England's batsmen are banking on Yasir Shah's return for the second Test so they can prove their mettle against one of the world's best bowlers.

Yasir, the leg-spinner who has grabbed global attention with 61 wickets in just 10 Tests to date, was an 11th-hour absentee for Pakistan in Abu Dhabi because of a back spasm.

But the 29-year-old is expected to be fit again for the second Test of three in Dubai this week, and England coach Trevor Bayliss reports the tourists can scarcely wait to test themselves against him.

Alastair Cook's team will be encouraged by their performance at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, where the captain's near 14-hour man-of-the-match 263 put them in position to push for a highly improbable victory.

England conceded 523 for eight declared after losing the toss, but responded with an even bigger score, thanks largely to Cook.

Then after Adil Rashid's five for 64 helped bowl their hosts out cheaply second time round, only fading light stopped England going 1-0 up with two to play as they raced to 74 for four with just 99 needed.

Frustrated but doubtless inspired too, having avoided defeat in the United Arab Emirates for the first time following their 3-0 trouncing here in 2012, England are impatient to lock horns with Yasir.

"The way he's bowled over the last couple of years, he is obviously one of their main players," said Bayliss.

"The boys want to be the best team in the world. That means you've got to play the best players and he is the best player.

"I'm sure these guys would like to test themselves against any of the best players and come out on top."

Ego is playing its part as, according to Bayliss, it always does in Test cricket.

"The 'beast' at this level, the egos are right up there - they want to play the best and show the best that they are better than them," he added.

"I'm sure these guys will be looking forward to pitting themselves against the best.

"Win, lose or draw, they will want to show him they can play him as well as any of these other players."

However Yasir fares on his comeback, England learned on Saturday they too have a potential match-winning leg-spinner in their team.

Rashid recovered from first-innings figures of nought for 163 on debut to bowl England to the verge of victory as seven wickets fell after tea on the final day - including the last five for 14 runs.

"It was testament to his ability," said Bayliss, who was always confident Rashid would keep his composure in adversity on a slow pitch which gave little hope for so long to the bowlers.

"I don't think a lot gets to him - he's pretty philosophical.

"After the first innings, I'm sure he was disappointed ... but he knew come the fifth day he would be in the game."

Rashid's success was vindication too for Bayliss' influence on selection.

He championed the cause of the Yorkshireman all last summer but did not manage to find a place for him in a home Ashes series.

England and Wales Cricket Board director Andrew Strauss had encouraged the Australian to bring in new ideas, on his arrival five months ago, and one of those was to make a leg-spinner part of England's plans again.

Bayliss said: "I spoke to Andrew pretty early on during that New Zealand series, and I think to a certain degree maybe one of the early things he wanted me to do was take them in a bit of a different direction to the last few years.

"That might be one of them, to get a leg-spinner in there or at least two spinners, so it gives the team different options rather than just four pace bowlers all the time and an orthodox bowler."

Rashid can expect continued involvement too, not just in the desert but in all climes - as long as he is in form.

"Certainly," added the coach.

"He's definitely not a selection for just here.

"It will come down to whether he is bowling well enough to stay in the team, and it's a lot easier to keep him in the team if you've got Moeen Ali batting in the top six or seven and (Ben) Stokes in there as well."