Aussies to take on Ashwin, Jadeja

Glenn Maxwell says stopping India's spin assault is the key to beating the ICC World T20 hosts and advancing to the semi-finals.

Australia, who prevailed over Pakistan on Friday night to stay alive in the tournament, were undone by the turning ball in their opening match loss to the Black Caps in Dharamshala, furthering the belief that Steve Smith's men struggle on spinning wickets against elite slow bowlers.

But Maxwell is confident that Australia can dominate MS Dhoni's fleet of tweakers - most notably Ravi Ashwin and Ravi Jadeja - and advance to the World T20 semi-finals for the first time in four years.

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"I know it's been pretty well written about our play of spin, but if we negate their spinners and still be quite aggressive against them and find a way, I'm sure we'll be fine and (that will) go a long way to winning us the game," Maxwell told cricket.com.au following the win over Pakistan.

"The key to playing spin is being positive so hopefully we can do that."

In the preceding tour to South Africa, Imran Tahir spun a web around the Australians in game one at Kingsmead, taking 3-21 from four overs and leaving opener Aaron Finch to call for a re-think in their approach to playing the spinning ball.

"I think it's no secret that teams are targeting us with spin, and rightfully so - we haven't played it all that well over the last little while in the shortest format," Finch told reporters in Durban on March 4.

"It's something where we are going to have to look to change our plans.

"The guys are quality players of spin, and I think it's just about probably changing our mindsets slightly if we do have a few dot balls."

The shift in thinking worked immediately, as Australia hammered Tahir to the tune of 0-47 and 2-38 in the remaining two matches to clinch the series 2-1.

The wheels looked to be falling off again in Mohali after Finch was bowled by left-arm orthodox Imad Wasim, but Maxwell (30 off 18) and Smith (61no off 43) steadied the ship in the middle overs before Shane Watson (44no off 21) plundered the Pakistan attack in the closing stages of Australia's innings.

In Ravi Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and some part-timers, India have enough in their spin stocks to trouble Australia, but the tourists will be buoyed by a Mohali wicket that favoured fast bowling on Friday.

"It's like a quarter-final," Maxwell said. "It's a similar position to the one we were in last year – we had to win the last three games to win the World Cup.

"It's a good position to be in. We like to put the pressure on ourselves in these positions where we have to win. I think it's something that we thrive on.

"We're lucky enough to play on this ground again, it's a ground that probably suits us more than a few others in India – it's bigger, the wicket is nice and true, it bounces nice for us and hopefully it can make for a good spectacle in a couple of days."

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