DUBAI: Surviving the wiles of Pakistan spinner Yasir Shah is Australia’s ‘number one plan’ in the upcoming Test series in the United Arab Emirates, veteran paceman Peter Siddle has said.

Yasir played a key role in Australia’s unravelling during the last UAE tour in 2014, when the leg-spinner took 12 wickets at an average of 17.25 to drive the hosts to a thumping 2-0 win in the two-Test series.

Four years later, a raw Australia squad has returned to the Gulf state without two of their best batsmen in the suspended Steve Smith and David Warner, and would appear vulnerable to another spin-bowling assault from Sarfraz Ahmed’s team.

Looking to counter Yasir and 19-year-old prodigy Shadab Khan, Australia have re-hired spin bowling consultant Sridharan Sriram and flown in two Indian wrist-spinners, including Pardeep Sahu, who has played for Indian Premier League side Kings XI Punjab.

Siddle said the tourists had spent plenty of time in the Dubai heat working out ways to deal with leg-spin and Yasir, specifically.

“He’s [Yasir] going to play a big part,” said Siddle. “Spin bowling in this series is going to play a massive part. I think it’s going to be a tough contest. He bowled well against us last series over here. He took a lot of wickets, so I think it’s going to be number one plan to keep him out. “But he’s not the only one we’ve got to focus on as we get closer.”

Recalled to the Test squad for the first time in two years, 33-year-old Siddle expects to play a support role behind Australia’s own spinners but believes the Dubai wicket could be more lively than usual after hosting the ongoing Asia Cup.

“I think the last series we came here, the wicket was a bit more flat,” he said. “It sort of took a few days to actually break up but this series it looks like it’s going to break up a lot earlier so spin is going to play a part.”

Under new captain Tim Paine and recently appointed coach Justin Langer, Australia will hope to build cohesion on the tour ahead of their home series against India later in the year.

With regulars Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins ruled out of the tour by injury, Siddle said he felt his experience was an important factor in his recall as the team strives to forge a new identity.

“From an outside point of view, the side probably in the last little bit maybe lacked a little bit of leadership,” he said. “I think without having the captaincy or vice-captaincy or any of those terms, it’s just about being a leader in my own right, doing what I do, lead by example and just help out the young guys.”

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2018