However, Steven Smith, Australia's captain across formats, is still bristling with intent and some encouraging words, as the visitors target a consolation victory in the final Test at Colombo (SSC), starting on Saturday (August 13).
"It has been disappointing," Smith said on Friday (August 12). "We have got a lot of work to do to change the way we play in these conditions. Having said that, I thought we made some good strides in the second innings [in Galle]. The way we were proactive in our thinking, the way we went about it.
"As long as we can take that into the first innings of this Test match, and try and make it go a for bit longer - I think looking at the wicket it is going to be another tough one to bat on. It looks like it is going to be pretty dry again, and take a fair bit of spin, so if you can bat for a day, I dare say you will put yourself in a reasonable position."
The Australian batsmen have struggled to cope with the turning ball. When the Test series commenced, the visitors seemed to be waiting for the ball to come to them and play under the eye-line. However, as the batsmen couldn't make an impact, they shifted gears in the second innings of the second Test in Galle, but despite playing with a positive intent, Australia crumbled to a series defeat.
Smith said that the batsmen need to combine solid defence, sprinkled with a series of shots to counter the spin-friendly conditions.
I think it has a little bit," Smith said of whether his batsmen's attitudes had shifted. "I think you still have to try and bat time. I guess that is what Test cricket is all about. At the same time, you do need to be proactive in your thinking, finding a way to get off strike, get down the other end and if you are down there, you can't get out. Or, you shouldn't get out!
"It's difficult at any time. In Australia we don't get wickets that do what these wickets do so it's very foreign. You almost have to reinvent your game to be successful on these surfaces. In Australia, you don't get balls that are turning like they are here and skidding on, everything's pretty consistent. So it's finding a way I guess and getting outside your comfort zone.
"It might be about sweeping or coming down the wicket or getting deep in your crease. Sometimes it's easy to do in the nets and when you get out in the middle there are guys around the bat, there's the pressure of the game, it's a whole different ball game. It's just having the courage and faith to sometimes take a risk you may not take in Australia and different ways of thinking to get around different situations."
The spin duo of Nathan Lyon and Jon Holland has largely looked to get on top of the ball in order to extract bounce from the surface. On the other hand, their counterparts have resorted to undercutting the ball, which has helped the home team's spinners to achieve more success. Smith, though, reckoned that Holland has shown encouraging signs of adapting to different conditions ahead of the third Test.
"I was watching Holland bowling [at training]," he said. "In Australia, he's got quite nice shape on the ball. He gets over it and gets good drop. He's dropped his arm path a little bit since being here. It's hard to do just before you play your first Test, when you only come in a few days before the game when you weren't originally here.
"He didn't have a great deal of time to find the right way to bowl in these conditions and having watched him, he's certainly dropped his arm down a little bit and he's getting around the ball which I think is crucial for these conditions. It looks like the seam he's presenting looks a lot harder to play," Smith concluded.
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