Indian bowlers have made life easy for skipper MS Dhoni in this World Cup so far.

Irony is winking at the Indians in Sydney. If someone had told them before the start of the World Cup that they would be in the semi-finals and that it would be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground, they might have purred in delight. A dry track and tumultuous Indian support would have raised great hopes. But after an inspiring campaign whose leaders have clearly been their seamers, a slowish track might not be as tempting as it might once have been.

It’s been said that the track that is being earmarked for the game against Australia will be the same one that was used in the run-fest where South Africa made over 400 runs against West Indies, and not the one the dry turf that was used for South Africa and Sri Lanka. Dry in appearance yes, but not necessarily spinner friendly and it might take out the efficacy of the Indian seamers. And then the problems will start.

For the first time in this tournament, MS Dhoni the captain might face some difficult times on the field. Thus far, it’s been almost on an auto-pilot — not to say that his captaincy hasn’t been tested of course, but he rarely had to terminate spells, make frequent and frantic changes because his bowlers were all leaking runs, or try to conjure up a wicket from somewhere. Things were swimming along so smoothly that for once in his captaincy career, in overseas conditions that is, he could enforce the kind of control that he adores, and gets to do back in India.

The seamers have been getting early wickets, and by the time R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have come on, more often than not, they haven’t really needed to take a bunch of wickets to turn the match around.

However, if the forecast about the pitch comes true, it could cause a few problems for Dhoni. If Mohammad Shami or Umesh Yadav are unable to strike early or unable to restrict, Dhoni might have to shuffle and change frantically. If the spinners don’t find much purchase, then they too can bleed runs and then on, it’s going to throw up a lot of headaches for Dhoni.

Fielding restrictions

With the fielding restrictions, Dhoni has already talked about how difficult it has been for him to use the part-time spinners like Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma. And so, whom he shall turn to if his bowlers, the men who he could trust so peacefully thus far in this tourney, start to get hammered? With James Faulkner set to bat at No 8, Australia have the luxury to keep on attacking on such a pitch.

He got a trailer of this scenario in Hamilton against Ireland. On a flat track, Umesh Yadav started to go for some runs early on but since it was a match in India’s control, and not so-important a game, Dhoni said he persisted with Yadav for some real match experience to bowl in these conditions.

If it was a game of consequence, where India’s progress in the World Cup depended on it, Dhoni said he would have brought on R Ashwin and Co, early on. He might have to face that scenario on Thursday and make quick decisions.

So much fuss over a 22-yard strip. ICC’s pitch man Andy Atkinson has dropped in to see it, pictures of Dhoni beside the track has been published, India’s coach Duncan Fletcher’s brief chat with the curator has been made to sound almost conspiratorial, Australians cricketers’ wish for a pitch of their liking has made news.

What has been left unsaid is the real desire of Indians? Would they rather play on a track which has some bounce and a bit of a movement for their seamers than on a patta? In the end, if India lose out because the pitch didn’t suit their seamers, it would be a tribute to the surprising turnaround of their fast bowlers thus far, and also, an ode to irony.