Opening rapport enables Watson to ease off on his bowling duties

Since being thrown together with Katich following Phillip Hughes's axing during last year's Ashes series, Watson has scored 716 runs at an average of 65.

The Katich-Watson union averages 71 and has given Australia a tremendous leg-up at the start of each innings. The pair proved instrumental in helping Australia to an emphatic victory in the opening Test against Pakistan, putting on a 180-run stand in the first innings before Watson added an unbeaten century in the second – his first in five-day cricket.

As Australia prepare to face Pakistan again in Sydney today, Watson is keen to establish himself as a regular opener – even if it means less bowling duties.

"My main job now is definitely as an opener," said Watson.

"The most important thing for me is to go out there and score runs and set up the innings for the team. I definitely see myself more as a batsman at the moment because of the role I am playing within the team.

"Simon and me are continuing building some good platforms for our team and that's what we're there for. We're having a lot of fun out there and we continue to grow and develop as an opening pair."

The second Test marks five years to the day since Watson made his Test debut, also against Pakistan, and he now understands the bond needed between openers, best illustrated by the strong partnership displayed by Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer for Australia in recent years.

"We've got a very good rapport – we always have – and being part of an opening partnership is something very unique to me and something I've never experienced before," added Watson.

"It's something that's increasingly more special to me and I do understand why there was such a big deal made about all the other opening combinations before."

While Australia will go into the SCG Test with an unchanged line-up, Pakistan have had to go back to the drawing board after crashing to a 170-run defeat in the first Test.

Captain Mohammad Yousuf fears too much Twenty20 cricket is to blame, warning that the emphasis on the shortest format of the game in his country threatened the long-term viability of Test and one-day cricket.

"It used to happen before but now because of Twenty20 cricket no player knows how to stay at the wicket anymore," said Yousuf.