Ganguly: It will be a bigger challenge to beat Australia in 2020 Test series

BCCI president Sourav Ganguly feels beating Australia on ir home soil will be a bigger challenge for India next year compared to one in 2018-19 when Steve Smith and David Warner were t present in opposition ranks. Smith and Warner were serving ball-tampering bans when India won ir first series in Australia, ending a 71-year wait.

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'It will be a bigger challenge to beat Australia'

"I  think that's going to be bigger challenge for m (2020 Test series) and I am sure (with) standards Virat sets for himself and his team, he'll kw at back of his mind that 2018 Australian team was t best Australian team of his generation," Ganguly said on India Today's special programme 'Inspiration', with obvious reference to Smith and Warner's ban due to ball-tampering charges.

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India's tour of Australia next year will be preceded by T20 World Cup, to be held Down Under from October 18 to vember 15. "And what he's (Kohli) going to face next year in October, which is t far away, it's going to be a different, full strength and strong Australia. y (India) have team to beat m, y just have to believe and get everything right to beat m.  "So that's what I am looking for, you kw when I became captain that was one of my aims, to compete with best and I remember 2003 in Australia against that Australia, we were outstanding and this team has potential to do it," he said.

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Under Ganguly, India drew four-Test series 1-1 but Australia were without ir best bowlers Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne. Ganguly asserted that India have resources to beat Australia in ir own backyard.  "y have fast bowlers, y have spinners, y have a champion in Virat Kohli, as a batsman it's a new Ajinkya Rahane, which we have seen in last three, four months and w Rohit Sharma (as opener).  "I am looking forward to his performance, and if India get order right and openers, because opening is most important thing in overseas cricket... so if y can  get that right y will be able to beat this Australian team," he added. 

India have lost Test series in South Africa and England in 2018 but Ganguly expects m to win team tours next time. "I still expect m to win in England and South Africa in Test matches which y need to do to be a good side. y beat Australia in last year (2018) but I still expect m to win in South Africa and England and y are going back to Australia next year," Ganguly said.

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