Australia must stifle their attacking instincts in the subcontinent and "bore" batsmen into giving up their wickets, captain Steven Smith has said.

Smith will lead a rebuilding Australia team into a two-test series against Bangladesh next month after a disappointing 3-2 Ashes loss in England.

Australia swept Bangladesh 2-0 in their last tour in 2006 but have always struggled on the subcontinent's flat wickets, which nullify pace bowling.

Though Smith led Australia against India in three tests at home, he will captain the side on tour for the first time.

"I think that's something I'm going to have to adapt to with my captaincy," Smith told local media in Sydney. "In Australia you can be a little bit more attacking.

“In places on the subcontinent you've got to find ways to get batsmen out, you might have to bore them out.

"For me it's about being adaptable wherever we play.

"So you might have to be more defensive with that and when the ball starts to spin and reverse swing, that's when you can attack.”

Australia have elected to rest fast men Mitchell Johnson and Josh Hazlewood from the tour, leaving workhorse Peter Siddle and left-armer Mitchell Starc to lead the attack.

One-test tyro Pat Cummins will bid with uncapped Tasmania bowler Andrew Fekete to be the third seamer, though Smith has left the door ajar to play two spinners in the tests in Chittagong and Dhaka.

Unused for most of the Ashes, Siddle underlined his quality with six wickets in Australia's consolation win in the fifth test at The Oval and will be important for Smith's hopes of a maiden series win away.

"A big part of my game, especially in Australian conditions, has been reverse swing,” Siddle told reporters.

“That does benefit me a lot over there, and what I normally do is what I’ll do over there. Be patient, build pressure and bowl in the right areas.

"And I think my experience, not in Bangladesh, but in those conditions, will help."