ABU DHABI: Pakistan will be looking to maintain its impeccable recent record in the United Arab Emirates when it meets Sri Lanka in the first of the three-test series from Tuesday.

Pakistan has lost only one test match out of 10 in the UAE since its home games were shifted to the gulf country due to security reasons in March 2009 when South Africa beat them in October to level the series 1-1.

Captain Misbah-ul-Haq tuned up for the longer format with a 3-2 win in the one-day series against Sri Lanka, which will be playing a test match after a nine-month break.

Misbah believes he has a bowling attack to challenge the opposition, which will be strengthened with the return of left-arm spinner Rangana Herath and Mahela Jayawardene. Herath missed the ODI series due to the death of his mother earlier this month while Jayawardene was given paternity leave.

"They are a top (test) side and competitive one to play with, so you need to be at your best to do well against them," Misbah said.

"We have a kind of bowlers who can really challenge the opposition and I am confident we are going to put a good show."

Pakistan has the lethal spin duo of Saeed Ajmal and Abdul Rehman, who played major role in Pakistan's 3-0 rout of then No. 1 England in the test series in UAE last year.

Sri Lanka also lost the test series 1-0 here in 2011 despite Kumar Sangakkara scoring 516 runs.

Pakistan will be looking to give a winning send off to coach Dav Whatmore, who will be leaving after the test series against Sri Lanka. Whatmore hasn't tasted a victory in the test series since being appointed coach in March 2012.

Under Whatmore's coaching, Pakistan lost the test series in Sri Lanka last year before losing 3-0 to South Africa earlier this year and drawing 1-1 in October. Even against weak opposition like Zimbabwe, Pakistan managed to squeeze out a 1-1 draw in the test series this year.

Pakistan has recalled fast bowler Umar for the test team, but Misbah wasn't sure whether the paceman has regained enough fitness from his knee surgery after nine months of lay off to last for five days of test cricket.

Gul did well in the ODI series to prove his form, but looked to have struggled with his fitness in the field.

"I can't say much on this, but we are looking closely how it goes," Misbah said about Gul's fitness.

Pakistan has also retained uncapped fast bowler Bilawal Bhatti as cover up for left-arm fast bowler Junaid Khan, who struggled with his leg injury during the one-day series.

But Pakistan has no such worries in their batting line-up with the return of test specialists Younis Khan and Asad Shafiq.

Mohammad Hafeez and uncapped opening batsman Ahmed Shehzad have been in terrific form in the ODIs, which might see Pakistan leaving out another test specialist, Azhar Ali.

"When all your batsmen are in form then it's difficult to choose one," Misbah said.

"But it's better to have more choices of in-form players so that you can pick the better option according to the opposition's form and strength."

Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews was wary of his team's lack of test matches since it last played against Bangladesh in March.

"We've played some four-day cricket before we left to Dubai, and we had some match-practice there, but it's not as good as playing a test match," he said.

"There will be a bit of rustiness — there might be. But that's the challenge of adjusting from ODI cricket to test cricket as soon as possible. That will be the main challenge for us."

Mathews said he expects the wicket in Abu Dhabi to have more pace and help for spinners than Dubai and Sharjah, which hosts the remaining two test matches of the series.

"We've got a great chance in Abu Dhabi," Mathews said, "but our spinners will come into play in all three test matches."