Steve Smith wants Australia's batsmen to be smart instead of spectacular in their ODI tri-series opener against West Indies.
Australia's streak of six straight ODI series wins, which included the 2015 World Cup, ended earlier this year in New Zealand.
The lessons learned from that 2-1 series loss are at the forefront of skipper Smith's mind in Guyana.
"It was a disappointing series. I don't think we played our best cricket," Smith told AAP.
"We let ourselves down in the batting department, particularly in the middle overs.
"It's something that we need to be better at over here ... it's about being smart."
National selectors have named a XII, with the only remaining question being whether they will field two spinners in the match that starts at 3am AEST on Monday.
Young legspinner Adam Zampa and Test offspinner Nathan Lyon are expected to play together, while Aaron Finch has been reinstated as opener.
The venue's spin-friendly reputation was enhanced in the first match of the tournament, when the hosts defeated South Africa by four wickets.
Mystery spinner Sunil Narine claimed career-best figures of 6-27, while tweakers were responsible for all six wickets to fall in West Indies' innings.
"Spin is going to play a big part for both South Africa and West Indies in this series, if we play their spinners well it will go a long way to winning games," Smith said.
Australia have struggled to score freely against spinners on slow-and-low pitches in recent years.
Narine, who returned during the Indian Premier League after being banned because of an illegal action, is the man most capable of denying Australia victory.
The 28-year-old boasts all manner of variations, most notably his knuckle balls and sliders.
"He's a quality bowler with a different set of skills compared to most people around the world," Smith said.
"It's going to take a bit of adapting to that.
"Most of our batsmen have played against him in the past. You know what to expect, you've just got to play each ball on its merits."
A hamstring injury forced Finch to miss Australia's trip across the Tasman in February, when Usman Khawaja impressed in his absence.
Khawaja, who was Australia's leading run-scorer at the recent World Twenty20 and opened throughout that tournament, will bat at first drop but could be shuffled up the order later this month.
"It's not necessarily set for the series but that's what we're starting with," Smith said of the opening combo.
James Faulkner, Nathan Coulter-Nile, George Bailey and Travis Head are the members of the 16-man touring party who missed the cut for the first match.
Australia XII: David Warner, Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (capt), Glenn Maxwell, Mitch Marsh, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon (12th man yet to be named).
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