NEW DELHI, Oct 6: India could thrash Australia 3-1 in the upcoming Test series if it is played on turning pitches, opener Virender Sehwag said on Monday.

“If we play on spin-friendly tracks, the series might go 3-1 in our favour,” the hard-hitting Indian batsman told CNN-IBN news channel.

“India is the only team that beat Australia in Australia twice. We beat them in Perth last time and before that in Adelaide.

“So we are accepting the challenge and we will fight it out. Hopefully, we will do well and reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.”

Of the 22 Tests played for the Trophy, Australia have won 10 and India eight, with four draws.

Sehwag, the only Indian to have smashed a triple-century, is key to the hosts’ fortunes as an aggressive opener in the four-Test series starting in Bangalore on Thursday.

“I am in good nick at the moment and looking forward to this series. I hope I do well because it’s against the Aussies and everybody knows it’s a tough task to get runs against them.”

Sehwag, who has 5,157 runs from 60 Tests, singled out the spin department as a weak link in the Aussie team.

“In my opinion, they have a quality pace attack but don’t have quality spin bowling. I have seen their off-spinner [Jason Krejza] who gave 123 runs in 20 overs [in the first innings] against the Board President’s XI,” he said. “I think we will go after him.”

The 29-year-old opener, however, said it would be a mistake to read too much into Australia’s below-par performance in the drawn tour game at Hyderabad over the weekend.

“In a practice game, you don’t give your 100 percent, you are just practising for the Test match and are not worried about the result,” he said.

“I think the Aussies got what they wanted out of the game and they are ready for the Tests.”

The tourists were embarrassed by India’s second string over the four days, first allowing the hosts to pile up 455 in the first innings before being bowled out for 314 in reply.The home team then smashed 292-4 in the second innings with Yuvraj Singh (113) and Wasim Jaffer (93) battering the tourists’ bowlers on the final day.

The Aussies finished at 127-2.

The Bangalore Test will be followed by matches in Mohali, New Delhi and Nagpur.—AFP