Despite going through a transitional phase of late, Australia will be a tough nut to crack in their own den, feels India's middle-order maestro Rahul Dravid ahead of the team's tour Down Under.
"I don't think so," Dravid said when asked if it would be comparatively easy for India to win a series for the first time in Australia.
"There will two evenly-matched teams. They have definitely lost some of the big names, some of the great players, but we have seen there performance against New Zealand and South Africa," he added.
Dravid, who has so far scored five centuries this year, felt India can be competitive.
"If we play well, we can be competitive," he said.
The Indian also believed that the absence of new pace sensation, Pat Simmons, who has already been ruled out for a major part of the upcoming series, would not impact the Aussies much.
"It's not just about Cummins, even (James) Pattison can be good. We are not focussed on any particular individual," Dravid, who has a great record in Australia, told 'NDTV'.
The modest batsman said he has not set any target as far as runs are concerned.
{{/usCountry}}The modest batsman said he has not set any target as far as runs are concerned.
{{/usCountry}}"There is no particular target in terms of runs. The only target is to win the series. Hopefully, we prepare well, and play well.
"Australia is a great place to play cricket. It's a great challenge on and off," he said.