Hampered by injuries to key players, the Australian cricket team took off for India to play a seven-match ODI series with skipper Ricky Ponting conceding that despite their Champions Trophy debacle, Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men would be hard to beat in home conditions.
"They will be particularly hard to beat in India, they always are. They definitely play a lot better at home than they do when they travel," Ponting told reporters before the Aussies boarded their flight to India yesterday.
India crashed out of the Champions Trophy in the group stage itself.
Australia, on the other hand, are high on confidence after clinching their second successive Champions Trophy title. But Ponting said injuries to regular vice-captain Michael Clarke and batsman Callum Ferguson has disturbed the balance of the side and selection would be a major headache during the tour.
While Ferguson is out for a year with a knee injury, Clarke is battling a back problem but may join the squad in the later in the series.
"The selectors and myself are going to have a bit of thinking to do over the next few days as to what we do with the batting line-up," Ponting said.
{{/usCountry}}"The selectors and myself are going to have a bit of thinking to do over the next few days as to what we do with the batting line-up," Ponting said.
{{/usCountry}}