'Want Yasir Shah to attack' – Sarfraz Ahmed

"When we played Australia in 2014 we played some attacking cricket," Ahmed told reporters ahead of the first Test on Sunday, 7 October. "Yasir is our main bowler so we will want him to attack and get us wickets to win the series.

"But we will not put extra pressure on him and will not want him to go in a defensive mode, so other bowlers will have to support him."

The weight on Shah is likely to be more with Shadab Khan, Shah’s fellow leg-spinner, ruled out of the opening Test in Dubai with injury. On pitches that favour the turning ball, Pakistan might hand a Test debut to Bilal Asif, the off-spinner, and count on all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez’s spin bowling as well.

Australia didn’t face any spin in their warm-up game, but called in wrist-spinners from India to help them in the nets. Tim Paine, the captain, was aware of the threat posed by someone like Yasir, who has Big Bash League experience behind him as well.

"Yasir is clearly a world-class bowler who's got a phenomenal record at this ground in Dubai. We're going to have to take everything we've been working on," said Paine.

But, unlike 2014, when Australia last played in the UAE, they too have in their side a world-class spinner. Nathan Lyon struggled on his previous tour, taking just three wickets, but he’s since grown tremendously.

He took 8/103 in the drawn tour game in Dubai earlier this week, and last year had 41 wickets in India and Bangladesh. Ahmed admitted he would pose a different challenge.

"We attacked him four years ago and at that time we had great batsmen in Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq," said the Pakistan captain. "Four years on he is a better bowler so he will be their main bowler and a challenge for us.”

But, he added that his team, who drew their series in England, is up to the task. "Australia want to focus on an improved performance in Asia, so that's their challenge while our focus and challenge is to play good cricket and win the series.”