Australia break with tradition by trusting spinners against India | Geoff Lemon

Steve Smith turns to Nathan Lyon, Matt Kuhnemann and Todd Murphy for fourth Test at the daunting Narendra Modi stadium

In Ahmedabad, everything is about colour. Hot pink and deep purple to celebrate Holi festival the day before Thursday’s fourth Test. The sea of orange planned for morning one, masses of people brought in on buses in a political flex for India’s prime minister. Emerald green for the pitch that India would have used had they won the third Test and locked in a World Test Championship final in England. Pure white covers on the drier pitch they will use instead, with a win still required.

For Australia, the obsolescence of a green seamer means that they can rely on Green and a seamer. That is, all-rounder Cameron Green can be the support for a lone pace specialist in Mitchell Starc, leaving room to pick three spinners.

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