Australia's opening batsmen for the first Test of the forthcoming home summer could be completely different to the new pairing of Aaron Finch and Usman Khawaja, who were unveiled on match eve of the series opener against Pakistan in Dubai.

Khawaja's move up from No.3 to partner debutant Finch at the top of Australia's order for the first Test was confirmed Saturday, but captain Tim Paine stressed the XI had been selected specifically for Asian conditions.

QUICK SINGLE Three to debut in Australia Test team

While incumbent opener Matthew Renshaw was left out due to a lack of match practice, Paine said the 22-year-old was told he remains in the calculations for the home season which sees Australia play four Tests against India and then two against Sri Lanka.

"This is a team we've picked for these conditions, we think it's the best team to win this Test," Paine said.

"In terms of going forward, Matt Renshaw is still a huge part of the plans of this team and we expect him to have a really big future."

With pitches typically offering little assistance to fast bowlers in this part of the world, it is often said the best time to bat in Asia is against the new ball and Australia's new opening duo appear well-suited to the role in the subcontinent.

Whether Australia will deploy Khawaja and Finch at the top of the order for the home Test season opener against India in Adelaide on December 6 is another matter.

Paine names three debutants for first Test

Finch hit a half-century against a strong Pakistan A pace attack last week, but while he remains Australia's first-picked one-day and T20 opener, he has little experience opening the batting in the Sheffield Shield. The Victorian said recently he hadn't considered whether he could do the job in Tests on home soil.

While Khawaja has scored 79 not out and 145 in his two stints as a fill-in Test opener and also hit a ton from the top for Australia A last month, the left-hander averages over 50 with the bat at No.3 in home Tests.

Shifting him from a position he's had success in would represent a major risk given the absence of Australia's two most prolific batsmen in recent times, Steve Smith and David Warner, as well as opener Cameron Bancroft, Australia's leading run-scorer on the ill-fated tour of South Africa earlier this year.

QUICK SINGLE Bancroft positive on Premier club return

"He's opened a little bit throughout his career, he opened last week for us in the tour game," Paine said of Khawaja. "Right at the moment, he's in a really good spot, he's batting really well.

"I don't think it matters to Usman where he's batting at the moment. He's in really good touch and I think he'll have a good tour."

Joe Burns partnered Renshaw for Australia's most recent Test in Johannesburg, but he was discarded altogether from the 15-man squad picked to play Pakistan in the UAE.

QUICK SINGLE Starc looms as key to elusive Aussie aim

Paine expects the extensive limited-overs experience of Finch and fellow debutant Travis Head to hold them in good stead against Pakistan.

"They've played a lot of one-day internationals between them," continued Paine, having also confirmed the debut of middle-order batter Marnus Labuschagne. "They've been at this level for a long time.

"We think they'll have a pretty seamless transition into Test cricket. I don't think they'll be as overawed as potentially your traditional debutants. That's a great thing for us."

Qantas Tour of the UAE

Australia Test squad: Tim Paine (c), Ashton Agar, Brendan Doggett, Aaron Finch, Travis Head, Jon Holland, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc

Pakistan Test squad: Sarfraz Ahmed (c), Azhar Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Asad Shafiq, Haris Sohail, Usman Salahuddin, Yasir Shah, Shadab Khan, Bilal Asif, Mohammad Abbas, Hasan Ali, Wahab Riaz, Faheem Ashraf, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Hafeez

Tour match v Pak A: Match drawn

Oct 7-11: First Test, Dubai

Oct 16-20: Second Test, Abu Dhabi