CARDIFF: Australia will not use Indian conditions as an excuse if they fail to win the World T20 in the subcontinent next year, opening batsman David Warner has said.

Australia have never won the tournament despite being a power in Tests and the one-day game, but will hope to break the drought in March and April next year.

Australia have traditionally struggled in the subcontinent, where bone-dry pitches have shown up many of their batsmen’s vulnerability against quality spin bowling.

“I think going to India, there’s no excuse for conditions,” Warner told reporters in Cardiff. “All the players have played there before [and] played IPL [Indian Premier League] there. Whatever team is selected, that will be the right team for those conditions and I really do think this could be one of our best chances to win the World Twenty20.

“We’ve probably played more [in India] than we have at home in the Twenty20 format.”

Australia played England in the one-off match in Cardiff on Monday, with Steven Smith taking the reins.—Reuters

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2015

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