Australia ready for anything in decider

No matter what pitch puzzle is set for Australia's Test series decider against India in Dharamsala, the tourists believe they've learned to find an answer.

Having fretted and folded on dry decks for nine consecutive Test defeats in Asia in the past four years, such surfaces have transformed from nightmares to nonentities for Steve Smith's side in the past month.

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Skipper Steve Smith has led the way in shifting Australia's subcontinent mindset and, if he can maintain that in the contest that starts on Saturday, Australia has a great chance to claim only its second Test series win in India since 1969.

Australia boosted their adaptability when they trained on a wide range of wickets in Dubai to prepare for the four-Test series.

They went on to triumph on a raging turner in the first Test in Pune, pushed India despite losing on a misbehaving strip in Bengaluru and then batted time to salvage a draw when the hosts looked set to romp to victory in Ranchi.

Now all eyes turn to the 22 yards nestled at an elevation of 1370 metres at the foot of the Himalayas.

The venue is hosting its first-ever Test but has built a pace-friendly reputation since its construction in 2003.

Curator Sunil Chauhan formerly worked as an administrator for the state association but switched professions after an inspiring 2007 visit from tearaway Dale Steyn.

Steyn, then playing for South Africa A, was in awe of the bounce and carry on offer and gifted his entire kit and an autographed cap to Chauhan.

"Steyn was quite astonished, and after the day’s play he told me, ‘Give me one hour here, and I will show you what fast bowling is’," Chauhan told Wisden India in 2014.

"He said he didn’t know such wickets could be prepared in India, so he gifted his entire kit and an autographed cap to me. It was extremely nice of him."

There has also been plenty of rain recently in Dharamsala but a pace shootout would rank a distant last on India's dream scenarios for the fourth Test.

Peter Handscomb, who led Australia's successful stonewall in the third Test to keep the series level at 1-1, believes his team has proven capable of adapting to triumph on any sort of track.

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"We'll have to see what we get in Dharamsala ... we'll assess it once we rock up to the ground," he said.

"They do have the ability here to prepare lots of different wickets."

Australia's ability to predict how Indian pitches will play hasn't necessarily improved.

Smith forecast a slow-and-low surface that would ensure an early finish in Ranchi but was pleasantly surprised to find how freely the runs came in his unbeaten first-innings knock of 178.

But the visitors' resilience and ability to adapt on decks so alien to what they encounter back home has clearly lifted.

"We can have a read on the wicket but it's not necessarily going to be right," Handscomb said prior to the squad's flight north.

"Once ball one happens, we assess those conditions and go from there."