India series will be acid test for Pat Cummins: Allan Border

Australian great Allan Border is mighty impressed with Pat Cummins' captaincy but said upcoming four-Test series against India will be his real "acid test and final frontier".

Australia will begin marquee Test series at Jamtha from February 9 as y eye ir first series win in India in 19 years.

"That is going to be acid test for him and team," Border was quoted saying by ABC Sport.

Having been elevated to hot seat after Tim Paine's sudden resignation ahe of Ashes 2021, Aussie pace spearhe has h a golden run.

Cummins began his captaincy stint winning Ashes 4-0, n won against Pakistan, West Indies and South Africa. Australia also drew 1-1 with Sri Lanka away from home last year.

results meant Australia are favourites to make ir maiden World Test Championships final. India series will be last series in WTC calendar before y take on England in Ashes with an eye to win on opposition soil for first time since 2001.

" next 12 months is real test for that side and Pat's captaincy in particular because India is just about last frontier for Australian cricket team.

"We haven't won re very often. It's a hard place to play and a hard place to win and England is same," 67-year-old said.

former Australian skipper said initially he was apprehensive about Cummins leing Test side but he has ensured that it didn't affect his bowling.

"I was t as keen to see a fast bowler (appointed captain), t necessarily individual but more just fact that he's our number-one fast bowler. But he's proved so many people wrong and he's handled that so well," Border said.

"Maybe make-up of team has helped, where he's got quite a few senior players that he can bounce things off and y can sort of take over to a certain degree when he's got ball in his hand when he's bowling.

"I take my hat off to him. He's done fantastically well. y look like a happy side. y're playing very good cricket and that's all you can do as captain." Australia will play four Tests in Nagpur (February 9-13), New Delhi (February 17-21), Dharamsala (March 1-5) and Ahmedab (March 9-13).