July 16, 2003	Wednesday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 15, 1424

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KOLKATA, July 15: India captain Saurav Ganguly believes his team face a real test of character when they tour Australia later this year.

“To be honest, it’s going to be a tough series,” he told reporters on Tuesday. “It is going to be a real test of our abilities in Australia.”

India lost to Australia in the one-day World Cup final in March and play four Tests in Australia at the turn of the year.

Before that they host New Zealand in October for a two-Test series followed by a one-day series also featuring Australia.

India are ranked sixth out of 10 nations in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test championship table, but Ganguly said he regarded India as next best to Australia.

“It will be a huge thing, not only for me but also for Indian cricket and the boys,” Ganguly said of the Australia tour.

“But I am pretty confident with this side, the boys have travelled all around the world.”

India ended Australia’s record streak of 16 Test wins with a 2-1 home series upset in 2001, but they have not won a Test series outside south Asia since 1986.

Ganguly said his team were upbeat about the new season after a string of good efforts leading up to the World Cup.

“It is just not the World Cup. We had a great year last year,” he said, pointing to India sharing the Champions Trophy with hosts Sri Lanka after a fighting 1-1 draw in a four-Test series in England.

He denied domestic media reports that some players wanted former Australia captain Greg Chappell to be invited to next month’s preparatory camp in Bangalore to give batting tips.

“I have read these reports and they are not true,” he said. “We already have John Wright who himself is a batsman.”

Chappell was short-listed to take over as India’s first foreign coach three years ago before New Zealand opening batsman Wright was appointed to the job.—Reuters