Australia will enter the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with the intention of avoiding losing the series for the third straight time at home. Australia skipper Pat Cummins admitted there will always be pressure to play at home and it wasn't necessitated by the intention to undo their poor record in the last 10 years as far as the rivalry is concerned.
"Not pressure, there will always be pressure when you are playing at home. India are a talented side and it will be a good challenge. Not looking too far," he said on the eve of the first Test in Perth.
"It would be great to win the Border Gavaskar Trophy. India are a great side but we are prepared," he added.
On both sides of the camp, there are newcomers with Nathan McSweeney set to make his debut for the Aussies at the top of the order and Nitish Reddy expected to get the nod for India.
"He should play his natural game. He shouldn't try to imitate David Warner. That's not his game. As long as he makes the bowlers bowl again and again, that's his game," said Cummins on McSweeney who will open the innings alongside Usman Khawaja.
On Reddy, who Cummins shared the dressing room with for his IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad, he said, "He is an impressive youngster. Didn't bowl much for SRH. He can swing the ball and a really talented kid."
Speaking of Mitchell Marsh, Cummins said there is "no upper limit" on how many bowlers he will bowl against India.
With Cameron Green out of the summer with injury, Marsh will carry extra level of responsibility in the five-match series.
"We never put an upper limit on anyone," the skipper said. "He will definitely bowl this Test. He is an all-rounder and with the way us four bowlers set out, we never really budget around an all-rounder bowling heaps.
"I would imagine a few spells each innings. He is ready to go and he's been bowling great this week, his body is the best it has been for a while. I don't have an answer, but he's ready to go and happy to bowl as much as we need."
