Australia ready to resist Indian kryptonite

MELBOURNE : For all the doubts that surround India heading into the five-match series in Australia, the hosts will be the last to doubt the qualities of Rohit Sharma's team.

The world may have changed since India's last tour in the fog of COVID, when stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane and his injury-decimated squad humbled Tim Paine's full-strength Australia 2-1 in 2020/21.

Many of the current squad will remember that defeat like it was yesterday, and a good few of them will also recall the previous 2-1 home loss when India became the first Asian team to win a test series in Australia, ending seven decades of frustration.

Back-to-back test series wins over Australia are almost unheard of but India have won the last four they have played. In the last 30 years, only India and South Africa have beaten the Australians in successive tours.

Australia denied India two of the game's most glittering prizes last year in the World Test Championship final and 50-overs World Cup in the subcontinent.

But no one in the home camp is taking much comfort in India's stunning 3-0 collapse against New Zealand on home soil.

"It might awaken a sleeping giant, so to speak," Australia paceman Josh Hazlewood said of the New Zealand whitewash.

Australia have long been masters of their fast and bouncy home pitches, racking up big scores while rattling through batting lineups with intimidating pace.

However, India's belated investment in fast bowling reaped big returns in the last two test tours of Australia.

Even with their five best fast bowlers injured during the 2020/21 series, India had enough firepower in reserve to win the decider in Brisbane and end Australia's 33-year unbeaten streak at the Gabba.

Modifications to the Kookaburra ball along with a