“Series win in India will be bigger than Ashes victory,” Steve Smith shares thoughts ahead of massive challenge against India

The highly-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy is around the corner and former Aussie skipper Steve Smith claimed that winning a series in India is tougher than the Ashes series.


“Series win in India will be bigger than Ashes victory,” Steve Smith shares thoughts ahead of massive challenge against India

Steve Smith

The Ashes is one of the oldest rivalries in cricket and one of the most important series for both Australia and England. And so is the rivalry between India and Australia because of a thrilling contest.

ADVERTISEMENT

Since their last 2004-05 series win in India, Australia have just won one Test match in the subcontinent. The highly-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy is around the corner and former Aussie skipper Steve Smith claimed that winning a series in India is tougher than the Ashes series.

It’s difficult place to win…a Test match let alone a Test series. So you know if we’re able to topple that mountain that would be huge. I think if we can win (in) India, that would be bigger than an Ashes series,” Smith said in a video uploaded by cricket.com.au. Smith has played 12 Test innings in India and scored 660 at an average of 60, including three centuries and one half-century, with the highest being an unbeaten 178 runs.

Related: Pakistan’s threat to boycott ICC World Cup in India is rhetoric

ADVERTISEMENT

David Warner says India Tests are the toughest challenge for them

Steve Smith
David Warner

Veteran opener David Warner also spoke similar things. Warner hasn’t tasted success in India scoring just 388 runs, with three half-centuries, in 14 Test innings, at a paltry average of 24.25. His highest score in India was a 71-run knock.

Always a hard graft. One thing I’m looking forward is to applying myself against the best spinners in the world. Being a part of that last Ashes series [in 2019] was fantastic but go to India and beat India in India, that’s the toughest challenge in Test cricket for us,” Warner told cricket.com.au.

The No.1 Australia and No.2 India have locked horns in 102 Test matches and the latter have emerged victorious 43 times, while India could win just 30 of these. A total of 28 matches ended in a draw, while one ended with a tied. India have hosted the Aussies 14 times and are leading by 8-4, with two drawn series.

Of the last ten series played between the two countries, India have got the upper hand with six victories, while Australia won four of them. India, the current holders of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, won the last three editions(2016-17, 2018-19, and 2020/21) and would eye to maintain the winning streak in the forthcoming Test at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur, on February 9.

ADVERTISEMENT

In case you missed:

Asia Cup 2023 is likely to be shifted out of Pakistan

“If they’re unfair wickets…,” Ian Healy takes a sly dig at India, Ashwin gives epic reaction