MJ tips Bird to be the word for decider

Mitchell Johnson says Jackson Bird could come into Australia's side at the expense of spinner Steve O'Keefe for the series decider against India, starting on Saturday.

Johnson expects the pitch for the fourth Test in Dharamsala to favour the pace bowlers and he believes Bird could earn a recall to play alongside fellow quicks Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.

O'Keefe was Australia's match-winner in the first Test in Pune, claiming 12 wickets in India's shock 333-run defeat.

But the left-armer has taken just six wickets in two Tests since then and is likely to be fatigued having sent down a record of 77 overs in India's only innings during the third Test in Ranchi last week.

Johnson's brief experience at the HPCA Stadium, which will be hosting its first Test match, has given the 35-year-old belief that Australia will gamble on a third quick.

"I think we're going to lose a spinner out of this Test match," Johnson told Fox Sports of a venue that has been dominated by fast bowlers in first-class cricket this season.

Quick Single: Big money at stake in Dharamsala

"The spinners have been great throughout the series. There's been a lot of pressure on the spinners to go out there and perform and I think they've had some good patches and some bad patches. But that's the game.

"It's a tough one because they've both had their moments in this series, but I think you've got to go with experience. I think Nathan Lyon will get a lot more bounce and he has been turning the ball quite nicely.

"But then again, you've got to look at left- and right-hand combinations.

"If it's more of an Australian kind of wicket, I think you'll see Nathan Lyon bowl and Bird come in as the third quick.

"Dharamsala is an amazing ground and ... the only times I have seen it are with grass on (the pitch).

"So I think that's why the Australians will probably be confident ... and India will be a little bit nervous.

"I think they've been overconfident in this series and I think the scoreline shows that."

Johnson said the conditions he expects in Dharamsala combined with Australia's defiant draw in Ranchi should give them belief that they can win their first Test series in India since 2004.

The 73-Test veteran says the fact Australia's lesser-known batting stars like Peter Handscomb and Shaun Marsh stood up on day five in the third Test proves the tourists don't rely too heavily on just a handful of players.

And he's backed Steve Smith's post-match comments that Australia's last-day defiance in Ranchi means momentum is on their side heading into the decider.

"(The result in Ranchi) gives Australia a huge advantage I think," he said.

"For them to know that it's not about Steve Smith and David Warner, other guys in the team can perform and can play out for a draw.

"They dug in and played exceptional cricket, that's why I think Smith said what he did.

"They will be pumped after that. Even though it was only a draw, to them it will feel very good and very positive. Because they have collapsed a lot in the past.

"That's why I'm confident Australia will win."