A run win in India is bigger than winning the Ashes, say Australian star players including Steve Smith and David Warner, who are gearing up for their “toughest challenge in Test cricket”. India and Australia go head-to-head in a high-profile four-match test series for the Border Gavaskar Trophy, which kicks off in Nagpur on Thursday. In a video uploaded by cricket.com.au. on Monday, the Australian team spoke about the challenges of playing in India.
“It’s a tough place to win a Test match let alone a series. So if we can do that it would be huge. I think if you win in India it’s bigger than an Ashes series said Smith.
Star opener Warner said he is looking forward to playing against the best spinners in the world.
“It was fantastic to be part of the last Ashes, but to go to India and beat India in India is the toughest challenge for us in Test cricket.
“I’m looking forward to the tour, it’s always a tough assignment. One thing I’m looking forward to is pitting myself against the best spinners in the world,” added Warner.
Pacer Josh Hazlewood said: “Probably it’s been a long time since Australia won there or less often they’ve won. In world cricket that’s everyone’s goal, try to win in India.
Pace ace Mitchell Starc, who will miss the first test due to a finger injury, said a series win in India “has always been a crown jewel for Australian touring teams.” “Winning a series in India will be very special for our group. I think it’s always been a jewel in the crown for Australian touring teams. It’s one of, if not the hardest place to play in… such foreign conditions and no matter how strong the Indian team.
“On the one hand you have all this Ashes history and then you have this tour of India that has been out of reach for a lot of Australian teams.” Starc and his captain and fellow fast Pat Cummins are looking forward to the chance to win the series in India and the Ashes in England later this year.
“If we could win a trip to India and a trip Ashes, that would be a unique opportunity to do this year,” said Starc.
“Winning a series in India is like an away Ashes series, but even rarer. It will be a career highlight, an era-defining series if we win there,” added Cummins.
(This story has not been edited by DailyExpertNews staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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