Arthur's return to international cricket after three years out of the spotlight has added spice to this summer's three-Test series with Pakistan. While some of Arthur's fiercest critics from his days as Australia's coach are now retired, many of the current team cut their teeth in the Test arena under the South African.

He will be pitted against the man who took his job, Darren Lehmann, who was extremely critical of the "homework" debacle in Mohali, and at least one of the four players he suspended in Usman Khawaja.

Arthur was sacked as coach on the eve of the 2013 Ashes after a poor tour of India and the team's failure in the Champions Trophy.

Arthur says he is a better coach for that experience. "There are things I would have done differently but they're not for open discussion," Arthur said on Monday.

Arthur did not highlight any specific incidences but under his watch Australia's team discipline declined, culminating in a bar room fight in England involving David Warner which sealed the coach's fate. "The principles I had in South Africa I tried to introduce in Australia and maybe I needed to be a bit more flexible and really judge the temperature a bit better, and a willingness to change," Arthur said. "That makes me a better coach now." Arthur is unsure if he could have replicated the success Australia has had under Darren Lehmann, who has lifted the team to the top of the Test and ODI rankings, won an Ashes series 5-0 and claimed a World Cup at home.

"The work that Darren and his staff have done with the players has been very, very good, it's been outstanding," Arthur said. "You do feel a little bit like you were on the right track in terms of player identification but who knows? I'm just looking forward to playing against them at the end of the year."

On Khawaja, he claims "there was never any question about his work ethic to me or his desire" but said at the time of his suspension in 2013 it "will be the catalyst I think for Usman Khawaja to realise that we are pretty serious in the Australian cricket team".

Arthur, who has been appointed for two years with the option of a third, will start his role this month. He believes the world No.3 Pakistan's strength is their attack, which he rates as "good as any in world cricket", but acknowledges their fielding must improve and their batsmen need to find ways to prosper away from the flat tracks of the United Arab Emirates.

"It'll be a great summer. Hopefully we can get them up to speed, they can certainly test Australia in all departments."