Bullish Australia take on dominant India seeking rare away series win

BENGALURU : Australia's blockbuster four-test series against India will be the greatest challenge Pat Cummins has faced in his young captaincy as he looks to conquer the "final frontier" in his country's proud cricketing battles.

India hold the Border-Gavaskar Trophy having won the last three tests series between the teams, including their breakthrough triumph Down Under in 2018-19 and another on the road in 2020-2021.

They have been even more imposing at home, where they have lost only two out of 42 tests over the best part of a decade and are on a winning streak of 15 successive series wins.

Cummins has gone on the record as saying that a series win in India, which Australia have achieved only four times and most recently in 2004-05, is on a par with the benchmark of Australian cricketing success - an Ashes triumph.

A triumph in India, which former captain Steve Waugh once called Australian cricket's "Final Frontier", would go a long way in bolstering Cummins' leadership credentials.

Also at stake in the four-match series, which begins in Nagpur on Thursday, are spots in the second World Test Championship title-decider in June.

The two teams could face off again in the final at The Oval and sit atop the standings with Australia only needing to avoid a 4-0 whitewash to book their spot.

The tourists will be without some key names for the first test at least, however.

Seasoned fast bowler Josh Hazlewood will miss the Nagpur match with an Achilles issue, while finger injuries have ruled left-arm quick Mitchell Starc out of the opener and made all-rounder Cameron Green a doubtful starter.

India are not without injury woes with wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant missing the series after a car crash in December and paceman Jasprit