Former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie, who was part of the last Australian team to win in India, has suggested putting away egos will be a key to winning on the sub-continent in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
Gillespie was Australia's leading wicket-taker in the series, taking 20 wickets at an average of 16.15, including grabbing combined figures of 9 for 80 during the third Test in Nagpur.
Australia won the series 2-1 while playing three fast bowlers and missing captain Ricky Ponting, with Adam Gilchrist taking over and delivering a famous, rare victory in the sub-continent nation.
India, if anything, are more dominant now at home in the five-day format than they ever have been, and will pose the greatest challenge yet for Pat Cummins' side, who have all but booked their spot in the World Test Championship final after a wonderful 24 months.
However, Gillespie warned Cummins and the pace-bowling group - to be made up of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland and Lance Morris - to put away their egos and bowl the correct line and length.
“Back in 2004 we, as a bowling group, put our egos away,” said Gillespie, who is Australia's ninth-greatest Test wicket-taker.
“I remember in 2001, we still went over there thinking we could bowl the Australian line and length and get away with that and we'd just roll them over.
“In ‘04 we thought about it long and hard and reflected on it and decided we needed to just put our egos away and play subcontinent-style cricket and we did that. We had a bit of success with three quicks and ‘The King' (Shane Warne) bowing, with some help from ‘Pup' (Michael) Clarke and ‘Boof' (Darren) Lehmann.
“So whichever way the Australian team goes, I think adaptability and situation awareness is going to be absolutely crucial. Backing your skills and backing your fitness is also key on the subcontinent because it's hot, it's humid, it's uncomfortable, they're foreign conditions – you've got to bank on your fitness and strength taking you deep into games."
Gillespie noted significant differences between bowling in India and Pakistan, and suggested Nathan Lyon will have to alter his game slightly to be effective in India.
“It's subcontinental conditions, but they are different, and Pakistan players use the conditions slightly different to India players,” Gillespie said.
“Speaking to Nathan Lyon … he talked about the difference between bowling to Pakistan batsmen and Indian batsmen. Indian batsmen don't tend to sweep, whereas Pakistan batsmen will just pull out the broom – so that's a challenge for him as a spin bowler.
“But I think the quicks will get a little more assistance off the surface in India. Pakistan is a really tough place to bowl for a fast bowler."
Australia's first Test against India starts on February 9 in Nagpur.
