollen to receive scans.

But Sarfraz donned the gloves when Australia resumed at 2-20 on Wednesday morning in response to Pakistan's 282.

The Pakistan skipper was dismissed by part-time legspinner Marnus Labuschagne for 94 soon after copping the fearsome bouncer from Starc late on day one.

But he showed tremendous fortitude to don the gloves and snare a brilliant one-handed catch diving to his right to dismiss Usman Khawaja (three) off the bowling of Mohammad Abbas.

Sporting a heavy compression bandage in his post-match press conference, Sarfraz confirmed Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur had spoken to umpire Richard Illingworth about reserve Mohammad Rizwan potentially playing as a substitute wicketkeeper.

Substitute fielders had been prevented from donning the wicketkeeping gloves until an overhaul of the laws of the game last year.

"At the moment, the swelling is too much (for scans)," Sarfraz said.

"I think had it been more forceful then I would not have been able to bat properly after that but I hope that with icing it will get better."

Sarfraz combined with debutant opener Fakhar Zaman (94) to spearhead a Pakistan counter-attack after Nathan Lyon's stunning morning spell left the hosts reeling at 5-57.

The skipper admitted he had been surprised by an unusually lively Abu Dhabi pitch and had felt taking the attack to Australia was his only option.

"Obviously when we had 5-57 there was too much pressure," Sarfraz said.

"It was a tough situation as a captain. We didn't know what had happened, so it was a tough session to complete.

"Then we planned to attack because it was no use playing dot balls considering the situation of the pitch."