Spinning wickets a concern for Australia

Australia have been surprised by just how much the ball is turning at the World Twenty20.

New Zealand have used spin to great effect in their two World T20 victories, while Pakistan and India have both banked a win.

It leaves Australia and Bangladesh as the only two sides in the group yet to open their account.

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If Australia are unable to find a way to combat spin by Monday, when they face Bangladesh in Bengaluru, their hopes of winning the tournament will be all but over.

Australia's 15-man squad arrived in India expecting pitches to be somewhat similar to what they play on during the Indian Premier League.

Instead the ball has turned square at a range of venues, making for plenty of low-scoring matches.

"We're in different conditions to what a lot of us have played in," Smith admitted after Australia started their World T20 campaign with a loss to New Zealand.

"A lot of us have played in the IPL over here but you don't quite often see wickets that are spinning like this ones."

Dharamsala, where Australia went down by eight runs to NZ, is one example.

The picturesque venue in the mountain town had produced pitches with a bit of pace and bounce in them during previous IPL seasons.

But it was slow and low last Friday, helping Black Caps legspinner Ish Sodhi and left-arm tweaker Mitchell Santner slice through Australia's middle order.

"It's about being able to find a way to be successful," Smith said.

"It's up to each individual to have a plan and try to stick to it as much as possible."

Australia included legspinner Adam Zampa and left-arm spinner Ashton Agar in their XI against New Zealand but the pair only bowled one over each against New Zealand.

However, it wasn't an issue given terrific bowling from Shane Watson, Mitch Marsh and James Faulkner helped restrict NZ to 8-142.

"I probably would have used them (Zampa and Agar) a little bit more had the batters that were in been the right ones," Smith said.

"There was a lefty in at the time and I thought the quicks taking the pace off the ball, bowling into the wicket was our best option.

"They did it extremely well .. 143 was a very gettable score."