THE most significant upheaval to come out of Australia's Twenty20 International victory against India on Wednesday was not David Warner's impossibly crisp switch hit. It was the belated concession that relying on the nation's fastest bowlers for 20-over cricket was a flawed strategy.
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For the first time in Australia's seven-year T20I history - 46 matches - it selected only one specialist paceman (Brett Lee) for the match against India at ANZ Stadium.
In a nod by selectors to the emerging T20 trend towards slow bowling, it chose, also for the first time, two specialist spinners - Xavier Doherty and Brad Hogg - despite India's reputation of having the world's best batsmen against spin.
This week's result - the home team won by 31 runs - lifted Australia above South Africa into fourth place on the world T20I team rankings. It may also persuade Australian selectors to name an unchanged team for tonight's second T20I against India at the MCG.
In the last World T20 in 2010, Australia ignored the sole specialist spinner in its squad, Nathan Hauritz, for the entire tournament in the West Indies. Batsman David Hussey, the team's third slow-bowling option with his off-spin, yesterday acknowledged the inclusion of both Doherty and Hogg was partly done as a trial for this year's World T20, to be held in the subcontinent.
''There's certainly one eye looking to Sri Lanka in September with the spinners' factor over there, but Brett Lee is one of the best fast bowlers in the world and has to play,'' Hussey said. ''To be fair, it probably suited playing more spinners at ANZ Stadium [on Wednesday], whereas . . . at the MCG I think it will be a very good batting wicket, a fast wicket. Hopefully Clint Mckay gets a run and can show his wares.''
Australia was able to rely on Lee, thanks to the pace support offered by all-rounders James Faulkner, Daniel Christian and Mitch Marsh, with the latter's seamers not even required against India in Sydney.
If selectors today decide to include Mckay, the only specialist seamer in reserve, they must decide whether to include him for a spinner or for an all-rounder, although the latter would slightly weaken Australia's batting.
More than half of India's team on Wednesday featured in the just-completed Test series, compared to only Warner for Australia. Hussey said the fact every Australian except Warner had come into the two-match series against India directly from the Big Bash League had given it ''a big advantage'' over India.
While Travis Birt is deservedly in the Australian team - he was arguably the most destructive batsman in the BBL - he is yet to excel at international level.
The left-hander's 17 off 21 against India was his top score after three international innings but included too many dot balls.
New captain George Bailey made an unbeaten 12 from 11 deliveries in his debut international innings, having joined big-hitting Hussey towards the end of Australia's innings.
