The sandy base around the Dubai pitch could bring reverse swing into play in a major way in the first Test between Pakistan and Australia starting on Wednesday.

But Australia captain Michael Clarke, while stressing to his batsmen that they need to be prepared for spin and reverse swing in the Arabian desert conditions, says he’s not sure how the conditions will affect the ball.

“I have absolutely no idea. I know nothing about sand,” Clarke told his pre-match media conference on Tuesday.

“I don’t really care if the game is over in two days, as long as we win.”

The previous Test in Dubai in January 2014 went into a fifth day.

Sri Lanka sent Pakistan in and bowled the home side out for 165, led by spinner Rangana Herath’s 3-26. Sri Lanka replied with 388 and eventually won by nine wickets.

Clarke says he may have to modify his aggressive style of captaincy which has yielded 19 wins and seven draws from 37 matches including series victories over England and South Africa in 2014.

“My style of captaincy is to try to win the game so that won’t change,” Clarke said.

“If it means I’ve got to be more aggressive with fields, if it means I’ve got to be less aggressive at times to build pressure, then I’ll have to do that as well.

“I don’t think the wicket’s going to have much pace in it.

“It’s going to be a war of attrition.

“As the wicket deteriorates, reverse swing, spin play such a vital part so we need to be able to combat that when we’re batting but also use it to our advantage when we’re bowling.”

Clarke says he’s not bothered that he scored only 15 runs in last week’s four-day game against Australia A.

The skipper was rested from the one-day series against Pakistan earlier this month because of a sore hamstring.

Clarke made 68 not out in a one-day game against hosts Zimbabwe in August and a duck and 161 not out in the Cape Town Test against South Africa in March.

“So in my last three bats I think I’m doing okay in regards to form,” Clarke said.

“The experience that I have, the amount of cricket I’ve played, I don’t think not scoring many runs in a practice match recently is going to have too much effect.”

Pace-bowling allrounder Mitchell Marsh and left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe are tipped to make their Test debuts for Australia on Wednesday.

Australia can regain the top ranking with a 2-0 series victory over Pakistan.