Spin to win as Aussies prepare for Sri Lanka challenge

Had any doubt existed over the principal challenge Australia expects in Sri Lanka over two upcoming Test matches, it was clearly and clinically dispelled in their initial preparatory training session held in Dubai yesterday (20/1).

Across the three hours the 11 available members of the 16-man Test squad spent practicing at the ICC Academy, not a single delivery was sent down by a bona fide fast bowler.

As per the rationale for preparing in the UAE's northern hemisphere winter as opposed to Australia pitches at the height of the home summer, the focus is unashamedly acclimatising to a diet of unrelenting spin.

When Marnus Labuschagne – in his historically habitual role as 'last man batting' – asked to round out his nets session yesterday with an over or two of pace, the only available option was men's team coach Andrew McDonald wielding a 'wanger' (sidearm throwing aid).

Earlier in the first-of-five training hit-outs to be held at the venue before the squad flies to Sri Lanka on Friday, Labuschagne had effectively flagged what lies ahead by ditching the seam-up medium-pace he bowled during the home Test summer in favour of quickish leg breaks.

He was among the five bowlers to operate in the centre-wickets nets, with all of them being spinners – Nathan Lyon (who sent down a brief spell), Todd Murphy, Nathan McSweeney and Cooper Connolly.

The half a dozen net bowlers who supplemented the touring party's stocks on the main arena and in the adjacent nets precinct were all finger spinners, with the only additional air speed provided by throw downs from McDonald and his assistant coaches.

Keeper Alex Carey honed his skills up at the stumps to the spinners, while auxiliary gloveman Josh Inglis completed additional fitness work on top of his batting and fielding drills given he's not played competitively since suffering a mild calf strain during the Boxing Day Test.

While the absence from action of quicks Scott Boland and Sean Abbott – whose sole involvement after fielding drills was with bats in hand – was doubtless partly due to workload management, it's clear Australia are preparing for trial-by-spin in Sri Lanka.

The greater unknown will be the conditions that await at Galle where both Tests matches of the Warne-Muralidaran Trophy series will be played starting January 29 and February 6.

Australia have won just two of the eight Tests they have played in Sri Lanka since Ricky Ponting’s team (in his first series as skipper) completed a 3-0 clean sweep in 2004.

January is traditionally the driest month in the southern coastal city of Galle with an average rainfall of around 80mm.

However, so far this year rain has fallen most days with more than double the monthly average – around 206mm – already recorded inside the first three weeks of January.

It is doubtful that deluge will result in live grass appearing on the Galle pitch given Sri Lanka's preference for spin-friendly tracks.

But with further rain forecast for most days prior to the opening Test getting underway, there's a strong chance the surfaces will be low and slow.

The pitches prepared at the ICC Academy were dry but flat on the first day of Australia's week-long training regime, but are expected to exhibit more pronounced turn as foot traffic increases across coming days.

The top three batters from the final two Tests in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Series triumph over India – Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas and Labuschagne – were the first into the nets yesterday, although that does not necessarily reflect plans for the Sri Lanka sojourn.

Vice-captain Travis Head, who has been cited as a potential opening partner for Khawaja in Galle, only walked laps of the Academy ground today having arrived in Dubai very early on Monday morning.

And the pace bowling complement will be bolstered in coming days when Test spearhead Mitchell Starc and newly capped allrounder Beau Webster join the squad for their first outings of the tour.

Skipper Steve Smith was another absentee from yesterday's inaugural session having received the all-clear to travel on Monday after examination by a specialist of the right elbow injury he sustained while fielding in a BBL fixture last week.

The other member of the squad who won't be involved in the Dubai training camp is left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann, who remains in Australia while recovering from a fractured right thumb he also sustained while playing BBL.

It is hoped that Kuhnemann will return to bowling in coming days and, should he receive the green light to travel and subsequently prove his fitness for the Test series, will likely join the squad in Sri Lanka.

Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka

Australia Test squad: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Travis Head (vc), Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster

First Test: January 29-February 2, Galle (3.30pm AEDT)

Second Test: February 6-10, Galle (3.30pm AEDT)

First ODI: February 12, Colombo (3.30pm AEDT)

Second ODI: February 14, Colombo (3.30pm AEDT)