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Adaptability key to Bangladesh spin

Recalled Test batsmen Khawaja and Burns say footwork as important as effective sweeping on turning subcontinent wickets

As the Australian cricket team was being buffeted by the chill of an early English autumn 12 days ago, a line from coach Darren Lehmann seemed more relevant to the heat and humidity of some 10,000 kilometres and four weeks away.

"I think one of the things we can do better is sweep," Lehmann offered as part of a wider discussion about the reverse sweeping of allrounder Glenn Maxwell (which, by the way, the coach backed whole-heartedly).

"As an Australian cricket side we traditionally don't sweep that much.

"That's because of our upbringing on Australian wickets more than anything else. The wickets don't turn and wickets that seam generally don't spin, so you don't need to sweep as much.

"But when it is spinning I think you've certainly got to pull that shot out a little bit more."

What Australia's touring party for the Qantas Tour of Bangladesh will face over the next four weeks could not be any more different from the white-ball challenge of those brisk September nights in northern England. 

But Lehmann's comments gave an insight into how Australia's inexperienced batting line-up may attempt to counter the spinning conditions they are sure to face in Bangladesh, which have proven to be a form of kryptonite for Australian teams in the recent past.

Australians have been sweeping through the sub-continent for decades - normally with shaggy hair and a self-guided mission to 'find oneself' - but the one to do it with the most success has been Matthew Hayden.

The opener's firmly planted right leg and swishing horizontal bat helped guide him to 549 runs on Australia's famous tour of India back in 2001, then a record for the most runs tallied by an Australian in a three-Test series.

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Matthew Hayden had great success with the sweep shot // Getty Images

A Queensland opener who was naturally more comfortable on a seamer in Brisbane than a turner in Bangalore, Hayden prepared for the series by dusting up the practice wickets in his home state and deciding, at the opportune time, he would risk playing across the line and against the spin in order to unsettle the dangerous Indian tweakers.

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But recalled batsman Usman Khawaja said it would be folly for the Australians to adopt a pre-conceived plan to sweep their spin issues away over the next month.

Khawaja said a batsman's ability to sweep effectively must be complemented by a willingness to use his feet and take advantage of scoring opportunities, adding that best practice against the turning ball could change from match to match and even day to day.

"It's about being adaptable," Khawaja told cricket.com.au, borrowing an oft used line from new captain Steve Smith.

"No spin wicket is the same. From one wicket that turns to the next wicket that turns, there are differences.

"So you've got to be ready to adapt to those conditions, who's bowling at you, what field has been set.

"I play my game the same as everywhere; I'll try and be positive and look to score runs. If there's an opportunity to score runs I'll take it, but if there's not you've got to keep the good balls out too.

"You've just got to be adaptable and look to score runs. Other than that, nothing really changes."

Khawaja is one of five members of the Test squad with recent experience on turning wickets having been a part of Australia A's tour of India in July and August.

Watch: Burns and Khawaja wreak havoc in Chennai

Another is Khawaja's state teammate Joe Burns, who missed the four-day leg of that tour but amassed 269 runs in four one-day matches.

He did so by using his feet to the spinners more so than sweeping, the same method he has employed to combat the turning ball in Australian conditions.

Burns, like Hayden and Khawaja, opens the batting for Queensland on traditionally green surfaces at the Gabba, but says he has often felt at ease on dry wickets at domestic level.

And while he has gained even more confidence from his white-ball performances in India, the 26-year-old knows it doesn't guarantee him success over the coming weeks.

"Playing in Bangladesh in a Test match is obviously totally different," he told cricket.com.au.

"It's a new level and something that I'm looking forward to.

"I've always found the drier spinning wickets seem to suit my game. I've had success in Australia on the drier wickets in some of the southern states when we've come up against those conditions I've really enjoyed those sorts of situations.

"(But) you have to sum it up. It's different against every type of spin bowler and sometimes conditions change from day to day.

"(The sweep shot) is certainly something that you have to work on so it's an option, but you have to wait and see until game day."

A boost to Australia's preparations for all future series on the subcontinent has been the construction of a 'spin wicket' at the Bupa National Cricket Centre in Brisbane, a unique surface made from a mix of red synthetic grass and rolled-in soil.

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Several members of the 'A' squad, many of whom will be in Bangladesh, had a solid training block on the unique surface before their tour of India, while Burns hopes to test it out before he and most of the Test squad jets off on Monday.

Khawaja likened the surface to an Indian wicket in the latter stages of a Test match, and said it had given the squad invaluable practice for what lies ahead.

And he jested that it had helped his bowling as well, a confidence not reflected by his first-class bowling record of one wicket from 89 matches.

"My offies have been coming out perfectly," he said with a laugh. "I've been getting people out left right and centre.

"I'm a big fan of it because it's as realistic as any wicket I've seen in Australia compared to India.

"It's just nice to go out there, work on your plans and play against some really good quality bowlers that we have in Queensland.

"It's a good challenge, as tough as it gets. I've seen wickets on day four and five in Chennai that have been very similar, so it's very realistic."