DARREN Lehmann admits Australia must overcome a nightmare preparation if it is to break its World Twenty20 drought in India.
The squad flies to South Africa on Sunday for three warm-ups against the Proteas, hardly the ideal conditions to practise for a tournament on the sub-continent. 
Australia was thrashed by India in the shortest format last month and despite the star power in the 15-man line-up, this is a side that's hardly played together in T20 cricket.
Adding to the uncertainty, James Faulkner, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Aaron Finch and Shane Watson are fighting to overcome injuries.
Lehmann was impressed with the way the Test team overcame an inadequate lead-up for the series in New Zealand but says the ICC needs to look at ways of freeing up the schedule so sides can better prepare for international tours and tournaments.
Australia is on a high after crushing the Black Caps on their own patch but is already wary of the danger posed by a NZ side it must defeat again in game one of the World Twenty20 on   March 18 if it is to be any chance of getting through the pool of death.
Lehmann conceded his side was desperately hoping South Africa can prepare wickets that spin for the three-match series starting next week.
"It's very good to be the No.1 in Tests and one-dayers and we'd like to be there in T20 but to do that we've got to start playing better than we have," he said. "I know the schedule has been hard for us to put our best T20 team out but we've given young guys an opportunity which we're really pleased about.
"The hardest thing over there is adapting to conditions really quickly. We go to South Africa to India.
"Hopefully South Africa are thinking the same thing and are making the wickets as close to India as they possibly can." The Australians will have one warm-up game in Kolkata against the West Indies before launching into the tournament against the Kiwis in Dharamsala.
There will be no Brendon McCullum to overcome but Lehmann admits Australia's hopes of getting through a group featuring host India and fellow sub-continental powerhouse Pakistan virtually rides on beating New Zealand in the mountains."It's all about starting the tournament well," he said.