Ganguly: Beating Australia in 2020 Test series a bigger challenge

India has lost Test series in South Africa and England in 2018 but BCCI president Sourav Ganguly expects the team to win on those tours next time.

Published : Dec 28, 2019 18:06 IST , NEW DELHI

Under Virat Kohli, India won its first series in Australia, ending a 71-year wait.
Under Virat Kohli, India won its first series in Australia, ending a 71-year wait.
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Under Virat Kohli, India won its first series in Australia, ending a 71-year wait.

BCCI president Sourav Ganguly feels beating Australia on its home soil will be a bigger challenge for India next year with the return of Steve Smith and David Warner in its ranks. Smith and Warner were serving ball-tampering bans when India won its first series in Australia, ending a 71-year wait.

“I think that’s going to be a bigger challenge for them (2020 Test series) and I am sure (with) the standards Virat sets for himself and his team, he’ll know at the back of his mind that the 2018 Australian team was not the best Australian team of his generation,” Ganguly said on India Today's special programme ‘Inspiration’.

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India’s tour of Australia next year will be preceded by the T20 World Cup, to be held Down Under from October 18 to November 15. “And what he’s (Kohli) going to face next year in October, which is not far away, it’s going to be a different, full strength and strong Australia. They (India) have the team to beat them, they just have to believe and get everything right to beat them.

“So that’s what I am looking for, you know when I became captain that was one of my aims, to compete with the best and I remember 2003 in Australia against that Australia, we were outstanding and this team has the potential to do it,” he said.

Opening holds key

Under Ganguly, India drew the four-Test series 1-1 but Australia was without its best bowlers Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne.

Ganguly asserted that India has the resources to beat Australia in its own backyard. “They have fast bowlers, they have spinners, they have a champion in Virat Kohli, as a batsman it’s a new Ajinkya Rahane, which we have seen in the last three, four months and now Rohit Sharma (as opener).

“I am looking forward to his performance, and if India get the order right and the openers, because opening is the most important thing in overseas cricket... so if they can get that right they will be able to beat this Australian team,” he added.

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India has lost Test series in South Africa and England in 2018 but Ganguly expects it to win on those tours next time.

“I still expect them to win in England and South Africa in Test matches which they need to do to be a good side. They beat Australia last year (2018) but I still expect them to win in South Africa and England and they are going back to Australia next year,” Ganguly said.

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