The Black Caps cricketers have been left with plenty to ponder after a big defeat to Australia in the first Test in Perth.

Ross Taylor might be drawing a long bow in his reasoning but he says the Black Caps have form in coming back from losing the first test of a series away from home.

The Black Caps senior batsman knows his side are up against it after being thrashed in the opening match of the three-test series against Australia in Perth last week.

And it's unlikely to get any easier in Melbourne when the second test gets underway on Boxing Day, starting next Thursday.

PHOTOSPORT Ross Taylor says the Black Caps need to improve in all areas.

However, Taylor said the fact New Zealand had lost the first test against Sri Lanka in Galle before bouncing back to level the two-match series in Colombo shows it can be done.

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"Not that long ago we lost our first match against Sri Lanka and we came back and won the next test," Taylor said after the Black Caps touched down in Melbourne on Tuesday.

That may be motivation for the team itself but it's unlikely to inspire confidence within Black Caps fans.

With all due respect to Sri Lanka's bowling stocks, they cannot be compared to a line up of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, James Pattinson and Nathan Lyon.

But that aside, Taylor is still backing his side to stand up.

"How we come back as a team is very crucial and we back ourselves to come back hard," Taylor said.

AP PHOTO Ross Taylor says it was disapointing New Zealand's batsmen didn't help their bowlers out by batting longer.

Taylor admitted the Black Caps top order needed to stand up if New Zealand were a chance of locking the series up at one apiece but he says they need to improve in more than just the run-scoring stakes.

"Obviously the batters didn't step up as much as we would have liked and obviously batting a bit longer would have given our bowlers more of a chance," Taylor said.

"But we've got to improve on all areas. We dropped a couple of catches as well that we would normally take."

He also feels the time between games and the occasion will help inspire the Black Caps.

AP PHOTO New Zealand's Ross Taylor says the Black Caps batsman failed to stand up in Perth.

"It's a 10-day turnaround to what's going to be probably one of the biggest games of most of the guys' lives, playing in a Boxing Day test."

Taylor played down concerns about the MCG pitch following a game being called off because it was too dangerous earlier this month.

"I'm sure they would have sorted that out over the last week or so," he said.

"We've played there, it's a pretty good wicket but we'll just have to wait and see and adapt to whatever wicket we're given on Boxing Day."