Clarke wants Gold... amid a sea of Blue

As superstar residents of the most heavily-populated democratic nation on the planet, India’s cricketers are used to huge crowds milling around wherever they go.

But it’s unlikely they’ve seen a larger quorum gathered around the centre wicket on the day before a game than was clustered around the SCG strip when the defending world champions arrived for their final training session before their World Cup semi-final against Australia.

Upwards of 20 ground staff, event managers, ICC personnel and the governing body’s pitch consultant held a lengthy conference as debate about the true nature of the playing surface for the next day’s fixture reached levels far beyond the normal intrigue.

As former Australia fast bowler Brett Lee confirmed after he viewed the pitch he knows so well from a distance, it will certainly not be the grassy, seamer-friendly deck that many a touring Indian press person feared might be served up by the host nation.

Indeed, most of the pre-match concern centred on the potential for the dry pitch to break up as tomorrow’s day-night match, forecast to be played in warm, sunny conditions with no prospect of rain, enters the evening phase.

Which would make the job of the team batting second a trickier assignment, especially if the team batting first comes armed with high-quality spin bowlers.

But Australia captain Michael Clarke who, like Lee, has called the SCG home throughout his first-class career, showed little indication that he was concerned that the flip of a coin might prove crucial in a match to decide which team meets New Zealand in Sunday’s World Cup Final.

“I think whatever you do first, anytime, whatever you've got to do you have to do it well, whether we happen to bowl first or bat first, I don't think it matters too much in a one-day game,” Clarke said today prior to Australia’s optional training session that was not attended by their fast bowlers.

“I think the SCG in general is a really good wicket, it’s normally even for both batting and bowling.

“So I think the fast bowlers will hopefully get a little swing and a little bounce out of that wicket (and) then, as always, I think spin will play a part.

“But it's generally as good a place to bat as anywhere in the world so I'm confident this game will be no different.

“Sometimes wickets in Australia can be batter to bat on second because you get a little bit of the dew, so the wicket quickens up, the outfield quickens up.

“Then there is the other side that people always talk about, runs on the board in big games.

“But we’ll be doing them both at some stage.”

Clarke was unable to name Australia’s starting XI for their first semi-final appearance since 2007, with chair of the National Selection Panel Rod Marsh due to arrive in Sydney later in the day.

But if, upon inspection of the pitch prior to tomorrow’s match, it is deemed to take spin then the ‘horses for courses’ selection mantra that Australia has maintained throughout the tournament might face its sternest test.

The only specialist spinner in the squad, left-armer Xavier Doherty, was clearly named with such a surface in mind but when Australia last played at the SCG – against Sri Lanka almost three weeks ago – the pitch provided little help for the slow bowlers and finished with 0-60 from seven overs.

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Michael Clarke faces Shane Warne in the nets // Getty Images

The appearance of former champion legspinner Shane Warne, who rolled over his arm in the nets when Clarke was batting and who spent some time chatting with Doherty, at today’s training hinted at an expectation that spin might become the semi-final weapon of choice.

It’s not so much of an issue for M S Dhoni’s team which has maintained the same XI for the past six games of their seven-match World Cup winning streak, with the only shuffle they have made being when seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar filled in for fellow quick Mohammed Shami in their match against the UAE.

India’s record-breaking opening batsman Rohit Sharma, who set the benchmark for an individual score in an ODI with 264 against Sri Lanka last year, believes that regardless of the surface that awaits when both teams arrive at the SCG tomorrow it will suit India’s attack.

“If you look at the history of the city (Sydney), it gives a lot of time towards spin bowlers, and they actually come out and bowl really well,” Rohit said at today’s packed pre-match media conference.

“You see the Test Matches also we played in Australia, spinners played a huge part.

“So I think if it does, we've got the spinners to do it.

“(But) it doesn't matter to us because if we look at the tournament, we've taken 70 wickets in seven games, as we've distributed by the spinners and the fast bowlers.

“So if (it favours) the fast bowlers or the spinners, we've got everything going up in those two areas.

“Our spinners have really bowled well in the tournament and so have the fast bowlers.

“So it's a good sign to go into the semi-final.

“We just need to keep doing what we've been doing, which I think the bowlers have done a fantastic job throughout the tournament.”

The other area in which India looks to have Australia covered will be the proportion of crowd support, with initial reports of ticket sales for tomorrow’s sold-out semi-final suggesting that around 70 per cent of the 40,000-plus crowd will be cheering the blue of India.

The Australian players have been urging home fans to get behind their team and make the same sort of noise for which their Indian counterparts are renowned – witness the rousing support at Adelaide Oval and the MCG for their earlier matches against Pakistan and South Africa.

But Clarke does not believe that feeling like they are playing away from home will adversely affect, or be totally foreign, to the Australia players.

“I think it's fine,” he said with a smile when asked how he was likely to cope with having a majority of a home crowd barracking for the away team.

“We've played in India a number of times and they out-support us there as well.

“It's a fantastic feeling to have the opportunity to play in your own backyard and to play in Australia.

“There are not too many better grounds in the world than the Sydney Cricket Ground.

“It's very special to every Australian team to be fortunate enough to walk out on to the ground. It's got extra special meaning to the players in our changing room.

‘We don't need any more motivation.”

Whether the pitch similarly takes on a distinctive Indian hue will be revealed come match day.

Inida's big World Cup crowds:

- Crowd of 86,876 at MCG for pool match against South Africa

- Crowd of 41,587 at Adelaide Oval for pool match against Pakistan

- Crowd of 51,552 at MCG for quarter-final against Bangladesh

Five key issues:

Can Ravichandran Ashwin break partnerships or will Australia break his confidence?

The off-spinner has been an underrated star of the tournament. He's only taken 12 wickets but regularly built pressure on batsmen to help India's pacemen prosper. The only exception was in Auckland, where Ashwin went for 75 runs and was smacked to all ends of Eden Park by Zimbabwe. If Australia are able to achieve something similar at the SCG it should put them on track for a match-winning total.

How will India defuse Mitchell Starc?

Starc's ODI numbers (average of 17.4 and strike rate of 22.5) mean he is on track to be one of the nation's greatest one-day players. The left-armer is a leading contender for player of the tournament and has struck with the new and old ball - swinging it at pace and showing incredible control to take 18 wickets. Will India shut up shop or play their natural game? If Starc goes wicket-less it will be a major victory for the visitors.

Will Australia or India handle the pressure better?

Australia have remained title favourites since the tournament started almost six weeks ago, while India are defending champions and powered by the sort of fanatical supporters that no other cricket side can boast. Given what's riding on the game, the pressure will be on both teams. Will they both perform at their best or will nerves be a factor?

Will the two sides keep quiet or start sledging?

A handful of players have declared neither side will take a backward step, so expect plenty of 'banter' plus a few fireworks. Virat Kohli and Sharma played some of their best knocks on tour amid a torrent of sledging, while Australia fired up Pakistan quick Wahab Riaz last week when they gave him some lip. Will both sides be as loud as they were in the Test series and will everyone keep their cool?

Win the toss and ...

Bat. Almost certainly. It would be a shock if either Michael Clarke or MS Dhoni opted to chase on a dry SCG pitch. Both sides boast hard-hitting batsmen and would be confident of posting a monster total if they have first use of the wicket. However, Australia will be wary of going too hard too early - which was the problem in Auckland when they suffered a collapse of 8-26 and were rolled for 151.