Travis Head believes the looming Pakistan tour will define him as Test cricketer more than his home-track bullying of England.
The Australian was the player of the series in Australia's 4-0 Ashes thumping of England, his 357 runs featuring two centuries.
Head boasts an average of 49.87, with four tons, from his 17 Tests in Australia.
But in his six Tests outside of Australia, the lefthander averages just 28.45 with no centuries.
"I think what defines you as a player, the away series," Head told reporters on Thursday.
Head cited teammate Steve Smith as a prime example - Smith averages 60 in Tests in India, close to his 59.87 career average.
"You look at Smithy's record in India, when he goes away to India and plays on those wickets it takes him to a different level," Head said.
"On the flipside, you can't chase that, you can't change yourself, you can't try and be someone that you're not.
"But definitely going away ... how tough I found it in an Ashes away - different environments, different crowds, different conditions.
"It's definitely challenging and you definitely get tested and I think that is where you can take your game to a different level."
Head is in Melbourne with the Australian squad ahead of their departure for the three-Test tour of Pakistan starting March 4.
No Australian team has toured Pakistan since 1998.
"It's hard to really know what we're going to come up against or what the conditions are going to be," Head said.
He described security protocols for the tour as "sound" - no Tests were played in Pakistan for the decade following a terrorist attack on Sri Lanka's team in 2009.
"The communication has been good on what we're expecting once we get there," Head said of the security arrangements.
"We're in pretty safe hands. I am not sure how public it's going to be, on what the protocols are for us.
"But in terms of communication and how we're going to feel over there or the protocols that we're under to keep us safe ... I don't think there is any of those concerns and what they're putting in place for us is sound."
